starting locos in cold weather

[ladydsm]

How often do locos have to be started in cold weather or can they be left for days like cars.

 

[driver9000]

during very cold weather locos tend to be left running continuously to prevent them freezing. Pacers and Sprinters are started once an hour and then the timer shuts them back down again after approx 15mins.

 

[GB]

How often do locos have to be started in cold weather or can they be left for days like cars.

Most Diesel locos (particularly 66's...and I say particularly 66's as that is about as far as my knowledge extends to) are actually designed to be left running continuously, its only to appease loco residents that they are usually shut down.

If they forecast it as being very cold then we are to leave them running as the locos are notoriously picky starting up in cold weather.

 

[ailsa]

Cold starts aren't always easy!

37 in the snow (on youtube)

 

[37401]

Cold starts aren't always easy!

37 in the snow (on youtube)

but cold locos can be fun and "clag-tastic" (well smoke tastic)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzV88d29G7k

 

[TDK]

How often do locos have to be started in cold weather or can they be left for days like cars.

Class 67's do not need to be started and take about 18 hours to cool right down, they also have anti-freeze. The only problems that occur are the air pipes freezing on the stock.

 

[mbonwick]

I could be wrong, but I thought 66s had to be left running/kept warm as they are 2-strokes and don't like the cold??

 

[paul1609]

Most Diesel locos (particularly 66's...and I say particularly 66's as that is about as far as my knowledge extends to) are actually designed to be left running continuously, its only to appease loco residents .

They have people living in the locos? You could get drivers living in locos. If they paid rent it would reduce their excessive salaries

 

[GB]

Lol well spotted! I must be losing my mind as what I sometimes say in my head while typing doesnt necessarily come out on screen as such!

 

[Oracle]

I would say that 2-strokes are less sensitive to cold...they run at cooler temps than 4-strokes. As we all know snowmobiles have 2-stroke engines, albeit petrol-engined.. What would make it easier to start diesel engines is direct-injection as against indirect. AEC seem to have pioneered DI diesels pre-war, and their engines proved iseal for recovery vehicles as the engines could be left for long periods yet start easily. The problem I can imagine with big diesel engines as fitted to locos is that battery performance tails off with cold, just as more amperage is required as it gets colder. With all the demands on auxiliary power in today's locos, battery performance for starting may well be problematic. Best keep engines running!

 

[HSTfan!!!]

put it this way, I know for a fact that some drivers are paid to go in on christmas day/boxing day to warm up the engines at canton - I expect this happens across the board

 

[route:oxford]

It's not unlike a diesel car with broken pre-heats.

Had an AX years ago with duff pre-heats. The poor wee beastie didn't like the cold, could take over a minute of cranking to get going. Filthy exhaust and almost dancing sideways out of an on-street parking space...

 

[Old Timer]

put it this way, I know for a fact that some drivers are paid to go in on christmas day/boxing day to warm up the engines at canton - I expect this happens across the board

That has been the case for years, with extra turns introduced when it was freezing to go round and keep locos/dmus running.

Many years ago now I remember it was so cold that the wheels froze on the rail, and although the engines were running we couldn't move the units !

 

[Drimnagh Road]

during very cold weather locos tend to be left running continuously to prevent them freezing. Pacers and Sprinters are started once an hour and then the timer shuts them back down again after approx 15mins.

Very interesting, so that would explain why it is when I'm staying at the Crewe Arms I'm hearing 150s and 158s been started and rev'd to pieces at all sorts of hours during the night despite no trains going for a few hours.

Thought it was just shunters doing it to annoy the local guests


Over here our 201s are notorious for starting up after been shut down for any period of time. For example, in the days of loco haulage there was a student ex that left Dublin on Friday and came back on a Sunday.

After a couple of continuous weekends which resulted in cancellations / bus transfers because the loco would simply not start after been shut down for two days instruction was issued to leave the loco running throughout the weekend, on bank holiday weekends it would be running for three days. No problem anymore as the units have taken over.

In comparrison, you could have a 20 year older 071 arrive on a freight on Thursday and shut it down until Tuesday and she'd be grand, which is why they have everyone of these still in service while half of the 201 fleet is stored.

 

[truckman060473]

to think that the frozen contact patch about the size of a coin is enough to prevent a traction motor turning seems unbelievable to me

 

[Old Timer]

to think that the frozen contact patch about the size of a coin is enough to prevent a traction motor turning seems unbelievable to me

It is when all the wheels are frozen and its a Cravens DMU !

 

[Vulcan]

Try hand cranking a 4 cylinder Ruston engine with no pre-heat! I'm so glad we got the electric start fixed on that.

 

[142094]

The 67 thunderbird at Newcstle sits in the siding next to platform 8 all day, until at night when it goes to sit in platform 12. I asked the driver why he did this, and he said it was to keep it a bit warmer.

Class 67's do not need to be started and take about 18 hours to cool right down, they also have anti-freeze. The only problems that occur are the air pipes freezing on the stock.

If you are right, this would mean that they wouldn't need to do this. However the thing is that the thunderbird is in a better position in the siding as it can go north or south without reversing (via the High Level Bridge for the south), whereas in platform 12 it would have to reverse to go north.

 

[73110]

Years ago we used to get sent out to start up whatever engines were left in the yard that particular night. Start them up, leave them for an hour or two then go and shut them down again. Only happened when it was really cold.

 

[Juniper Driver]

That 37 at Clapham Junction (37706?) on the Windsor side.I thought the footbridge was on fire as I run in with an 8 car 455.It was actually the 37 which had been started up and had been strategically placed under the footbridge.

 

[O L Leigh]

Pan up. What's the fuss?

O L Leigh

 

[chuffchuff]

A secondman hanging on the fuel rails used to help

 

[Drsatan]

A secondman hanging on the fuel rails used to help

Except H&S wouldn't allow it these days. Nice idea though.

 

[Vulcan]

The 67 thunderbird at Newcstle sits in the siding next to platform 8 all day, until at night when it goes to sit in platform 12. I asked the driver why he did this, and he said it was to keep it a bit warmer.
If you are right, this would mean that they wouldn't need to do this. However the thing is that the thunderbird is in a better position in the siding as it can go north or south without reversing (via the High Level Bridge for the south), whereas in platform 12 it would have to reverse to go north.

Perhaps its also so station staff can better keep an eye on it? Perhaps they've had some vadalism on it in the siding overnight.

 

[33056]

Ref. Irish locos, I believe that 20 years or so ago (and maybe more recently) they were not switched off at all. I have certainly been to places like Tralee at the weekend and seen a small GM sitting in the sidings chugging away and knowing that it was not required until Monday.

With regards to 66s, a few years ago when in the operation control side of things I was told that they must be run up at least once every 48 hours - leave it longer than that and there is a lot more involved to get it started. Perhaps somebody on here can elaborate