Can anyone tell me how many loaded coal hoppers a 6000 hp unit can haul on flat trackage? And which has the greater tractive force the General Electric or the EMD? Thank you. Arthur.
Well using current technology 6000HP units arent very well suited for pulling coal. I see that you have a history in the Chessie System, A AC6000CW and a SD90MAC-HII would probily be equal to a pair of GP40-2's on level ground, however as the grade increase the GP40-2 pair will gradually outpull the 6000HP units due to the axle loading and the fact you have 8 axles on 4 trucks instead of 6 on 2 trucks. A SD90MAC-HII has a greater tractive effort than the AC6000CW (SD90= 200000 LBs STE vs AC6000 180000 LBs STE), however the AC6000CW Prime Mover will peak out at a higher HP than the SD90MAC will (SD90 = 6200HP range) (AC6000 = 6400-6500HP range)however in stationary applications both prime movers can be bosted to 8000 HP for short periods of time.
The only thing I can offer to this conversation is a picture: I have more CSX C60 photos on my website in the 600 and 5000 series. Harold
Guys I do have a question on the C60CW's in CSX.... Why or what was the reason to change the "CSX" lettering on the long hood? I mean what was the idea of going from soild blue "CSX" lettering in big letters to the yellow, outlined in blue "CSX" lettering???? Something new or to purposely display that large unit? Anyone know??? I'm wondering this being all the repaints now are the regular solid blue "CSX" instead of the yellow, outlined blue "CSX" lettering... They only painted the C60CW's like that too!!!
First, to Arthur: As stated above, you will rarely find AC6000s and SD90MAC-Hs (either HI or HII, that is just the phase which denotes a different cab) on coal trains. The reason is it is a waste of horsepower. I had it explained to me like this: "An AC6000 can't outpull an AC4400, but it can pull the same load faster." This is due to the number of HP per axle (in the past there were problems with 1000 HP/axle). The AC6000 has 1000 HP/axle, suited for fast trains with minimal weight. The AC4400 has 734 HP/axle, better suited for low speed drag, especially with adhesion upon startup. So here in NY on the Chicago line, AC6000s are very common on Intermodal trains (time-sensitive), where the occasional coal train (it'll get there when it does) will have the AC4400s. Out in the midwest, where the Powder River Basin ships hundreds of thousands of tons of coal per day, the UP typically uses three AC4400s on 120 car trains, two up front and one as a DPU (pusher controlled from the lead unit). This is typical of the SD90/43MACs the UP has (4300 HP), as well as the SD70MACs of the BNSF (4000 HP). And to John: As for the paint scheme, only the CSX AC6000s have the yellow lettering on the long hood. Personally, I like it better, but they are staying with the blue. [ 03 December 2001: Message edited by: Harron ]</p>
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Harron: First, to Arthur: As stated above, you will rarely find AC6000s and SD90MAC-Hs (either HI or HII, that is just the phase which denotes a different cab) on coal trains. The reason is it is a waste of horsepower. I had it explained to me like this: "An AC6000 can't outpull an AC4400, but it can pull the same load faster." This is due to the number of HP per axle (in the past there were problems with 1000 HP/axle). The AC6000 has 1000 HP/axle, suited for fast trains with minimal weight. The AC4400 has 734 HP/axle, better suited for low speed drag, especially with adhesion upon startup. So here in NY on the Chicago line, AC6000s are very common on Intermodal trains (time-sensitive), where the occasional coal train (it'll get there when it does) will have the AC4400s. Out in the midwest, where the Powder River Basin ships hundreds of thousands of tons of coal per day, the UP typically uses three AC4400s on 120 car trains, two up front and one as a DPU (pusher controlled from the lead unit). This is typical of the SD90/43MACs the UP has (4300 HP), as well as the SD70MACs of the BNSF (4000 HP). And to John: As for the paint scheme, only the CSX AC6000s have the yellow lettering on the long hood. Personally, I like it better, but they are staying with the blue. [ 03 December 2001: Message edited by: Harron ]<hr></blockquote> The AC44 vs AC60 comparision is basically true, However on truely flat terran (good luck finding some) the AC6000CW would be capable of hualing a longer train. One big problem about the 6000HP units that I forgot to mention and Harron touched, was that 6000HP is normally to much power for a locomotive. part of the reason is because of how a unit controls wheel-slip, When a lone wheel slips normally the whole truck will began to slip, the response is that the unit will drop power to that traction motor or even the entire truck and reload the power in order to build traction up again. (due to the fact EMD traction motors are controled the same on the whole truck EMD's will drop the load on the entire truck. GE has a more capable control system that will only drop the load on a single axle, this in part is due to how a EMD uses a entire Inverter Bank per truck and a GE uses them per axle), Anyways on a Consist where you have 3 units spreading out all that power,lossing the load on one truck is not that big of a problem because you got 5 others to take its place untill it builds its load up, on a Pair of 6000HP units lossing a load on a truck becomes a big problem because you only got 3 other trucks PLUS they are runing at 1000HP per traction motor, which is already very high. Your chances of stalling increase significantly. Although I am sure the manufactures have some good reason not too 6000 HP units should be set up as 8 axle monsters simular to what runs in South America. If you have never seen these they are called BB40-9W, and use 4 2 Axle trucks simular in design to a floating bolster, and linked in the same was as the trucks under a UP turbine. (only the couplers arent truck mounted like they were). Both builders have expermented with Radial 2 Axle trucks before and the trucks under a P42 are Radial, with some modifactions I am sure they could be used in in 2 pairs of 2 in heavy hual freight operations. [ 04 December 2001: Message edited by: ConrailHaulic ]</p>
Harron, I too agree with the yellow outlined blue "CSX" lettering I like it too! I takes all the drab blue and adds "life" to it with the yellow to add slightly more yellow on the loco and all... Its a catchy paint scheme! I don't know why they went back to the "normal" blue "CSX' lettering... [ 04 December 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]</p>
I agree.... the outline blue CSX lettering is definately more "exciting" to me. I think the lightning bolts on the cab side were originally used to deignate the CSX bought AC units. Harold
Guys, occasionally I see a single 6K unit, both GE and GM, hauling a double-stack out of Jacksonville, FL through this flat-land swamp country. Although, mostly they use a bunch of leased 40-2's on double-stacks. I wonder if CSX adds helpers to the single 6K unit for getting over the 2% Huey P. Long bridge grade? YES ... the yellow CSX with blue outline is absolutely the BEST!!!!!
I hope CSX does the rest of the former CR SD80MAC in the Yellow/Blue lettering, It will go a long way in making them look good (nothing will ever replace the CR Smiley ) [ 04 December 2001: Message edited by: ConrailHaulic ]</p>
locally, CSX uses either GE's AC4400 and/or EMD's SD70MAC and fairly oftern older EMD equipment (SD40-2 mostly aoccasionally an SD50[those 8700 series engnes] or two)
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by ConrailHaulic: I hope CSX does the rest of the former CR SD80MAC in the Yellow/Blue lettering, It will go a long way in making them look good (nothing will ever replace the CR Smiley ) [ 04 December 2001: Message edited by: ConrailHaulic ]<hr></blockquote> Ain't gonna happen, 801 is already repainted into the blue lettering.
