Locomotive engine

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie

A couple months ago it was the lead locomotive on a freight and tangled with a loaded gravel truck in a grade crossing accident. Destroyed the truck and killed the driver and did enough damage to the engine to take it offline for a few weeks. It is back and pounding the rails again.

Happened in Lousiana. UP6936 I "think". A UP employee from Omaha was riding in the cab... . when they hit the truck the force of the contents came inside the cab and killed that passenger.



I'll try to find out the specifics of it. I remember it. . and I seen pictures of it. It wasn't in freight service tho.



Centennial DD40X: Union Pacific has retained only one of its 47 Centennial diesel-electric locomotives, No. 6936. The Centennials were the largest diesel-electric locomotives ever built. Actually comprising two engines on one frame, they delivered 6,600 horsepower. Designed and built exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the units were named in honor of the railroad's centennial anniversary celebration in 1969. Accordingly, they were numbered in the 6900 series, from 6900 to 6946.





I can tell you were some are sitting that were donated... ... . if you want.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

That DDA40X, 6936 is back now with the updated paint shceme (nose wings and lightning stripe)

 

[Evan A. Beck]

The DD40AX was the final version of EMD'd really BIG freight locomotives... They had originally started the project with ome DD35B's that the SP & UP purchased. Later, they came out with the same DD35, but with a cab on it. The DD40 was next, but it only existed as an EMD demo unit.



Then came the DD40AX...



They were numbered 6900-6946, so there were 47 built. They used the 6900 number series, as they came out in '69 which was UP's Centennial year. Hence the nickname "Centennial" for these behemoths.



These things are HUGE. The 6936 rolled through Seattle a few years back, and I got the pleasure of getting to examine the thing up close & personal. Sounded real nice, all 6,600 Armour Yellow ponies!!!



Kat, what's the status on the 6936 now? I know it's been busy...

 

[Evan A. Beck]

Kat, ya beat me to it!

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by Evan A. Beck

Kat, what's the status on the 6936 now? I know it's been busy...

I can't trace its location from home... ... . I'll check tommorrow night where its at when I get to work.

 

[Andy Perreault]

Originally posted by EMDDIESEL

You prime the engine with fuel for 20 seconds, then start it.

Are locomotive engines equipped with any cold weather starting aids, like heater grids, glow plugs, or ether injection? I wonder if it's a hassle getting one started in Edmonton or International Falls in the middle of winter.

Interesting and educational topic, thanks EMD and Kat.

Andy

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by Andy Perreault





Are locomotive engines equipped with any cold weather starting aids, like heater grids, glow plugs, or ether injection? I wonder if it's a hassle getting one started in Edmonton or International Falls in the middle of winter.

Interesting and educational topic, thanks EMD and Kat.

Andy

I don't know bout starting aids, but if the the temp is going to be under 40° the locomotives are not shutdown. They have no "antifreeze" its straight water because of the volume the cooling system holds.

 

[B9Mile]

Public Equip. Trace

Thanks for the fuel and oil grades info EMD.



Joe Q. public can trace items on UP at this link. You need the reporting marks and the car or loco serial #, such as CEFX 118 as an example of some leased power.



http://my.uprr.com/pub/pet/





BNSF also has a nice equipment tracing page which is accessable to the public.



http://www.bnsf.com/cws/eqptrace/





The 6936 was pulling a track inspection train of UP employees whan it collided with that gravel truck at a grade crossing in louisiana last Feb (?). Lots of gravel and debris entered the cab through the nose access door. The door has been modified. There no longer is a small window in it. I think it also used to open inward. That has been changed so it opens outward.



A member of the UP engineering crew was riding in the cab that day. He was one of the fatalities.



If I remember correctly, the initial EMD 6000 HP prime movers had overheating problems. Rumor had it that the cylinder walls were too thin, resulting in excessive wall vibration (on a microscopic scale). The initial GE/Deutz 6000 HP prime movers had crankshaft vibration problems.



Back in the old days, the traction generators attached to the prime movers were strictly DC, which was convenient for the DC traction motors. After the HP race between EMD and GE, and a couple of others exceeded 2,500 HP, the generators became too large to fit under the hood. So, an AC alternator was used, with the corresponding rectifiers and controls to accommodate the DC traction motors.



After AC traction motors and 6000 HP arrived, radial trucks and lots of other neat things became necessary to put that power onto the rails while keeping slippage to a minimum.

 

[B9Mile]

UP 6936 Damage

This link has a small shot of the damaged nose. You can do additional searches there for more info.



http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?f=1&i=7959&t=7915

 

[EMDDIESEL]

B9Mile wrote: "Lots of gravel and debris entered the cab through the nose access door. The door has been modified. There no longer is a small window in it. "

DDA40X's dont have nose door windows, they never did. You are getting it confused with the new widebodys (DASH8-40CW and up for GE and SD60M and up for EMD) Only Wide body cabs did. UP now removes nose door windows when any unit so equipped goes in for its overhaul. The DDA40X's DO have nose doors that open in though, that may have been changed.

As for cold weather starting systems, there are some available, but then need to be plugged to 408 volt ground power which is rareley available. What they do is heat and circulate the coolant to make the engine easier to start. Very few railroads have the systems though due to them being impractical and expensive and of course, being one more thing to break and maintain.

EMD's and GE's do not use any type of glow plugs or heat screens like our trucks do, just compression, nothing more. As Kat said, we just leave them running. On AC6000's and SD90MAC's they have a screen where you can look up specifics on an engine and one of the things it lists is how many times it was started since it was built. I have been on AC6000's that were 3 years old and had only been started 10-15 times in 3 years of continuous operation. Just goes to show how little they are shutdown

The SD90MAC's and some newer units can use antifreeze. The earlier untis did not use them for the reaon of cost (Over 300 gallons in most units) and also in case of internal engine leaks, water will seperate from oil, coolant wont and will cause major damage. Its cheaper and easier to use water with an anti corrision/sediment additive. The funny thing is, most of these additives make the water the same exact shade as antifreeze so alot of people think thats what it is.

The biggest advance in traction control was the EMD Super Series wheel slip control system firt used on SD40-2SS. New systems use a radar gun pointed at the ground to tell if the wheels are moving faster then the locomotive and will then adjust power accordinglly. Sort of like traction control in a car.

AC units have a similar system that can control the output even more preciseley thereby offering more adhesion.

 

[DRR-24V]

EMD,

What kind of RPM are we talking about on these monsters?

 

[EMDDIESEL]

904RPM is the max on almost all loco's. Alot of power for so low an RPM huh?

 

[Ranger Dick]

EMD, what a great thread!!!!. The family just got back from Lake Tahoe on Monday, but while we were there My wife and I decided to surprise our two children with a trip to the Feather River Railroad society Museum at the old Western Pacific Portola service yard. They had a non operating DDA40x locomotive. Boy it is sure big. I have driven 3000 gallon water tenders for the fire service, and it is amazing that the fuel tank on this engine is and additional 5200 gallons. The great thing about this museum is that you can climb into a ton of locomotives including the DDA40x. And those 4 axle trucks and long wheelbase must have really limited the trackage that it could travel over. It was as fun for dad as it was for the kids. Your knowledge is very impressive. Matt

 

[EMDDIESEL]

That was another downfall of the DDA40X, the huge trucks caused exxcessive wheel wear and over time, with 46 of them roaming the rails was not great for track structure.

Congrats on being lucky enough to see one first hand, there are not many preserved. Email me your adress and ill send you something you will like if you enjoyed seeing that engine in person.

 

[Jakebud]

EMD



Did you get the email I sent through the site a few days ago?



Had the privilege of seeing the 6936 in action last November, not much before its accident in Louisiana. Was driving back home (Papillion, NE) from Denver when I noticed it on a westbound double stack not far east of Julesburg, Colorado. It looked magnificent. Had a Phase II SD-90 and an SD-60M with it as well. I get to travel to Denver about three times a year for simulators at United and when I can drive I do. It is a great treat to drive US 30 across Nebraska, as it parallels the UP most of the way across the state. It skips a loop down around Julesburg, but there is another highway that allows you to miss virtually none of the action on the UP.



SPIKE

 

[EMDDIESEL]

No i did not get your email. Can you send it again?

 

[The patriot]

I was talking with my Dad tonight.

They used to run the GP-40 with the 4000HP engine. (I think one?) for freight.

Passenger engine had two 1100 HP EMD's in series. Dont remember if they were V-12's or 16's?

He said they leaked so bad that they drilled holes in the deck plating on the floor so it could leak out! I guess they couldnt do this today.

This was all over 20 years ago.

Eric

 

[EMDDIESEL]

EMD never made a 4 axle unit (GP Series) with 4,000HP now, or 20 years ago. They DID, however make a 20 cylinder 4,200HP locomotive called a SD45X. Only 7 were built and 4 were in EMD colors and 3 were in SP colors. They were built in 1970-1971 and none remain. That may have been what he was reffering too. There was no wheel slip system available back then to transfer that much power to the rails on a 4 axle unit.



As for the dual Engine Locomotives you are talking about, they had two 12cylinder engines that put out approximatley 2,400hp. They were the E8/E9 series. One of the most beautiful Locomotives ever built.

 

[jsimpson]

My next door neighbor (now deceased) used to be a welding foreman for Baldwin. It amazed me that those Baldwin engines wern't cast; they were fabricated by WELDING them up!

 

[EMDDIESEL]

All the EMD's are fabricated steel also. It would cost a fortune to cast something that big, plus it would be very difficult to maintain consitency that way Not to mention it would not be as strong.