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113-641: The GE E60 is a family of six-axle 6,000 hp (4.5 MW) C-C electric locomotives made by GE Transportation Systems (GE) between 1972 and 1983. The E60s were produced in several variants for both freight and passenger use in the United States and Mexico . GE designed the locomotive for use on the Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad (BM&LP), a dedicated coal-hauling route in Arizona , which began operation in 1973. That same year GE adapted

226-416: A common shaft with different ratios of poles; they are not electrically connected as in a true rotary converter. Principal advantages of motor generators include very high fault current ratings and clean output current. Solid state electronics can be damaged very quickly, so the microprocessor control systems react very quickly to over-correct conditions to place the converter in a safe, idle mode or to trip

339-415: A constant rate over the entire year (although it is not in practice), the average system load would be approximately 63 MW. The system power factor varies between 0.75 and around 0.85. Electrical power originates at seven generation facilities or traction current converter plants . The nameplate capacity of all the power sources in the system is about 354 MW. The instantaneous peak loading on

452-537: A conveyor belt, with trains cycling between the coal mine and the plant. To operate this conveyor belt, GE Transportation Systems (GE) designed the E60C , though it was suitable for general mainline freight operation. The heavy loads of coal on BM&LP drove GE's design choices on the E60C. GE chose a six-axle (C-C) design, with 42 in (1,067 mm) wheels instead of the standard 40 in (1,016 mm) wheels. This

565-574: A filter. These attributes, combined with their high fault-current capability, make them desirable in a stabilizing role within the power system. Amtrak has retained two of the original converter plants and plans to overhaul them and continue their operation indefinitely. Disadvantages of motor generators include lower efficiency, generally between 83% (lightly loaded machine) and 92% (fully loaded machine). In comparison, cycloconverter efficiency can exceed 95%. Also, motor generators require more routine maintenance due to their nature as rotating machines, given

678-718: A hinge. Examples include the Milwaukee Road EF-1 "Boxcab" electrics. "B+B-B+B" means there are four trucks under the unit. Within each truck, there are two powered axles, and pairs of them are connected by span bolsters . One example would be the General Electric U50 , built from 1963 to 1965. The 4500 horsepower (3.4 MW) turbine locomotives built by GE for Union Pacific also used this arrangement. The EFVM railway of Brazil uses narrow gauge GE "BB" locomotives with this arrangement, both with "standard" and wide cabs. A GE Dash 9-40BBW , for instance,

791-554: A leading idler axle in front of two powered axles. This arrangement was used to upgrade the B-B arrangement of two EMC 1800 hp B-B locomotives owned by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1938, for greater stability at speed. "1-D" means there are two trucks or groups of axles; the "1" truck is under the front of the unit, and has one idler axle. The remaining 4 axles are rigidly mounted to the frame behind this lead truck (or grouped in

904-497: A majority of the transmission infrastructure is located directly above the rail lines on the same structure that supports the catenary system, some lines are either located above lines that have been de-electrified or abandoned or, in a few cases, on completely independent rights of way. The following is a list of all major segments of the 25 Hz 138 kV transmission infrastructure listing substations (SS or Sub) or high-tension switching stations (HT Sw'g) as termini. For clarity,

1017-690: A more standard diameter of 40 in (1,016 mm). GE revised the design in the early 1980s for use by Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (NdeM) on its new electrification project. The E60C-2 , like the passenger variants, had double cabs and double pantographs. They were geared at 83:20, for a maximum speed of 110 km/h (68 mph). Although geared differently from the E60CP/CH it also used 40 in (1,016 mm) wheels. The locomotives are 70 ft 10 + 3 ⁄ 4  in (21.6 m) long and weigh 370,000 lb (167,829 kg). They employ six GE 752AF traction motors. The tractive effort

1130-410: A pair of high-powered B-B locomotives on a common frame as far as traction and power was concerned). In fact, a usual consist of a D-D unit included a leading C-C unit and a trailing C-C unit, for a total of about 12,600 hp (9.4 MW) (with four total prime-movers). With today's higher horsepower C-C units (about 4,300 hp (3.2 MW) apiece), three such C-C units exceeds the total power of

1243-587: A row. The "A1A" truck is under the rear of the unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. An example is the FM OP800 800 hp (600 kW) railcar, six of which were built by the St. Louis Car Company exclusively for the Southern Railway in 1939. "2-B" means there are two trucks or wheel assemblies. The "2" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two idler axles in

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1356-502: A row. A dash ("–") separates trucks or wheel assemblies. A plus sign ("+") refers to articulation, either by connecting bogies with span bolsters or by connecting individual locomotives via solid drawbars instead of couplers . "1A-A1" means there are two trucks (or wheel assemblies) under the unit. Each truck has one powered axle and one idler axle, with the idler axles to the outside. Examples include Budd RDC diesel multiple unit ( DMU ) cars. "1B-1B" means there are two trucks with

1469-527: A row. The "B" truck is under the rear of the unit, and has two powered axles. Examples include the three lightweight power cars built by ALCO / ACF in 1935 and 1937 for use with the Rebel streamliners. "3-A1A" means there are two trucks or wheel assemblies. The "3" truck is under the front of the unit, and has three idler axles in a row. The "A1A" truck is under the rear of the unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. An example

1582-529: A second truck). This is roughly the equivalent of a 2-8-0 Consolidation in the Whyte notation, particularly when built as a 1-truck/4 rigid axle locomotive. The only known examples are a series of diesel boxcab locomotives built and owned by the Texas Mexican Railway . "2-A1A" means there are two trucks or wheel assemblies. The "2" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two idler axles in

1695-490: Is "Four axle". "B-2-B" means there are three trucks. The center truck has two unpowered axles and the truck at each end has two powered axles. The locomotive frame must either articulate or allow for significant side play to be provided to the center truck. Examples of this type were built as light rail vehicles. "B-B-B" means there are three trucks. Each truck has two powered axles. The locomotive frame must either articulate or allow for significant side play to be provided to

1808-408: Is "Six axle". "1-C+C-1" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with one idler axle, and inboard of it are three powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The PRR FF1 and FF2 electric locomotives used this arrangement. "2-C+C-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under

1921-523: Is a guiding truck with two idler axles, and inboard of this, and hinged to it, is a truck with three powered axles. The GE steam turbine-electric locomotives of 1939 were notable examples of this arrangement. "2-C1+2-C1-B" means there are five trucks. Only the first three axles on the four-axle trucks were powered, as were both axles in the last truck; the first and middle trucks had two unpowered axles each. The only examples of this arrangement were three unique coal -fired steam-turbine locomotives built by

2034-584: Is a narrow-gauge adaptation of the SD45 , which required additional axles due to using smaller traction motors. "2-D+D-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are four powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. Examples include the Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2 "Centipede" diesel locomotives and

2147-751: Is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are four powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The Little Joes , Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2 , and Baldwin 4-8+8-4-750/8-DE locomotives used this arrangement. "D-D" means there are two trucks each with four powered axles. Examples include the EMD DD units. D-D locomotives have fallen out of favor as nearly all of these were twin-engined locomotives, which placed too much horsepower in too few axles which made these consists rather inflexible (each locomotive featured two prime movers , making each unit essentially

2260-399: Is a wide cab GE Dash 9-40CW series 4,000 hp (3,000 kW) locomotive with a B+B-B+B wheel arrangement. The EMD SD70ACe-BB produced from 2015 onward also has a B+B-B+B arrangement. "B-B+B-B" means that the locomotive has four trucks. Each truck contains two powered axles. The middle pair of trucks are connected by a span bolster . In most cases, the locomotive is articulated over

2373-504: Is also more tolerant of high speeds and variations in track geometry . The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad had already electrified a portion of its Main Line in 1908 at 11 kV 25 Hz AC and this served as a template for the PRR, which installed its own trial main line electrification between Philadelphia and Paoli, Pennsylvania in 1915. Power was transmitted along the tops of

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2486-407: Is impossible for the 138 kV transmission system to protect or reconfigure itself during a fault condition. High voltage faults generally are cleared by opening converter output breakers, which causes a concurrent loss of the converter. The system does not degrade gracefully under high-voltage faults. Rather than isolating, for example, the south 138 kV feeder between Washington and Perryville,

2599-399: Is rated at 6,000 hp (4.5 MW), with a starting tractive effort of 125,000 lbf (556 kN) and a continuous tractive effort of 77,000 lbf (343 kN). Physically the locomotive is 63 ft 2 in (19.3 m) long and weighs 426,000 lb (193,230 kg), including some 100,000 lb (45,359 kg) of ballast. GE made a number of changes when it redesigned

2712-407: Is the later built FM OP800 800 hp (600 kW) railcar, six of which were built by the St. Louis Car Company exclusively for the Southern Railway in 1939. "A1-1A" means there are two trucks or wheel assemblies under the unit. Each truck has one powered axle and one idler axle, with the powered axles to the outside. "A1A-2" means there are two trucks. The "A1A" truck is under the front of

2825-551: Is under the back of the unit, and has one idler axle. Examples include the three EMD LWT12 locomotives built by EMD in 1956. Twenty SD70ACe-P4 locomotives were built by EMD with a B1-1B arrangement that has two three axle trucks with each truck having two AC traction motors and one idler axle nearest the fuel tank. The locomotive was designed as an AC traction alternative to the SD70M-2 that uses three DC traction motors on each of two three axle trucks. Only BNSF ordered

2938-531: Is under the back of the unit, and has three idler axles in a row. An example is the Baldwin DR-6-2-10 1,000 hp (750 kW) cab unit, only one of which was built for the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1948. "A1A-A1A" means there are two trucks under the locomotive. Each truck has two powered axles, with an idler axle between them. This spreads the weight of the locomotive more evenly over

3051-465: Is under the back of the unit, and has two idler axles in a row. Examples include the three lightweight RP-210 locomotives built by Baldwin in 1956 and 1957 for use with Pullman-Standard Train-X equipment. "B-A1A" means there are two trucks. The "B" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two powered axles. The "A1A" truck is under the back of the unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. Examples include some of

3164-708: The Keystone Service trains in the late 1980s. New Jersey Transit began buying ABB ALP-44s , an improved version of the EMD AEM-7 from Asea Brown Boveri , in 1990. It would acquire 32 altogether by the end of 1996. The E60 was off the New Jersey Transit roster by 1998. No. 958 was preserved by the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey . All Amtrak E60s were retired in 2003, having been replaced mostly by

3277-758: The Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway between 1947 and 1948. This locomotive is sometimes called the M-1. "C-C+C-C" means there are four trucks under the unit. Each truck has three powered axles. The only examples of this type were the 8500 horsepower (6.3 MW) turbine locomotives built by General Electric for Union Pacific . These locomotives consisted of two permanently coupled C-C units. "C+C-C+C" means there are four trucks. Each truck has three powered axles and pairs of them are connected by span bolsters . This arrangement

3390-834: The British Rail Class 28 are the only locomotives to use this wheel arrangement. "C-C" means there are two identical trucks. Each truck has three powered axles. Examples include the EMD SD (Special Duty), GMD GF6C , EMD GM6C , PRR E44 , GE E60 , Virginian EL-C and GE Evolution Series units, except the ES44C4 and ET44C4 which use the A1A-A1A wheel arrangement. This is a currently popular configuration used in low-speed, high-weight applications, such as unit coal trains. General ("manifest") freight trains also use C-C locomotives. See also Co-Co . An American colloquialism of "C-C"

3503-524: The Budd Metroliner electric multiple units and PRR GG1 locomotives. The former suffered from poor reliability, and the latter were over 35 years old and restricted to 85 mph (137 km/h). Amtrak faced a choice with the GG1s: completely rebuild the fleet, or replace them with a new locomotive. While no United States manufacturer had a dedicated electric passenger locomotive in its catalog, GE

GE E60 - Misplaced Pages Continue

3616-931: The FM C-liners (most passenger units) built from 1950 to 1955, and the EMD FL9 . "B-B" means there are two identical trucks. Each truck has two powered axles, a currently popular configuration used in high-speed, low-weight applications such as intermodal trains and high-speed rail , as well as switcher locomotives . Examples include the EMD GP (General Purpose), EMD F-units , EMD SW1500 , Acela Express Power Cars , Siemens Charger , Siemens ACS-64 and GE Genesis units. High speed ("time") freight trains, with guaranteed schedules often use B-B locomotives of 3,800 HP (950 HP per axle), but this application, too, has largely been replaced by higher-powered, 4,500 HP C-C locomotives (750 HP per axle). An American colloquialism of "B-B"

3729-621: The GE " Little Joe " electric locomotives . "B-D+D-B" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two powered axles, and inboard of it are four powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The W-1 class of electric locomotives built by General Electric for the Great Northern Railway used this arrangement. "1B+D+D+B1" means there are four sets of articulated axles under

3842-535: The Great Northern Z-1 electric locomotives (for the Cascade Tunnel electrification) used this arrangement. "2-D-2" means there are three trucks. At either end are trucks with two idler axles; the center truck has four powered axles. The PRR R1 electric locomotive used this arrangement. "2-D+D-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, theare

3955-690: The HHP-8 . In April 2004, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania acquired No. 603 for preservation. The single largest order of E60Cs was by Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (NdeM), the national railroad of Mexico. NdeM ordered 39 E60C-2 locomotives, built between 1982 and 1983. NdeM intended to use the locomotives on a new 155-mile (249 km) railway line between Mexico City and Querétaro . The line operated from 1994 to 1997; many locomotives never ran in revenue service. After privatization in 1997, Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) dismantled

4068-736: The North American power transmission grid was fully established. This is the reason the system uses 25 Hz, as opposed to 60 Hz, which is the standard frequency for power transmission in North America. The system is also known as the Southend Electrification , in contrast to Amtrak's 60 Hz traction power system that runs between Boston and New Haven, which is known as the Northend Electrification system. In 1976, Amtrak inherited

4181-695: The Virginian Railway 's EL-2B electric locomotives. Amtrak%27s 25 Hz traction power system Amtrak's 25 Hz traction power system is a traction power network for the southern portion of the Northeast Corridor (NEC), the Keystone Corridor , and several branch lines between New York City and Washington D.C. The system was constructed by the Pennsylvania Railroad between 1915 and 1938 before

4294-485: The catenary supports using four single phase , two wire 44 kV distribution circuits. Tests on the line using experimental electric locomotives such as the PRR FF1 revealed that the 44 kV distribution lines would be insufficient for heavier loads over longer distances. In the 1920s, the PRR decided to electrify major portions of its eastern rail network, and because a commercial electric grid did not exist at

4407-414: The 12 kV catenary wire, the 138 kV lines were installed on new steel monopod poles installed along the right-of-way. Except for the fact that the new poles only carry four conductors rather than the typical six for a utility line, the new line appears as a typical medium voltage power line rather than the typical PRR-style H-shaped structure. In 2011, Amtrak replaced the transmission lines that tie

4520-435: The 132 kV terminations and switchgear . By 1935, new stations were connected to remote supervision systems, allowing power directors to open and close switches and breakers from central offices without having to go through the tower operators. Today, about 55 substations are part of Amtrak's network. Substations are spaced on average 8 miles (13 km) apart and feed 12 kV catenary circuits in both directions along

4633-714: The 1970s Amtrak operated both old-style steam-heated cars and new Amfleet cars with head-end power (HEP). GE designed two variants to handle these use cases: the E60CP had steam generators, while the E60CH had HEP generators. Both models had a cab and pantograph at each end. Reflecting the varied electrification schemes on the Northeast Corridor the Amtrak units could operate at three different voltages: 11 kV 25 Hz AC , 12.5 kV 60 Hz AC , and 25 kV 60 Hz . The wheels had

GE E60 - Misplaced Pages Continue

4746-402: The 2000s. AAR wheel arrangement#C-C The AAR system (like UIC) counts axles, unlike Whyte, which counts wheels. Letters refer to powered axles, and numbers to unpowered (or idler) axles. "A" refers to one powered axle, "B" to two powered axles in a row, "C" to three powered axles in a row, and "D" to four powered axles in a row. "1" refers to one idler axle, and "2" to two idler axles in

4859-441: The 25 Hz and 60 Hz sides, and lower overload capability. The majority of power sources in the original Pennsylvania Railroad electrification were built prior to 1940. Some have been retired outright, others have been replaced with co-located static frequency converters, and others remain in service and will be refurbished and operated indefinitely. The following tables lists sources which are no longer in service: During

4972-615: The 39 locomotives delivered to NdeM, GE built two E60C-2s for the Deseret-Western Railway . The Deseret-Western, like the Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad, is a dedicated line hauling coal between a mine and a power station. The line opened in 1984. The Deseret-Western, now called the Deseret Power Railroad, supplemented its fleet with two ex-NdeM locomotives in the late 1990s, and another three in

5085-443: The 44 kV distribution voltage to 11 kV catenary voltage. The substations were operated from adjacent signal towers. They used typical period concrete buildings to house the transformers and switchgear while the line terminals were on the roof. From 1918 onward, outdoor stations were used, and when the main line electrification began in 1928, the stations became large open-air structures using lattice steel frameworks to mount

5198-466: The E60C for passenger use. The new design was lighter, at 387,000 lb (175,540 kg), and longer, at 71 ft 3 in (21.7 m). A gearing of 68:38 permitted a maximum design speed of 120 mph (193 km/h). The starting tractive effort was considerably lower at 75,000 lbf (334 kN), with a continuous rating of 34,000 lbf (151 kN). Unlike freight locomotives, passenger locomotives have to supply heat to passenger cars. In

5311-756: The E60CHs and the converted E60CPs, were rebuilt and renumbered as E60MA in the 600 series. The locomotives were regeared for a maximum speed of 90 mph (145 km/h). When the E60s returned to service, they were used on heavy, long-distance trains, such as the New York–New Orleans Crescent , the New York–Florida Silver Service , and the Washington, D.C.–Montreal Montrealer . They could also be found in push–pull service on

5424-634: The E60Cs work in multiple, three per train, to handle this load. The BM&LP ordered a total of six locomotives between 1972–1976, allowing it to operate two trains at once. The BM&LP acquired six former Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México E60C-2s after the latter discontinued electric operations in the late 1990s. These displaced the original E60Cs. The Arizona State Railroad Museum of Williams , Arizona took possession of ex-BM&LP E60C No. 6001 in 2010. Amtrak assumed control of almost all private sector intercity passenger rail service in

5537-598: The E60s to 85 mph (137 km/h). While Amtrak accepted the locomotives and publicly expressed "confidence" that they would be cleared for 110 mph (177 km/h) operation, it also arranged for a trial of the Swedish-built four-axle Rc4 electric locomotive. The problems with the E60 persisted into 1977, at which point Amtrak developed the specification for a locomotive based on the Rc4 design. In 1977–78 Amtrak ordered

5650-442: The Northeast Corridor remained essentially unchanged through the series of mergers and bankruptcies, which ended in Amtrak's creation and acquisition of the former PRR lines, which came to be known as the Northeast Corridor. The circa 1976 Northeast Corridor Improvement Project had originally planned to convert the PRR's system to the utility grid standard of 60 Hz. Ultimately, this plan was shelved as economically unfeasible, and

5763-430: The PRR installed two 11 kV, 4.5 MVA synchronous converters at Radnor , the approximate center point of the system load. This substation was located at the site of water tanks used to supply water to track pans, which supplied water to conventional steam locomotives. At some later time, the converters were shut down and removed. Dedicated machines for reactive power support have not been used subsequently by either

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5876-508: The PRR or Amtrak. 40°02′41″N 75°21′34″W  /  40.044725°N 75.359463°W  / 40.044725; -75.359463  ( Radnor ) The PRR's original 1915 electrification made use of four substations at Arsenal Bridge , West Philadelphia , Bryn Mawr , and Paoli . The Arsenal Bridge substation stepped-up 13.2 kV, 25 Hz power supplied from PECO's Schuylkill power station on Christian Street to 44 kV for distribution. The remaining three substations reduced

5989-574: The PRR ultimately found it inadequate for long-distance, high-speed electrification. Other railroads had, by this time, experimented with low frequency (less than 60 Hz) alternating current (AC) systems. These low-frequency systems had the AC advantage of higher transmission voltages, reducing resistive losses over long distances, as well as the typically DC advantage of easy motor control as universal motors could be employed with transformer tap changer control gear. Pantograph contact with trolley wire

6102-748: The PRR's AC system around 1938 when ConEd assumed operation of the Long Island City Station. The single-phase turbine generators were retired in the mid-1970s due to safety concerns. Two transformers were installed to supply catenary power from the remaining (three-phase) portions of ConEd's still relatively extensive 25 Hz system. Power flow management problems prevented usage of this source under other than emergency conditions. 40°44′47″N 73°58′15″W  /  40.7464°N 73.9707°W  / 40.7464; -73.9707  ( Waterside Generating Station (Demolished) ) In 1986, Baltimore Gas and Electric elected not to renew

6215-505: The UK, the Class 31 uses this wheel arrangement. "A1A-B+B" means there are three trucks. The first truck has three axles, with the center one unpowered. A pair of two-axle trucks, each with both axles powered, are connected by a span bolster under the rear of the unit. The only example to date of this arrangement was a single experimental EMD SDP45 . "B" means there are two powered axles under

6328-469: The United States on May 1, 1971, with a mandate to reverse decades of decline. It retained approximately 184 of the 440 trains which had run the day before. To operate these trains, Amtrak inherited a fleet of 300 locomotives ( electric and diesel ) and 1190 passenger cars , most of which dated from the 1940s–1950s. Operation on the electrified portion of the Northeast Corridor was split between

6441-532: The adjacent Waterside Generating Station, most likely due to declining overall demand for 25 Hz power. The station was disused and sold in the mid-1950s. 40°44′35″N 73°57′29″W  /  40.7430°N 73.9581°W  / 40.7430; -73.9581  ( Long Island City Generating Station (Disused) ) Originally constructed by Consolidated Edison to supply power to their DC distribution system in Manhattan, Waterside began supplying power to

6554-494: The approaches to Union Station and decreased system reliability. The Ivy City project resulted in the installation of two 4.5 MVA transformers in a 138/12 kV substation on the northeast edge of the Ivy City yard complex and 5.2 miles (8.4 km) of 138 kV transmission line to augment the overstretched facilities at Landover. Since the original catenary supports along this section of track were only high enough for

6667-690: The bearings and slip rings. Today, the outright replacement of motor generators would also be difficult due to the high manufacturing cost and limited demand for these large 25 Hz machines. The static converters in the system were commissioned during the decade between 1992 and around 2002. Static converters use high-power solid-state electronics with few moving parts. Chief advantages of static converters over motor generators include lower capital cost, lower operating costs, and higher conversion efficiency. The Jericho Park converter exceeds its efficiency design criteria of 95%. Major disadvantages of solid state converters include harmonic frequency generation on both

6780-521: The beginning of the 20th century, 25 Hz power was much more readily available from commercial electrical utilities. The vast majority of urban subway systems used 25 Hz power to supply their lineside rotary converters used to generate the DC voltage supplied to the trains. Since rotary converters work more efficiently with lower-frequency supplies, 25 Hz was a common supply frequency for these machines. Rotary converters have been steadily replaced over

6893-505: The center truck. The Russian VL85 and US-American EMD GM10B was a notable example. See also Bo-Bo-Bo . "B+B+B" means there are three articulated sets of two powered axles each under the unit. The locomotive frame must allow for significant side play to be provided to the center axle set, as well as allowing for end play for the end sets. The ten Mexican Railway GE boxcab electrics of 1923 are examples of this wheel arrangement. "2-B+B-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under

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7006-438: The center trucks. "B-B+B-B+B-B" means that the locomotive has six trucks. Each truck contains two powered axles. The only known locomotives to have this configuration were the two EMD TR3 locomotives made of three permanently coupled B-B units, which had solid drawbars connecting the units instead of the typical couplers. "C" means there are three powered axles under the unit. They are not articulated relative to other parts of

7119-555: The company's Martin Lake Line , displacing GE E25Bs . They lasted in service until the end of electrified operations in 2011. EMD SD50 diesel locomotives replaced them. The E25Bs, smaller versions of the E60, had been in use since 1976. Another six went to the Black Mesa and Lake Powell, replacing its aging E60Cs. Five went to the Deseret Power Railroad. Texas Utilities discontinued electric operation in January 2011. In addition to

7232-572: The contract under which it had operated the Benning Power Station frequency changer on behalf of Amtrak. They proposed a static frequency changer, which was built at Jericho Park ( Bowie, Maryland ) and placed on service in the spring of 1992. 38°53′51″N 76°57′33″W  /  38.897534°N 76.959298°W  / 38.897534; -76.959298  ( Benning Frequency Changer ( demolished) ) Although reactive power has primarily been supplied along with real power by

7345-412: The dam are scheduled by Amtrak but operated by Safe Harbor Water Power Company. Like other hydroelectric plants, it has excellent black start capability which was most recently demonstrated during a 2006 blackout. After a cascade shutdown of converters had left the network de-energized, it was recovered using Safe Harbor's generators, and the other converters were subsequently brought back online. During

7458-670: The design for high-speed passenger service on Amtrak 's Northeast Corridor . The largest customer was Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (NdeM), the state-owned railroad in Mexico, which bought 39 for a new electrification project in the early 1980s. The E60s were successful in the coal-hauling role. They ran on the BM&;LP for decades and remain in use on several mining railroads in the Western United States . The passenger variants failed in their intended role. Problems with

7571-485: The electrical frequency conversion equipment, but the lineside transmission and distribution equipment were unchanged. In 2003, Amtrak commenced a capital improvement plan that involved planned replacement of much of the lineside network, including 138/12 kV transformers , circuit breakers , and catenary wire. Statistically, this capital improvement has resulted in significantly fewer delays, although dramatic system shutdowns have still occurred. The 25 Hz system

7684-486: The electrical traction infrastructure was left largely unchanged with the exception of a general traction power voltage increase to 12 kV and a corresponding transmission voltage increase to 138 kV. During the 1970s, several of the original converter or power stations that originally supplied power to the system were shut down. Also, the end of electrified through-freight service on the Main Line to Paoli allowed

7797-716: The electrification. The locomotives were made available for sale; eight were still owned by GE and, never delivered, stored in Brownsville, Texas . The availability of several dozen lightly used electric locomotives sparked interest from several commuter operators, including Caltrain in the San Francisco Bay Area and GO Transit in Toronto . TFM traded 22 of the E60C-2s to GE for GE AC4400CW diesel locomotives. Three were sold to Texas Utilities to serve

7910-601: The entire 104-mile (167 km) Keystone Corridor, a portion of NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line (between the NEC and Matawan), along with the entirety of SEPTA's Airport , Chestnut Hill West , Cynwyd , and Media/Wawa lines. The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) began experimenting with electric traction in 1910, coincident with their completion of the trans-Hudson tunnels and New York Penn Station . These initial systems were low-voltage direct current (DC) third rail systems. While they performed adequately for tunnel service,

8023-406: The first locomotives to carry Amtrak's new Phase II livery . Problems soon developed, as the locomotives yawed sideways when accelerating, stressing the rails. The National Transportation Safety Board investigation after a derailment at Elkton, Maryland on February 24, 1975, revealed problems with the truck and bolster design. The Federal Railroad Administration restricted the maximum speed of

8136-888: The first of 53 EMD AEM-7s , a twin-cab B-B electric locomotive produced by Electro-Motive Division . As the AEM-7s arrived Amtrak began disposing of its E60s. It sold two E60CHs to the Navajo Mine Railroad in 1982. A grant from the Urban Mass Transportation Administration enabled New Jersey Transit to buy ten of the E60CHs in 1984 for use on the North Jersey Coast Line . Between 1986 and 1988, those E60s that remained with Amtrak were rebuilt, reclassified and renumbered. All E60CPs had their steam generators removed and four of these had HEP fitted. Those with HEP, both

8249-644: The future include: The Ivy City substation project marked the first extension of 138 kV transmission line since the Safe Harbor Dam was constructed in 1938. In the original PRR electrification scheme, the 138 kV transmission lines went south from Landover to the Capital South substation rather than following the line through Ivy City to the northern approach to Union Station . The two tracks between Landover and Union Station had no high voltage transmission line above them; Union Station catenary

8362-443: The line-side substations. Currently, the following converter and generating plants are operable, although all are rarely in operation simultaneously due to maintenance shutdowns and overhauls: Several types of equipment are currently in operation: static inverters , motor–generators (sometimes called rotary frequency converters), water turbines (hydroelectric generators) and a static cycloconverter . The 25 Hz turbines at

8475-491: The line. Thus, the catenary is segmented (via section breaks, also called 'sectionalizations' by the PRR) at each substation, and each substation feeds both sides of a catenary's section break. A train traveling between two substations draws power through both transformers. A typical substation includes two to four 138/12 kV transformers, 138 kV air switches that permit isolation of individual transformers, shutdown of one of

8588-509: The locomotive. This arrangement is only used on very small locomotives (e.g. the PRR B1 ). This arrangement is sometimes referred to as 0-6-0 , the Whyte notation equivalent. "C-B" means there are two trucks. The "C" truck is under the front of the unit, and has three powered axles. The "B" truck is under the rear of the unit, and has two powered axles. The Japanese DE10 , DE11 , and DE15 and

8701-477: The model in 2014. The other locomotive with this wheel arrangement is the EMD SD70MACH , which is an SD70MAC rebuilt by Progress Rail for Metra and used for passenger service. In 2020, Metra approved of the purchase of 15 of these locomotives with options to purchase up to 27 more. "B-2" means there are two trucks. The "B" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two powered axles. The "2" truck

8814-418: The nearest substation, which minimizes voltage drop. One disadvantage to the substation design as originally built by the PRR concerns its lack of 138 kV circuit breakers. Essentially, all segmentation of the 138 kV system must be manually accomplished, making rapid isolation of a fault on the 138 kV line difficult. Faults in one part of the line also affect the entire distribution system since it

8927-453: The opening of Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan. The station consisted of 64 coal-fired boilers and three steam turbine generators with a total capacity of 16 MW. In 1910, the station was expanded with two additional turbine generators for a total capacity of 32.5 MW. Power was transmitted to rotary converters (AC to DC machines) for use in the PRR's original third rail electrification scheme. Like most DC electric distribution systems of

9040-517: The order was $ 18.4 million. The initial order was for 15 locomotives with steam generators and 11 with head-end power, but 9 of the first type were switched to using head-end power as Amtrak ramped up acquisition of Amfleet cars. Amtrak anticipated that E60-hauled Amfleet trains could displace both the GG1s and the mechanically-unreliable Metroliners. The E60s began arriving in November 1974; they were

9153-450: The original 1915 substations and their 44 kV distribution lines to be decommissioned with that 20-mile (32 km) section of track being fed from 1930s-era substations on either end. In the decade between 1992 and 2002, several static converter stations were commissioned to replace stations that had or were being shut down. Jericho Park, Richmond, and Sunnyside Yard converters were all installed during this period. This replaced much of

9266-500: The original power sources on the PRR traction power network. The last steam turbine shut down in 1954, but some of the original motor generators remain. Although the converting machines are frequently called 'rotary converters' or 'rotary frequency converters,' they are not the rotary converter used frequently by subways to convert low-frequency alternating current to DC power. The converters used are more precisely described as motor generators and consist of two synchronous AC machines on

9379-402: The output circuit breaker . Motor generators, being of 1930s design, are heavily overbuilt. These rugged machines can absorb large load transients and demanding fault conditions while continuing to remain online. Their output waveform is also perfectly sinusoidal without noise or higher harmonic output. They can actually absorb harmonic noise produced by solid-state devices, effectively serving as

9492-500: The overhead structure along former Pennsylvania Railroad lines its characteristic 80-foot (24 m)-tall H-shaped structure. They are much taller than the overhead electrification structures on other electrified American railroads due to the 138 kV transmission lines. Catenary towers and transmission lines along former New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad lines and Amtrak's New England division are much shorter and are recognizable due to different design and construction. While

9605-623: The past 70 years with, at first, mercury arc rectifiers and, more recently, solid-state rectifiers. Thus, the need for special frequency power for urban traction has disappeared, along with the financial motivation for utilities to operate generators at these frequencies. Long Island City Power Station in Hunter's Point, NY, was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1906 in preparation for the North River Tunnels and

9718-422: The positions of substations are not repeated in this table. A listing of the high-tension switching stations follows. Amtrak's capital improvement program which began in 2003 has continued to the present day and has since 2009 received added support from economic stimulus funding sources (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or ARRA). Major improvements in 2010 included: Major improvements planned for

9831-509: The span bolster. The Union Pacific 's M-10002 diesel streamliner and New York Central 's T-Motor third-rail electric locomotives are examples of this type. This arrangement also includes locomotives made of two permanently coupled B-B units, such as some EMD FT units which had a solid drawbar connecting two units instead of the typical couplers. "B-B-B-B" means there are four trucks. Each truck has two powered axles. The locomotive frame must allow for significant side play to be provided to

9944-414: The steam turbines and motor generators of the system, the PRR briefly used two synchronous condensers . Shortly after commissioning the 1915 electrification, the railroad discovered that the 44 kV feeders and large inductive loads on the system were causing significant voltage sag. The supplying electric utility ( Philadelphia Electric ) also discovered that power factor correction was needed. In 1917,

10057-437: The system from Penn Central , the successor to the Pennsylvania Railroad, along with the rest of the NEC infrastructure. Only about half of the system's electrical capacity is used by Amtrak; the remainder is sold to the regional railroads that operate their trains along the corridor, including NJ Transit , SEPTA and MARC . The system powers 226.6 miles (364.7 km) of the NEC between New York City and Washington, D.C.,

10170-457: The system is 210–220 MW (as of c. 2009) during the morning rush hour and up to 225 MW during the afternoon. Peak load has risen significantly over time. In 1997, the peak load was 148 MW. Regardless of the source, all converter and generator plants supply power to the transmission system at 138 kV, 25 Hz, single-phase , using two wires. Typically, at least two separate 138 kV circuits follow each right of way to supply

10283-401: The system would require opening converter output breakers at Jericho Park and Safe Harbor. This results in the loss of much more of the network than is required to simply isolate the fault. Download coordinates as: All transmission lines within the 25 Hz system are two-wire, single-phase, 138 kV. The center tap of each 138 kV/12 kV transformer is connected to ground; thus

10396-459: The time ( Thomas Edison 's being the most famous), 25 Hz power was used to drive rotary converters at substations along the line. Some sources state that the station was largely dormant by the 1920s. When AC overhead electrification was extended in the 1930s, Long Island City connected to the 11 kV catenary distribution system. Operation of the station was transferred to Consolidated Edison in 1938, although ConEd began supplying power from

10509-415: The time, the railroad constructed its own distribution system to transmit power from generating sites to trains, possibly hundreds of miles distant. To accomplish this, the PRR implemented a pioneering system of single-phase high voltage transmission lines at 132 kV, stepped down to the 11 kV at regularly spaced substations along the tracks. The first line to be electrified using this new system

10622-494: The track and counteracts the tendency of trucks to oscillate at high speeds, which is a problem with two axle trucks. The idler wheels may be smaller than the powered wheels. Examples of locomotives with this wheel arrangement include the EMD E-units and ALCO PAs , which were high speed passenger locomotives, and the dual service FM Erie-built . BNSF took delivery of ES44C4 locomotives with this type of truck in 2009. In

10735-602: The truck design caused derailments above 90 miles per hour (140 km/h), rendering the locomotives unusable for high-speed service. By the end of the 1970s Amtrak abandoned the E60 in favor of EMD AEM-7 locomotives manufactured by Electro-Motive Division . In Mexico, the NdeM's project was delayed into the 1990s, then scrapped after three years of use. Most of the NdeM's electric locomotives never ran and were traded back to GE for diesels. Some were sold to various mining railroads. The Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad (BM&LP)

10848-486: The twelve-month period ending August 2009, Safe Harbor supplied about 133 GWh of energy to the Amtrak substation at Perryville. Typically, two-thirds of the Safe Harbor output is routed through Perryville, the remainder being sent through Harrisburg or Parkesburg. This suggests that Safe Harbor supplies around 200 GWh of energy annually into the 25 Hz network. Motor-generators and steam turbine generators were

10961-434: The two 138 kV feeders, or cross-connection from one feeder to another. The output of the transformers is routed to the catenary via 12 kV circuit breakers and air disconnect switches. Cross-connect switches allow one transformer to feed all catenary lines. The PRR substation architecture was based on a long-distance, high-speed railway. The substation spacing ensures that any train is never more than 4 or 5 miles from

11074-401: The two transmission lines are tied to ±69 kV with respect to ground and 138 kV relative to each other. Generally, two separate two-wire circuits travel along the rail line between substations. One circuit is mounted at the top of the catenary poles on one side of the track; the second circuit runs along the other side. The arrangement of catenary supports and transmission wires gives

11187-546: The unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. The "2" truck is under the back of the unit, and has two idler axles in a row. An example is the Silver Charger power car for the General Pershing Zephyr . "A1A-3" means there are two trucks. The "A1A" truck is under the front of the unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. The "3" truck

11300-462: The unit. At each end, there is one unpowered axle and two powered axles, hinged to a set of four powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The "Bi-Polar" electric locomotives used by the Milwaukee Road used this arrangement. "(B+B-B+B)+(B+B-B+B)" means there are 2 units, each with 4 trucks in a B+B-B+B wheel arrangement. An example was

11413-466: The unit. These axles are not articulated relative to other parts of the locomotive. This arrangement is only used on very small locomotives, such as the EMD Model 40 . It is also used on speeders . This arrangement is sometimes referred to as 0-4-0 , the Whyte notation equivalent. "B-1" means there are two trucks. The "B" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two powered axles. The "1" truck

11526-420: The unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are three powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The Pennsylvania Railroad 's GG1 and Companhia Paulista 's electric locomotives were notable examples of this arrangement. "2+C-C+2" means there are two sets of axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there

11639-570: The unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are two powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The PRR DD1 and DD2 electric locomotives used this arrangement. "2-B+B+B+B-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are two powered axles, hinged to yet another set of two powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by

11752-499: The usual D-D consist by 300 hp (220 kW) (with one fewer prime-mover than a usual D-D consist, thereby significantly improving reliability and dramatically reducing maintenance). Although the D-D arrangement is associated with twin-prime-mover locomotives of high power, this does not mean a D-D with a single high-power prime mover may be built in the future, nor does it exclude two-truck, eight-axle electric locomotive. The EMD DDM45

11865-549: Was a new railroad built to transport coal from the Black Mesa Mine near Kayenta , Arizona to the Navajo Generating Station power plant at Page, Arizona . It was 78 miles (125.5 km) long and isolated from the national railroad network. The BM&LP was electrified at 50 kV 60 Hz AC , and was the first such electrification to use this voltage in the world. The railroad was intended to run as

11978-459: Was an independent power grid delivering 25 Hz current from the point of generation to electric locomotives anywhere on nearly 500 route miles (800 km) of track, all under the control of electric power dispatchers in Harrisburg, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City. Northeast railroads atrophied in the years following World War II ; the PRR was no exception. The infrastructure of

12091-561: Was between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware in the late 1920s. By 1930, catenary extended from Philadelphia to Trenton, New Jersey , by 1933 to New York City, and by 1935 south to Washington, D.C. Finally, in 1939, the main line from Paoli west to Harrisburg was completed along with several freight-only lines. Also included were the Trenton Cutoff and the Port Road Branch . Superimposed on these electrified lines

12204-428: Was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad with a nominal voltage of 11 kV. The nominal operating voltages were raised in 1948 and are now: As of 1997, the system included 951 miles (1,530 km) of 138 kV transmission lines, 55 substations, 147 transformers, and 1,104 miles (1,777 km) of 12 kV catenary. Over 550 GWh of energy is consumed annually by locomotives on the system. If this were consumed at

12317-592: Was fed at 12 kV from the Landover and Capitol substations (the latter via the First Street Tunnels ). When the Capitol South substation was abandoned, coincident with the de-electrification of the track between Landover and Potomac Yard , Union Station and its approaches became a single-end fed section of track. This, combined with rising traffic levels, resulted in low voltage conditions on

12430-400: Was necessary because of the locomotive's 85:21 gearing . With this gearing a maximum speed of 72 mph (116 km/h) was possible, although the standard operating speed on the BM&LP was 35 mph (56 km/h). A transformer steps down the high-voltage AC which is then rectified with thyristor bridges to provide DC power to six GE780 traction motors, one per axle. The locomotive

12543-410: Was proposing a passenger version of the E60C before the BM&LP locomotives even entered service. Importing and adapting a European locomotive would require a three-year lead time; GE promised delivery within a year. With few other options, Amtrak turned to GE to adapt the E60C for passenger service. Amtrak ordered 26 E60s in 1973; 15 on March 26, 1973, and a further 11 on October 12. The total cost of

12656-514: Was similar to the original E60C: 117,000 lbf (520 kN) starting and 82,000 lbf (365 kN) continuous. NdeM adopted 25 kV 60 Hz electrification. A later buyer, the Deseret-Western Railway, like the Black Mesa and Lake Powell, adopted 50 kV 60 Hz AC . The planned weight of a loaded coal train at the Black Mesa and Lake Powell (BM&LP) was 11,424.5–12,989.5 short tons (10,364.1–11,783.9 t). GE intended that

12769-679: Was used on the Jawn Henry coal -fired steam-turbine locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Norfolk & Western Railway in May, 1954. "1-D-1" means there are three trucks under the unit. At either end are trucks with one idler axle; the center truck has four powered axles. The original 1904–1909 New York Central S-Motor third-rail electric locomotives (for the Grand Central Terminal electrification) and

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