| General |
Coal-fired, reciprocating drive steam
locomotive. Consists of two sections: the Power
Unit and the Support Unit. Overall length- 112
feet. Total weight- 650,000 lb. Meets AAR
clearance/ overhang limits for unrestricted
interchange (Plate B), and can negotiate 20
degree curves. |
Safety and Comfort Features |
Dual safety cabs permit clear view of track
when traveling in either direction. 2.5 degree
angle on cab front designed to deflect obstacles
away from cab in the event of a collision.
Computer readouts in cab permit monitoring of all
engine functions. Air conditioning and toilets
provided in each cab. Cabs removable from frame
for easy repair. |
| Running gear |
4-8-2 wheel arrangement. 4 cylinder, fully
balanced "Withuhn" reciprocating
compound drive. Inside connecting rods on
quartered crank axles maintain high pressure and
low pressure cylinders in synchronization for
perfect balance and optimum steam flow for
compound expansion. All welded frame
construction, equipped with jacking pads to allow
heavy maintenance on engine without an overhead
crane. |
Cylinders |
2 high pressure and 2 low pressure. All four
cylinders mounted externally for ease of service
and jacketed with saturated steam to maintain
operating temperatures within required limits.
Diesel-type replaceable sleeves and mutiple
piston rings manufactured to diesel tolerances.
Extended piston rods to prevent uneven
cylinder/ring wear. |
| Condenser |
Twin eductor type, mounted in power unit.
Steam exits low pressure cylinders, expands
through low pressure turbine to provide power for
stoker, feedwater pumps, and generator.
Condensing pressure 3 PSI absolute. Exhaust steam
from turbine routed through eductor on power unit
mixes with cool water (150 degrees F) from
tender, mixing with it and condensing in a
process similar to a steam injector. Hot
discharge water (190 degrees F) from eductor
routed to fan-cooled radiators on support unit.
10,000 gallon storage tank in support unit allows
1000 miles between water stops at full power.
Water is pre-treated before being pumped into
tender or treated with on-board system to allow
once-per-year boiler washes. |
Boiler |
Firetube type, Belpaire firebox, all-welded
construction including welded stays, Porta Gas
Producer Combustion System firebox, type
"E" superheater, 300 PSIG operating
pressure. Incorporates finned-tube economizer in
smokebox. Boiler assembly designed for removal as
a unit from the locomotive. Firebox designed to
operate with a wide variety of low-sulphur coals.
"Shuffle" grate provides continuous ash
removal. Draft produced by steam powered fans.
Cyclone separators remove fly-ash from exhaust
upstream of fans. Combustion process in
combination with use of low-sulphur coal and
cyclone separators in exhaust path would allow
engine to meet projected EPA air emission limits. |
| Bearings |
Timken AP roller type. Sealed to allow
250,000 miles between service with no additional
lubrication. Axles, rods, and valve gear all
equipped. |
Valve gear |
Walschaerts type. 15 inch diameter, 9 inch
travel piston valves on all four cylinders; dual
piston valves provided for each low pressure
cylinder. Valves incorporate mutliple narrow
sealing rings and saturated steam cooled liners
for good lubrication and long life. |
| Fuel storage |
Coal stored on locomotive in three separate
11-ton capacity enclosed coal packs. Coal packs
designed to be secured to flat cars for loading
at mine with unprocessed, run-of-mine coal.
Closure panels at top eliminate fugitive dust.
Coal packs loaded onto locomotive using
rubber-tired lift truck. Fuel capacity allows 500
mile range between fuel stops at full power.
Gear-operated closure panels on bottom allow full
coal packs to be installed and partially full
coal packs to be removed without spilling coal. |
Ash handling |
Ash collected in 5 ton removable container
pack on locomotive. Designed to be removed from
locomotive using rubber-tired lift trucks and
secured to flat car for shipment for bulk
disposition. Alternatively, connections are
provided to allow ash to be flushed out with
water. Ash-handling technology adapted from new
coal-fired ships constructed in the 1980's. |
| Drivers |
54" diameter Scullin disk type. No
separate tires (note- patent shows separate
tires); designed for 250,000 mile wheel life. Low
driver diameter allows optimum operating speed
range with fully balanced running gear
arrangement and maintains low chassis height to
allow servicing using existing diesel facilities.
Designed for truing using Hegenscheidt
underfloor wheel lathe without removal from
locomotive or removal of connecting rods. |
Controls |
Microprocessor-based. Completely automatic
control throttle, cutoff, and wheelslip control
based on inputs from standard diesel-type 8 notch
throttle and reverse lever. Coal feed and
feedwater supply designed to be largely
self-regulating by using engine feed steam or
exhaust steam for power. Microprocessor system
provides minor "trim" adjustments for
optimum operation. Electronic controls allow lead
ACE 3000 to be "MU'ed" with other ACE's
or diesels if the ACE is the lead engine.
"Controlled slip" incorporated into
drive logic, to allow maximum low-speed tractive
effort to be developed. Fast-acting
electronically actuated cylinder drain cocks
provide instantaneous relief of cylinder pressure
for control of undesirable wheel slip.
"Dynamic braking" provided by proven
counter-pressure brake principal, in which
cylinders are used to provide engine braking. |
| Support Unit Dimensions |
Length- 57 feet. Total weight- 300,000 lb.
Cooling capacity- 35 million BTUH. |
Power Unit Dimensions |
Length-55 feet. Total weight- 350,000 lb.
Weight on drivers- 240,000 lb. |
| Power |
3000 DBHP nominal, 4000 DBHP at 20 to 80 MPH |
Thermal efficiency |
15% overall typical, 18% peak |
| Tractive Effort |
70,000 lbs at 0 to 15 MPH (continuous).
Capable of attaining over 100,000 lb at starting
with addition of positive displacement steam
motors to support unit trucks. |
Servicing Features |
Sand, water, and lubricants can be supplied
from ground level. Locomotive units sized to fit
standard diesel shop pts. |
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