Eastern Railroad Discussion > AC Power Plants

What type or model locomotive lends itself to conversion into a power generation station?

A few years ago several engines were placed at strategic locations within the Ford Rouge complex when the Ford power plant was off line.

Four or five years ago the CN or CP walked a locomotive across a highway and set it in place to support an isolated burg after a major ice storm. The Canadian RR put the hospital and a few nearby facilities back on the power grid.

I need the type and modifications necessary to get the job done?

I\'ve found that the folks at this site know more about rring than most rr\'s

While any locomotive by it\'s very nature lends itself to a power plant (since that\'s what it essentially is) the practice isn\'t all that common. Mostly, they\'re used in "Protection" service. For example. I seem to recall that there are a whole bunch of former BN cabless GE\'s that were purchased for backup power. CP had made a "y2k" modification on some of their venerable SD40\'s by placing a bank of standard electrical outlets in a utility box placed right behind the traction motor blower housing on the fireman\'s side of the loco. since the diesel runs the generator that makes electricity, any type of unit that has an AC main generator will do.

DRLOCO--still shocked and amazed.

CN M420W #3502 provided electricity for municipal buildings of Boucherville, Quebec, during the power interruption caused by the ice storm of March, 1998.

http://www.trainweb.org/canadianrailways/CanadaCalling/March1998.html

excerpt: "The mayoress of Boucherville Quebec, Mme Francine Legault suggested borrowing diesel locomotives from Canadian National for use as emergency generators. She recalled that locomotives had been used as a source of power some years ago in Fermont, at the north end of Cartier Railway in Quebec. CN initially delivered M420W 3502, to the town on the south shore of the St.Lawrence River. The locomotive was lifted off of the tracks by a crane, and placed on de Montarville Street, and allowed to proceed 1000 feet down the street under its own power. The locomotive initially rolled on the edge of the wheel flanges on top of the pavement; the weight of the locomotive eventually cut flange-deep grooves into the asphalt of the street, this locomotives was used to generate electricity for the various local municipal buildings."

My understanding is that any alternator quipped locomotive can be used.

They generate 480V 3 phase power which is a common voltage used in larger buildings and easily changed using transformers. My only question then becomes, how is the 60 hz frequency controlled

Country Boy

EMD locomotives are the better choice.

The reason is that you need to produce 60 hz, and that can only be obtained by running the engine at a specific RPM. With a GE, the RPM has to be about 2/3 that of an EMD, since the number of poles on teh alternator is different.

That means the GE will produce only 2/3 of its rated power, while an EMD is colse to its rated power