ApproachMedium wrote: ↑Sun Jul 10, 2022 12:43 am All the amtrak F40s had dynamic brakes. Its not just for long downhills on freight, it can be used in the same manner for passenger. Mostly, on the NEC we use them for making high speed station stops to save on brake shoe wear and not piss the air away making a lot of on and off with the automatic brake. There is of course, more than one way to skin a cat so your operators behaviors may vary.I guess this is where we can say something positive about the ACS64s, the dynamic/regen works wonderful. On dry rail you can almost bring a train to a stop without touching the air, I know the majority of the time I hardly touch the air for minor speed changes on 9 cars or less on a good day.
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Amtrak’s Growing Pains with Siemens Locomotives
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I had the benefit of a cab ride on DB from Cologne to Dortmund (via the Ruhr) and back (via Wuppertal) back in the 1980's, and the engineers likewise hardly touched the air until the dynamic died out just before the train came to a stop at a station, then used air only to complete the stop. The dynamic took hold with an immediate reduction in speed which you hardly felt back in the coaches -- and no brake shoe noise.
I presume the dynamic braking on the Sprinters is better than the Toasters. As a rider, I remember the SEPTA Toasters were a rougher ride when it came to braking than the Sprinters.
“A poor craftsman blames his tools.” On that note I will say that I’d take an AEM7 any day to run a smoother train, more tools at your disposal like a little power braking and a real brake stand. The Sprinters have some annoying quirks at times with braking characteristics but most of the time you probably don’t feel the difference in the body of the train sitting beyond first car.
8th Notch wrote: ↑Mon Jul 11, 2022 7:04 am “A poor craftsman blames his tools.” On that note I will say that I’d take an AEM7 any day to run a smoother train, more tools at your disposal like a little power braking and a real brake stand. The Sprinters have some annoying quirks at times with braking characteristics but most of the time you probably don’t feel the difference in the body of the train sitting beyond first car.Ahhh the ability to brake with power applied, a tool taken away from us. Except when making a running brake test. Its how I was taught to run trains. Gives a smoother ride but what do engineers know. As Buford T Justice said "You can think about it, just don't do it"
Green means GO Red means STOP Yellow your on YOUR OWN
During my couple decades in IT- programmer, project manager, etc., first thing you did for a project or program was to talk to the people who would be getting it - what do they need and want, what they currently have that they like or don't like, etc. IMHO, buying new locos that those who will operate them have not had significant input into is beyond absurd, and as the primary users, they should be involved in the entire process. At 'project end', there should always be a 'what's next' review, and those reviews should happen again periodically as you get used to using what the project was for, and to plan ahead for what you'd need next time around. Granted, that with the politics, you frequently have no idea of what resources you will have in the future, but the better a loco is designed and built the more you can get out of it.
RaILroads do not care about the operators they just care about the train moving and the passengers paying.
The ACS and chargers CAN have the power knock out disabled and parameters changed for power knock out to come on. we could power brake them BUT the company chooses not to. but its OK for PTC to enforce wrong speeds and destroy brake shoes.
The ACS and chargers CAN have the power knock out disabled and parameters changed for power knock out to come on. we could power brake them BUT the company chooses not to. but its OK for PTC to enforce wrong speeds and destroy brake shoes.
No good deed goes unpunished.
Any railroad that does not listen to the real experts, the people who operate their trains, on issues of operations, specifying new equipment, fixing problems, has serious issues. Sadly, this seems way too common.
The railroad cares first about fuel consumption, and minimizing brake shoe wear vs ride quality…. In the past where you could stretch the rules in some areas because local management would look away, now has changed since Delaware does random remote downloads. As far as new stuff goes, the company makes it look good by allowing a few blet local chairman to preview/give input on things like cab layout however it all boils down to $$ in the end.
You'd think that by now they'd know how to prevent such problems, especially in new locos.
photobug56 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 12:45 am You'd think that by now they'd know how to prevent such problems, especially in new locos.Not going to happen with all this baloney emissions nonsense and over computer, over microprocessor controlled crap.
No good deed goes unpunished.
ApproachMedium wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 2:20 amKeeping snow out?photobug56 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 12:45 am You'd think that by now they'd know how to prevent such problems, especially in new locos.Not going to happen with all this baloney emissions nonsense and over computer, over microprocessor controlled crap.
Yes because the computer knows best. They supposedly programmed the computer to reverse the fan to try and keep the snow out of the cooling system. The cooling system that has to work the way it does, and be designed the way it is because of the emissions system. Engine temp and EGR temps are very important when you are trying to control NoX emissions.
No good deed goes unpunished.
Makes you wonder what if any testing in snow conditions the design got.