European Railroad Discussion > Innotrans: Some Diesel Locomotion

It is time to shed some light on diesels found at Innotrans fair. More will follow later and will be shown here too: http://www.4rail.net/art_innotrans2014_main.php

Though it seems like diesel locomotives in Europe are often playing a minor role on road hauling, they are very much needed on local and aerial heavier work. Local lighter work ditching has started, probably due to trucks often taking over car load traffic. One might think the hybrid diesel-electric-electric locos capable of handling trains _slowly_ on nonelectrified routes might be responsible for this but since they are only starting to appear now it would appear timings don't match. Anyways, numerous lighter switchers in countries like Switzerland or Sweden are now out of work or almost without carloads to handle.

1 - 3) One of the locos to catch attention this time too was the fake TCDD but very real GE Transportation PH37ACi shown almost where it was standing last time too. The Turkish colors really seem to suit this locomotive much better than the previous blues. Yet the obvious lack of European industrial designers obvious. It remains to be seen if the appearance also means European customers have difficulty trusting this GE solution despite its state of art technology. This cowl unit fashion seems to be selling well in Turkey and the slightly smaller UK loading gauge non cowl units sell relatively well in UK. Otherwise it has been quite quiet.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/14 02:38 by McKey.

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Vossloh, the largest diesel manufacturer in Europe had many offerings this time too. Since last time they had pushed the equipment manufacturer Voith out of the loco business (of course not alone).

Traditional road switcher type locomotives included

4) DE 18, a Bo'Bo' heavy 1800 kw / 2400 hp generic diesel-electric locomotive. This locomotive is also a move away from Vossloh traditional diesel-hybrid product lines for road switchers.

5) G6 is the by far most common C axled (three powered axles) new lighter 670 kw / 900 hp switcher / road switcher locomotive in Europe. G6s are engined by Caterpillar-EMD. This is part of the Vossloh traditional diesel-hydraulic product line. Vossloh now boasted over 100 sold units for the type. There were similar Captrain (part of SNCF) colored switchers found that day in use in other parts of Berlin, Germany too.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/14 02:43 by McKey.

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6 - 7) Here are some looks to brand new Vossloh class 68 / UK Light for market on the British isles. This loco looks really traditionally stylish, or what do you think? This is a diesel-electric loco too.

Since Beacon rail is active leasing company here too, hopefully we will see these on Scandinavian markets too at some point in time.

8) A close cousin Eurolight from the previous show.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/14 02:33 by McKey.

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One of the surviving light switcher designs was CZ Loko class 794. This locomotive has been according to the manufacturer very successful at Metro depots and similar lighter moving work.

I will included lots of technical information on these a bit later to 4rail.net.


Let the discussion begin!

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I really like the looks of those two Vossloh locomotives.

Why no Automatic couplers in Europe ?
Chris

engine3420 Wrote:
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> Why no Automatic couplers in Europe ?
> Chris

If you do a search on the word coupler or coupling on this board you will find it is one of the commonest threads of discussion.

Firstly most passenger trains have auto couplers, like the Dellner. Secondly, some freight trains do (especially on 5' gauge lines in Eastern Europe) but many still use the screw coupler. Shunting cars between trains is nowhere near as common in Europe as it is in the USA, trains are of modest weight and length to integrate with what is predominantly a passenger railway and history mitigates against an expensive retrofit for what purpose exactly?

Nick is right here, only the heavier freight trains (and Eastern passenger stock) have mostly SA3 type semiautomatic coupler (which some call automatic coupler). Often you can find these on Eastern 5' side and even in the West they go mostly unnoticed since they still have side buffers for compatibility reasons. Linking SA3 and hook together is easy with a small steely adapter. No adapter cars are necessary any more.

All newer Central and Northern European multiple units have true automatic couplers. I included one picture of one of the seemingly very typical model below. On driving trailers the locomotive connection often still dictates the use of the "traditional" hook coupler. Otherwise locomotives could be connected to these only. Or has anyone here seen a coupler with both kind of Scharfenberg and hook coupler together? I think it is possible combination with some moving parts.

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McKey Wrote:
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> 1 - 3) One of the locos to catch attention this
> time too was the fake TCDD but very real GE
> Transportation PH37ACi shown almost where it was
> standing last time too. The Turkish colors really
> seem to suit this locomotive much better than the
> previous blues. Yet the obvious lack of European
> industrial designers obvious. It remains to be
> seen if the appearance also means European
> customers have difficulty trusting this GE
> solution despite its state of art technology. This
> cowl unit fashion seems to be selling well in
> Turkey and the slightly smaller UK loading gauge
> non cowl units sell relatively well in UK.
> Otherwise it has been quite quiet.

To add a little bit to the PH37ACi. The first picture below shows the small sticker on the side of the locomotive with the technical details, the second one shows the cab. 20of those units will be built by Tülomsas and five of them are currently staying in Central Europe for homologation in France, Germany and the BeNeLux countries. At least two of them are currently in the Munich area for the homologation by the German EBA.

Time is a problem here, as the units use a prime mover which is only in accordance with emission standard IIIA, so the class needs to be homologated before Dec 31, 2014, as the standard IIIB takes effect in 2015. If not homologated by that time, homologation can proceed, but only the 20 units already built can be placed in service. No newly built units. If the homologation gets done by end of the year, new units can be built in 2015 even with prime movers to standard IIIA. At least, that's what the GE guy in the cab told me.

The latest edition of the Eisenbahn-Kurier reports that two units are already scheduled for hauling coal trains from Rotterdam to Germany. Units 29 008 and 29 009 are planned for that.

E111

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Thank you for the news E111!

It looks like I have to prepare for a raifanning tour to Rotterdam once these beasts are online :)

E111 Wrote:
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> The latest edition of the Eisenbahn-Kurier reports
> that two units are already scheduled for hauling
> coal trains from Rotterdam to Germany. Units 29
> 008 and 29 009 are planned for that.
>
> E111

Btw. who will be the owner of these two / five units in Central Europe?