Passenger Trains > New Siemens power.. Any news?

Two new "Charger" engines were in Oakland. All tests have been passed and they are FRA certified (and more on the way) but nothing has been heard about them entering service. Word is they are supposed to enter service on the Surfliners.
Any news out there?

From what I've heard about the 4604 in Chicago (from Engineers trained on it), she's not equipped with blended brake, the air compressor is run off HEP, and the 'F' end cables are always short-looped and LIVE...unlike a P42 that gives TLC internally when in Lead.

Sounds like fun...

Posted from Android

Interesting...something must have gotten lost in translation. Then again, they said the rep running the class wasn't very helpful.

Are they still banned from UP property due to the LED head/ditch lights? Could be another rumor...

Posted from Android

KM-ML4000 Wrote:
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> UP has not issued a bulletin on LED headlights
> yet, so LEDs are still able to be used until this
> happens.. Amtrak and the States are working with
> the UP trying to get a waiver, since the Chargers
> do not use a direct DC powered LED light, and has
> the ability to dim/extinguish the ditch lights
> during the flash mode. 
>
> If UP does ban the LEDs and does not issue a
> waiver for the Chargers, it will be quite awhile
> before you see them on UP rails leading. Siemens
> will need to redesign the "Headlight" portion of
> the locomotive so a normal bulb can be used, and
> incorporate some sort for forced cooling system
> for the standard headlight bulbs.
>
> Setandcentered Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Interesting...something must have gotten lost
> in
> > translation. Then again, they said the rep
> running
> > the class wasn't very helpful.
> >
> > Are they still banned from UP property due to
> the
> > LED head/ditch lights? Could be another
> rumor...
> >
> > Posted from Android

What exactly is UP's concern with LED lights?

Mojave Bill's first rule: Not all the bureaucrats work for the government...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

I believe UP's concerns for the LED light has top do with the blue-ish color of the light, instead of the "golden glow" provided by an incandescent bulb. They infer that oncoming train or MoW crews could be confused or duistracted by the different tint and not realize it as a train.

But ACE is currently using LED lights on a train and has had no issues, so....?

Anyway, how hard wuld it be to put a yellow LENS or FILTER on the transparent light cover and be done with this? Model RRers have donw this for years...!!!

djansson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I believe UP's concerns for the LED light has top
> do with the blue-ish color of the light, instead
> of the "golden glow" provided by an incandescent
> bulb. They infer that oncoming train or MoW crews
> could be confused or duistracted by the different
> tint and not realize it as a train.
>
> But ACE is currently using LED lights on a train
> and has had no issues, so....?
>
> Anyway, how hard wuld it be to put a yellow LENS
> or FILTER on the transparent light cover and be
> done with this? Model RRers have donw this for
> years...!!!

Wow, if it is the color they are concerned with, wow. Like you said, tint the lens.

The savings in power needed to operate and heat generated between an incondesant and an LED is a no brainer.

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> djansson Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I believe UP's concerns for the LED light has
> top
> > do with the blue-ish color of the light,
> instead
> > of the "golden glow" provided by an
> incandescent
> > bulb. They infer that oncoming train or MoW
> crews
> > could be confused or duistracted by the
> different
> > tint and not realize it as a train.
> >
> > But ACE is currently using LED lights on a
> train
> > and has had no issues, so....?
> >
> > Anyway, how hard wuld it be to put a yellow
> LENS
> > or FILTER on the transparent light cover and be
> > done with this? Model RRers have donw this for
> > years...!!!
>
> Wow, if it is the color they are concerned with,
> wow. Like you said, tint the lens.
>
> The savings in power needed to operate and heat
> generated between an incondesant and an LED is a
> no brainer.

Alright, this has baffled me for long enough and I see a relevant way to bring it into the discussion now.  I have here two pictures of the LED lights as installed in my dining room light fixture.  I specifically bought lights which are listed as "warm white", a color which mimics the appearance of incandescant bulbs almost perfectly.  I chose this because I specifically didn't like the cold blue tint of pure white LEDs.  I've recently been doing research on adding a strip of LED lights above my kitchen counters, mounted to the bottom of the ovehead cabinetry.  Again, "warm white" is an option, and I wouldn't do it any other way.

Is there any reason the railroads are unable to do the same thing with LED headlights and choose a "warm white" colored LED, rather than a "Super white" color?

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They will have an issue to if running on CSX. When they started converting the auto train engines to use LEDs, CSX forced them to change it back.

Posted from Android

I'd have to dig into the CFR, but I faintly recall something about "parabolic beams" of the headlight bulbs, or something like that. Maybe that's the issue...or the actual brightness.

Posted from Android