View Full Version : My V12 that I catch every day
uploaded/50107/1200514124.jpg
It's a DC class locomotive, 82 ton, 1230kW and 140kN of tractive effort. All from a General Motors 12 645cc V12 :P
Kieran
16-01-2008, 09:26 PM
Heh!
Here's a big V12 that starts slightly better than our Golf on really cold mornings, as a few committee members will testify! /pan.... It starts at about 00:58....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEwg4iRcf60
Wow - that is a lot of smoke!!! Very impressive clip
*favourited*
Mark 4
16-01-2008, 10:07 PM
Sorry Kieran but did that thing actually start ?
ANTHONY
16-01-2008, 11:31 PM
and why did i sit watching it trying
Davezj
16-01-2008, 11:46 PM
quite compelling watching
Kieran
17-01-2008, 12:00 AM
Sorry Kieran but did that thing actually start ?
Hang on a second - Need to adjust my anorak! :embarasse I'm no 'spotter' but these big engines are quite something, especially when you're stood near one as it opens up!
The engine did start. It 'catches' at around 54 seconds in. The running-up after that is because the governor on these engines is oil pressure driven and it takes a while for the oil to get thin and hot enough for it to work properly. Whilst the oil is cold the pressure is still very high, so the governor keeps pegging things back untill pressure drops... This almost stalls the engine, so then it opens the taps again and it runs up. The English Electric diesels in a lot of '60s-->1980s British Rail locos are based on very old designs. No Glow plugs or anything like that.
That one's actually pretty good... Try this for a "START, you &%$£@#!!!" engine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4MjC1Ywofg
I like trains too - I remember seeing the massive coal trains that go down to Richard's Bay (a bulk sea terminal in South Africa) - a 22 000 tonne gross coal train :)
http://www.bwring.net/rail/sar/11E035_coallink/11E035_coallink.html
Hang on a second - Need to adjust my anorak! :embarasse I'm no 'spotter' but these big engines are quite something, especially when you're stood near one as it opens up!
The engine did start. It 'catches' at around 54 seconds in. The running-up after that is because the governor on these engines is oil pressure driven and it takes a while for the oil to get thin and hot enough for it to work properly. Whilst the oil is cold the pressure is still very high, so the governor keeps pegging things back untill pressure drops... This almost stalls the engine, so then it opens the taps again and it runs up. The English Electric diesels in a lot of '60s-->1980s British Rail locos are based on very old designs. No Glow plugs or anything like that.
That one's actually pretty good... Try this for a "START, you &%$£@#!!!" engine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4MjC1Ywofg
How do they "crank" the engine - must have a shedload of batteries or something? What does the "after five minutes of priming" mean?
Kieran
17-01-2008, 12:47 AM
How do they "crank" the engine - must have a shedload of batteries or something? What does the "after five minutes of priming" mean?
Normally they use the generator that's on the end of the engine. The batteries energise the coils and the whole thing becomes a dirty great starter motor. Some of them are started with compressed air, though that's not so common on UK locos.
'Priming' as I understand it is a auxilliary oil pump is switched on to get the oil across the bearings so they're hydrodynamic when the beast is cranked. Doesn't normally take so long but that engine had only just been reassembled, so I imagine they took their time to make sure nothing was oil starved.
All very well, but the two classic diesel locomotive sounds have not been covered:
1) Napier Deltic.
We all know about inline engines with a single bank of cylinders driving one crankshaft, and V engines with two banks of cylinders driving one. But what about the unique Deltic, with three banks of cylinders driving three crankshafts (two pistons per cylinder. Sort of three V engines stuck together...). For an example of the unique sound: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojkAYt0LTc8&feature=related
2) Paxman Valenta.
This one was a staple of my childhood, when my father would come home from business trips on the train. We would always wait on the platform for the HST to leave, just to witness the screaming turbos of the Valenta.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1ICcOu0NkM&feature=related
I'm not sure who wins the sad award in this thread, but it is 1:30am so it's probably me.
2) Paxman Valenta.
This one was a staple of my childhood, when my father would come home from business trips on the train. We would always wait on the platform for the HST to leave, just to witness the screaming turbos of the Valenta.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1ICcOu0NkM&feature=related
I'm not sure who wins the sad award in this thread, but it is 1:30am so it's probably me.
This is the coolest sounding train I've ever heard - it just sounds MAD!!!
bradc
17-01-2008, 03:33 AM
Garratt's are cooler :) You should know what one is Ryan
Garratt's are cooler :) You should know what one is Ryan
How do you know it's not fitted with Garratt's? :) Even so, it's still the coolest sounding *train* ever :D
bradc
17-01-2008, 04:43 AM
NO, Garratt, not Garrett :)
Doh. /duh I should know this but I don't. Learn something new everyday :)
The Garratt was most widely used in Africa with Zimbabwe currently maintaining an average of four locomotives to perform shunting duties around the city of Bulawayo. The most powerful of all Garratts irrespective of gauge were the South African Railways' eight GL class locomotives of 1929-30, which delivered 78,650 lbf (349.85 kN) of tractive effort.
Cheese is rice that is some power... "a reputation as amongst the largest and most powerful steam locomotives in the world."
Thanks B - that was interesting reading!
bradc
17-01-2008, 08:55 AM
There is a GMAM in Parnell, it's F'n HUGE, especially considering it is 3ft 6in gauge
bradc
17-01-2008, 08:58 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainline_Steam
Didn't realise that they owned another 2 that are still in SA
GVR also have an awesome little 2-4-4-2 Mallet which I've been on, and I've also been on the Garratt at PBR in Melbourne.
Turbo_Steve
17-01-2008, 09:04 AM
Isaac, I am with you: The Paxman Valenta is mostest seriously coolest engine in the world, especially the newer revised units that run quieter....until they're on boost!! GNER have a couple of them and I have been impressed. Apparently National Express are going the same way.
There are two re-engining programs for the HSTs. One is to the Paxman 12VP185, and the other is to the MTU 16V 4000. First Great Western are using the latter, whilst most others are using the former. The MTU powered ones sound like virgin voyagers (being the same engine...). :(
orionn2o
17-01-2008, 09:47 AM
Welcome to Club Trainspotter.....
bradc
17-01-2008, 09:54 AM
lol, I only like articulated or unique steam engines, everything else bores me
Kieran
17-01-2008, 10:19 AM
I like the sound of the Deltic and the HST, but for me the best sounding engine is the old Class 20... Especially when there's lots of them....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inDX2_s3380
Or the Class 40, similar but shakes the ground more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_6UoVajgIA
Arrrgh... I can't get this damn Anorak off!/pan
Paul Beazer
17-01-2008, 11:09 AM
No no no no no!
You cant beat the sound of a Sulzer 6LDA engine (Fitted to uk Class 24,25,26 and 27) going at full chat, or even the 12LDA (fitted to UK CLass 47's).
I once worked on/ drove a class 25 and there were practically flames coming out of the exhaust on full power. Oh happy days!
Anorak trivia fact! EE engines cannot be filled with antifreeze because it causes the rubber seals in the piston liner to rot! Thats why they used to be left running in the winter holidays so they didnt freeze up!
Wodjno
17-01-2008, 02:16 PM
"I HATE TRAINS" /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr
Turbo_Steve
17-01-2008, 03:13 PM
Cheers Wodj...... :D
Isaac, I'm probably about a year behind the times, but I thought the MTUs hadn't proven that successful (high rate failures?) or has that been remedied?
I haven't heard an MTU in a Type 43, though, only (as you say) on the Voyagers. It's very dissapointing: rattly diesel engine with no charm at all, not even any boost roar, let alone turbo noise.
I guess that's progress for you.
The deltics sound superb!
The real tragedy is that I have to use a nasty electric train to work everyday. I wouldn't mind if they were brilliant (Virgin's Pendolinos, despite some reliability problems, are fantastic pieces of kit! I believe they're resolving the toilet issue accross the fleet, which is their main bugbear now) but they have knocky transmissions and no transmission braking compensation, so any power loss means a horrid jerk in the back.
I think one of the most unknown yet greatest electric trains in the country is the class 442 Wessex Electric. They are "express EMUs"... they're made by adding DC traction and a cab to MK3 coaching stock. Thus they ride like an HST, the traction motors are pretty much silent (unlike the SE region EMUs!), and unlike other DC EMUs (other than the eurostar) they are FAST - 100mph+. They're only used on the waterloo - bournemouth run.
Paul Beazer
17-01-2008, 04:13 PM
"I HATE TRAINS" /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr /Grrr
So why do you feel the need to comment on an obviously train related thread, you grumpy old fart!
Paul Beazer
17-01-2008, 04:20 PM
I think one of the most unknown yet greatest electric trains in the country is the class 442 Wessex Electric. They are "express EMUs"... they're made by adding DC traction and a cab to MK3 coaching stock. Thus they ride like an HST, the traction motors are pretty much silent (unlike the SE region EMUs!), and unlike other DC EMUs (other than the eurostar) they are FAST - 100mph+. They're only used on the waterloo - bournemouth run.
Not for the last year they havent Isaac! SWT trains have withdrawn the fleet in favour of the more modern Seimens Desiro units, however Southern are planning to start using some of them on some Brighton to London trains later this year. And yes they are very stylish and comfortable units, although their nickname isnt very nice, "Plastic Pigs"!!!
Steve, the MTUs are replacing the Valentas for a number of reasons, emissions, fuel consumption, noise, plus i think the valenta's are pretty long in the tooth (30 years+), Although Eastmidlands Trains are going to be using the Valenta's replacement, Paxman VP185 for their trains
See, that's the problem... the Desiro are pretty humdrum commuter trains - both the electric 444s of SWT and the diesel 185s of TPX. I actually preferred the 158s, and definitely the 442s.
Paul Beazer
17-01-2008, 05:07 PM
See, that's the problem... the Desiro are pretty humdrum commuter trains - both the electric 444s of SWT and the diesel 185s of TPX. I actually preferred the 158s, and definitely the 442s.
The lounge coach on a wessie was always the place to sit. The 442s are a class apart from the 444s / 450s both in exterior style and interior ambience. Many a happy memory of a day out returning from london sat at a nice table bay of 4 seats stuffing a BK meal in my face on the way back home to the island.
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