GEVO turbo failures

[SooLineRob]

But while the GEVOs may be more fuel efficient...

...the turbo chargers are failing. Catastrophic failures! They're coming apart at high RPM's, sending shrapnel through the carbody.

GE is working to identify the suspected units and working with the owners to correct the problem.

One lawsuit from flying shards of metal would wipe out years' worth of fuel savings...

[MEC407]

I saw this mentioned on LocoNotes, I think. I don't think it is something that has been happening in huge numbers, but apparently it has happened more than once. I'm sure GE is being very cautious and will figure out a remedy for this problem.

[CN Sparky]

I saw a memo from CP Rail about that... stating another railroad (didn't specify who... could have been CN for all I know...) warning people about it. Don't stand next to the unit at 8th notch...! Seems to be at high RPMs and only specific turbos using a shaft from a certain supplier during a certain timeframe. I think it was the high 87xx or 88xx CP units. Regardless, I had to make a few runs out to check serial numbers on our units.

Other than the memo from CP Rail... I haven't heard anything from my employer about it. Not that that surprises me... safety last!

[RickRackstop]

But while the GEVOs may be more fuel efficient...

...the turbo chargers are failing. Catastrophic failures! They're coming apart at high RPM's, sending shrapnel through the carbody.

GE is working to identify the suspected units and working with the owners to correct the problem.

One lawsuit from flying shards of metal would wipe out years' worth of fuel savings...

Can you verify that the blades are are flying through the housing and any sheet-metal that gets in the way. Usually shed blades are thrown out the exhaust. There are a lot of ways to destroy a perfectly good turbo such as lack of lubrication or overspeed-overheat. With all the photos of fire shooting out of the stack of GE locomotives they must be pretty resistant to that. I've seen bent shafts caused by bearing failure resulting from being out of balance that totaled the turbo but nothing escaped the housing. If defective shafts are the cause of this I sure would like to see the inspection report. GE seems to have a history of UFO's. There's a you-tube video of a connecting rod leak that almost got a passerby and on Cargolaw website there use to be photos of a cylinder head/ liner assembly that was launched through the locomotive then came down through the roof of a nearby house all the way into the basement.

[GEVO]

The FDL cylinder/liner assembly landed in the yard, not the basement. But the rod and piston did go through the roof of the house and lodged in the living room wall. Supposably was caused by improper torquing of the cylinder hold down bolts by a repair shop that had recently changed out the Power Assembly, no fault of GE.

The BNSF turbo issue Safety Brief is on TrainOrders and on RailroadForums. There is also a post that the the pre oil for the smart start may be the root cause of the shaft failures. I'm sure that everyone affected is aware of the situation and that they are taking the steps necessary to identify and fix the issue ASAP.

[RickRackstop]

If its a lubrication failure that wallows out the bearing so that the whole assembly tries to get cross wise and self destructs then the other report I read about defective shafts is false. On the FDL engine all four hold down bolts were still on the head assembly and lack of proper bolt stretch or under torqued bolts is the most likely reason. That engine has a fearsome firing pressure.

[GN 599]

On BNSF we have a general order out instructing us not to be out on the long hood of these engines when operating over notch 4. What about the train going by me in notch 8?

[atsf sp]

What RRs are being hit the hardest? Was it only a certain batch because I am still seeing a large amount of GEVOs in Boston for CSX. Are BNSF and CP the main ones hit? Also is it ES44DC, AC or both being affected?

[RickRackstop]

What RRs are being hit the hardest? Was it only a certain batch because I am still seeing a large amount of GEVOs in Boston for CSX. Are BNSF and CP the main ones hit? Also is it ES44DC, AC or both being affected?

All the EV locomotives have the 12 cylinder GEVO engine which replaces the 16 FDL engine of the same horsepower. The problem is in the batch of over 1000 locomotives built between january 20007 and March of this year and include the other engines that had replacement turbos installed at that time. It would seem that in some cases the railroads have derated them by adding an extra locomotive and possibly instructing the engineer to keep it at run 6 or below. That's just a guess so so railroad people will have to report on that. In the interim the railroads are reactivating older locomotives in storage to replace those out of service awaiting replacement turbos. I doubt if we ever see a report on the nature of the failure and there seems to have only 2 fail in a catastrophic way so there won't be too many broken pieces laying around for the casual observer to inspect.