The most powerful train in the world?

[notadriver]

that certainly feels the case - the Pendos pull out of Euston so fast compared to anything else I've been on in the UK. Wonder if the 11-car ones will have an extra set of powered axles to counter the extra weight? Either way, they'll be better than anything else we have performance-wise for many years I suspect! Such a shame the railways were built with the loading guages they were or the Pendos might have had a little more space, that said I don't find them as claustrophobic as many on here seem to find them.

Power though, that's the best we have I think? TGV sets are about 13,000 HP as a unit I believe but that's not power at rail. Bu

t can't compete with that above which in China or US etc but then we don't have the market for it in the same way I suppose but jesus the rails must take a battering!!!

Class 395s are the fastest accelerating main line trains in the country and each of Eurostars 12 motors are rated at 1020 KW (1360 hp) . I'll let you do the maths.

 

[RichW1]

I didn't know they had quite that much power but that's serious stuff! Then again the last 2 times I've been on one to Paris this year it does accelerate very fast - 140mph through Stratford? It just lets rip as sonn as it's rounded the curve at St Pancras
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Try again.

I did - see post 27 ; )

 

[LE Greys]

To further the most powerful British steam loco debate, the W1 in original form and Turbomotive have to be in the running, but both would lose out to the U1. This beast could put down 72,940 lb of tractive effort, and was probably getting on for 4,000 IHP. It was, after all, effectively two O2s permanently coupled together. The Garratt's grate was well outside the capability of one fireman, but the loco worked well as an oil burner. I really wish I could have heard the thing running.

 

[mallard]

that certainly feels the case - the Pendos pull out of Euston so fast compared to anything else I've been on in the UK.

Really? Every time I've been out of Euston, I've noticed that LM's 350s initially out-accelerate Pendos by a decent margin. Of course, the Pendos eventually overtake again. I assume this is due to the 350s being geared for faster acceleration for stopping services, whereas the Pendos are geared for high-speed (I assume the gearing is still set up for 140mph) non-stop expresses.

Just how powerful are the Desiros anyway? They've always struck me a quicker off-the-mark than Electrostars...

 

[notadriver]

Desiros are indeed quicker than Pendolinos initially. Like Electrostars they are rated at 1500 Kw (2000 hp). The main difference is that many Electrostars generally operate over the 3rd rail Network. Exceptions are class 377s going to Milton Keynes, Class 357s on the C2c line and new Class 379s but these only have 1200 KW (1600 hp) so might feel slower for a new unit.

 

[sprinterguy]

Desiros are indeed quicker than Pendolinos initially. Like Electrostars they are rated at 1500 Kw (2000 hp). The main difference is that many Electrostars generally operate over the 3rd rail Network. Exceptions are class 377s going to Milton Keynes, Class 357s on the C2c line and new Class 379s but these only have 1200 KW (1600 hp) so might feel slower for a new unit.

I thought the Desiros (350 & 450) had eight powered axles per four carriage unit (two motor cars and two trailers), each fitted with a 250Kw traction motor, producing 2000Kw, while the Electrostars (375 & 377) have six powered axles per four carriage unit with a 250Kw traction motor on each producing, as you rightly say, 1500Kw?

I have to agree that the Desiros are incredibly quick off the mark though, even when compared to a Pendolino, due to their lower gearing

 

[notadriver]

I found this on class 360s which are similar to their class 350 cousins.

http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/dewiki/en/TOPS-Klasse_360

 

[sprinterguy]

I found this on class 360s which are similar to their class 350 cousins.

http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/dewiki/en/TOPS-Klasse_360

Fair enough, that would put the output for each traction motor at around 200Kw rather than 250Kw. I’m just going off figures in the Platform 5 Combined Volume, which admittedly is sometimes known to be erroneous.

 

[notadriver]

Where can I get that from ? Is there an online equivalent? I'm not even sure how many motors a Desiro has. Is it just in the leading coaches ? Most Electrostars have 2 in each DMOS (on the innermost bogie) and 2 on the MOS making 6. They are rated at 250 Kw each giving 1500 Kw total. On class 378 and 379 the motors are 200 Kw.

 

[sprinterguy]

Where can I get that from ? Is there an online equivalent? I'm not even sure how many motors a Desiro has. Is it just in the leading coaches ? Most Electrostars have 2 in each DMOS (on the innermost bogie) and 2 on the MOS making 6. They are rated at 250 Kw each giving 1500 Kw total. On class 378 and 379 the motors are 200 Kw.

According to my info, each axle is powered on the driving vehicles of Desiros, with a 250Kw traction motor on each, totalling eight powered axles. The two intermediate carriages are unpowered. The Platform 5 information on the Electrostars (Classes 375 & 377) tallies with your info: The inner bogie on each DMSO is powered, as is one bogie of the MSO, totalling six powered axles.

The Platform 5 pocket books are usually available from the larger outlets of WH Smith. The combined volume retails at £17.95 and covers locos, carriages, DMUs and EMUs. The four individual pocket books covering each of these areas separately can also be bought for about £4.75 each. They’re also available through the Platform 5 Publishing web catalogue. I don’t know of anywhere online that provides the same format of information, but I like having a hard copy to hand anyway, I’m none too savvy with the world of cyberspace and such like.

 

[ChrisCooper]

I found this on class 360s which are similar to their class 350 cousins.

http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/dewiki/en/TOPS-Klasse_360

Had to LOL at PAD thing clay/tone. Even better when you click on the link and get delights such as the "Hammersmith & town center LINE", "Roofridge Great Western" and "The novel 16 o'clock 50 starting from PAD thing clay/tone of Agatha Christie".

Oh and Roofridge Great Western operate "Class 143 - Rail penalty for suburban traffic in Bristol". Sounds about right!

 

[Ian Mayes]

This must be a contender for the most powerful TRAIN in the world - taking the topic title literally - very long US freight train hauled by 10 large diesel locos in multiple - not sure if all 10 locos are pulling their weight, though. Some are rather quiet, like they're just going along for the ride!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyOG3j-qJQQ
The Deltic was indeed the most powerful diesel loco in its day, until Kestrel came along.

A net search shows that the EMD DDA40X, at 6600 bhp is the world's most powerful diesel loco ever - twice the power of a a Deltic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_DDA40X

These must have been pretty powerful too, although I don't know their bhp equivalent:
http://www.rocousa.com/BigBoy/bigboy4.jpg

BR experimented with uprating the power of a Class 47 loco to something approaching that of a Deltic but the unfortunate guinea-pig's engine exploded on the London to Norwich line as a result, damaging the loco so badly it was scrapped.

EMD DDA40X at 6600 bhp most powerful diesel? Kestrel was number 8000. The 8000 referred to the fact that this locomotive was rated at 8000 bhp. I do not see therefore how the EMD DDA40X at 6600 bhp can be the most powerful diesel, unless you are referring to it as the most powerful diesel in use today. If you are referring to it as the most powerful diesel ever produced, then it is short on Kestrel.

 

[sprinterguy]

Kestrel was numbered "HS4000": A 4000hp locomotive, not 8000hp. Even today with the greater efficienices of modern diesel engines, I doubt you could fit an 8000hp power unit into the British loading gauge.

 

[Ze Random One]

Had to LOL at PAD thing clay/tone. Even better when you click on the link and get delights such as the "Hammersmith & town center LINE", "Roofridge Great Western" and "The novel 16 o'clock 50 starting from PAD thing clay/tone of Agatha Christie".

Oh and Roofridge Great Western operate "Class 143 - Rail penalty for suburban traffic in Bristol". Sounds about right!

That's because it's a (poor) automatic translation of the german Wikipedia entry