by JimBoylan
There is catenary as well as 3rd rail in the Empire tunnel. Is anything else needed for Hudson River service towards Albany?
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electricron wrote: ↑Thu Nov 25, 2021 10:54 pmYou neglected one important fact. Caltrain is replacing almost all its equipment and buying the Stalter EMUs. VRE would not need to buy anything but motors to replace locos. One problem that I do not know answer. Can CAT be installed in the first ave tunnels so to clear for the occasional Superliners & VRE Cars?scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 25, 2021 10:37 pm Electrifying to at least Fredericksburg, so VRE can have metro like service with EMU should be left in plan.Sounds like a great idea. who do you suggest should pay for the electrification?
VRE, Amtrak, Virginia, or a combination of the three?
How much do you think it might cost?
Caltrain electrification is going to cost $2.3 Billion for the infrastructure and the trains, for just 51 miles.
Union Station in DC to Fredericksburg is 54 miles, where will another $2.3 Billion come from?
eolesen wrote: ↑Wed Mar 02, 2022 3:42 pm It will have the pantagraph and switchgear needed to provide HEP and traction power. Technically the ALC's engine won't need power. The traction motors do.This setup has many advantageous. The first is weight. The ALCs will have the same or some less weight. Only will need some switch gear. The use of CAT power in the BC car prevents the need for the heavy 25Hz / 60Hz dual voltage transformer and the necessary rectifier(s). That reduces loco wear and tear on the tracks which was a real consideration for some passenger bridges especially MNRR. That is especially on the Albany route. No need for DC third rail pickups and relays. MNRR is a different setup need.
Dead weight in the form of a power car is a tradeoff for not having a regionally limited fleet or carrying that dead weight inside the engine's car body. Being business class, power car is already going to be lighter via fewer seats...
west point wrote: ↑Wed Mar 02, 2022 10:30 pm The only thing needed for Albany service is to extend the CAT from NYP about a mile. There does not seem to be understanding that using third rail limits speeds. Also, acceleration. That is due to high current draw at the 600 -750 DC power is too much for third rail shoes. This subject keeps coming up about 3rd rail current draws for locos. Locos out of GCT always switch as soon as possible out of the Park Ave tunnels. That was true for FL-9s. Imagine an ALC drawing 4200 HP not twice as much as a FL-9 but much more.The last I knew, the Empire Connection had catenary for the same length as third rail.
EMUs do not draw that many amps as each car only needs 300 - 500 HP each.
BandA wrote: ↑Fri Mar 04, 2022 9:35 am Would be slick if the ALC-42E has regenerative brakes that feed into the power car battery and/or back to the power grid.The diesel Chargers have regenerative dynamic braking that routes the power back into HEP, so it'd seem like a no-brainer to also route back to the battery as well.
SRich wrote: ↑Sat Mar 05, 2022 3:46 am Is there even an need for Amtrak for 3 rail pickup loco's if there is overhead wire for te last mile to NY Penn?I cannot see the need normally. However, if Amtrak wants the ability to detour to GCT then it would need 3rd rail shoes on the power car or loco. The need for conversion of the DC 3rd rail power will take some different wiring. As I understand it, now CAT AC off the transformer is rectified to a higher DC voltage than 3rd rail. If that means a different feed to inverters, then I have no idea.
west point wrote: ↑Sat Mar 05, 2022 12:50 am A problem with the power car is going to be weight and balance. The weight of the car will be somewhat heavier especially with a 25 / 60 Hz transformer plus rectifier and necessary relays. Also, the Power cars HEP inverters? That weight will be determined by the max HP useable in electric mode. What will be the HP rating of the ALC traction motors? Have not even heard what the 300s have?I imagine most of the gear will be underneath for low center of gravity and weight balance.
Balancing the weight of the transformer(s) and batteries for equal weight on both trucks will be interesting? There has been an assumption by myself and others that all that equipment would be in the front section with BC behind? Maybe better with opposite side passages on each end into the BC section. That would balance weight both fore and aft, and side to side.