Hot Times on the High Iron for April 2007

[Knothead]

From CN Engineer Joseph Santucci.

Today we do another study in a locomotive.



I haven't done one of these profiles in quite some time. Recently I've had several of the newest members of CN's motive power fleet so I thought I would profile them this time around.



In 2006 the Canadian National began taking delivery of a group of twenty-five new locomotives from Electro Motive Diesel. They are the latest offering from the EMD catalog in their direct current propulsion line, the SD70-2. Another fifty units of this model are presently on order scheduled for delivery beginning in September of this year. The next order will have one feature these units lack, distributed power.



The SD70-2 is a step up in horsepower from the SD70 and SD70m series with 4300 horsepower as opposed to 4000. This is not to be confused with the SD75 series offered in the 90's that also offered 4300 horsepower.



The specific locomotive we are going to profile in today's lesson is the 8024. According to the FRA blue card (form F6180-49A) in the cab it shows an April 2006 build date as does the builder decal affixed on the right front exterior of the cab. The blue card also shows an initial inspection date of 5/1/2006 which is usually conducted immediately before being accepted by the railroad and released for shipment. The blue card also indicates this unit was held out of service in Capreol, Ontario from 6/9 to 6/27 of 2006. It doesn't indicate the reason, but it could be for some warranty work or modifications. 



The 8024 carries frame number 20046624-023 which is stamped onto the frame on the right front and left rear at the top of the stair housing plate to the immediate left of the stairs. It also appears on the builder decal as well. The prime mover (diesel engine) carries the number 20046624-021 which is stamped into the block right above the builder plate for the prime mover itself. The prime mover carries a serial number of 06-31-1011.



The SD70-2 model comes equipped with the new standard, the so-called "ergonomic" cab. The desk top control stand, despised by many the Engineer, has been withdrawn as the standard by EMD. I think the ergonomic design is the way the locomotive builders can step away from the bad idea of the desk top control stand with dignity. Of course, ergonomic is in the eye of the beholder. What is ergonomically correct for a Design Engineer is certainly different than what a Locomotive Engineer will deem ergonomically correct. While it is certainly an improvement over the desk top version, it is certainly not the best design to come along.



The basic design of the control stand is that of the standard control stand used for years and years before and even after the initial desk top version was introduced. There are some twists though; instead of using analog gauges or a video display screen as part of EMD's FIRE (Functional Integrated Railroad Electronics) system mounted on the control stand itself, there is a video screen mounted directly in front of the Engineer. Each railroad ordering new locomotives can make changes to the layout of the system. For example, Union Pacific orders two video display screens as opposed to a single screen like CN orders. The single screen tends to have to jam everything in to fit onto one display.



The video display contains the following functions; an odometer with total miles run to date. The engine number, the date and time (in Eastern time) appear at the top. There is a digital speedometer along with an electronic analog gauge. There is a yellow zone extending between 71 and 75 MPH and a red zone from 76 to 80 MPH. 70 MPH is the maximum speed for this model. The ammeter is also a digital readout and an electronic bar graph. The air brake gauges are displayed on the screen for equalizing, main reservoir, brake pipe, brake cylinder and air flow. There are icons for the front and rear headlights, the bell, whistle, sanders, heated windshield activated, low fuel, a quasi-digital fuel gauge, the air brake set up (Lead/Trail, Cut In/Cut Out, Freight/Passenger), throttle/dynamic brake controller position and reverser handle placement (forward/reverse/neutral). There are indications for the end of train telemetry unit showing the EOT number and status (armed/not armed, communication failures).



The distance counter is somewhat of a problem. Like the controls to change the air brake set up, the distance counter is brought up using some of the function buttons below the screen. I don't know if this is a CN option, standard EMD feature or what, but the counter is rigid and not user friendly. You have to enter the length of the train into the system prior to using the counter. When you activate the counter it only counts down from this length. This is unlike other versions I have worked with on both EMD and GE units. On those you can choose to count up from zero or count down using the train length you have programmed into the system. Such a system offers great flexibility especially if you are testing the accuracy of the counter in a measured mile. This system is also lacking the opportunity to correct the distance with a calibration feature. And unlike all others either applied through a video screen or a stand alone system, if you stop while the counter is running and then proceed in the opposite direction the counter will not count backwards but will continue to count down from the previously input train length.



The computer display for locomotive functions, traction motor cut out, data, engine and equipment failures or problems used to be a separate display screen located on either the high voltage cabinet behind you or on the bulkhead above you. With the ergonomic cab it is included on the video display screen from the FIRE system. You can minimize this display when you need to though. It might be thought that you no longer have to get up to perform certain functions using this system, but in order to cut out traction motors the locomotive still has to be isolated, the cut out procedure initiated then the isolation switch turned to put the locomotive on line again. In order to perform this you have to leave the seat, reach back to the control panel on the high voltage cabinet, isolate the unit, come back to the seat, engage the traction motor cut out and then return to the isolation switch to run and then again, return to the seat.



The control stand is pretty much parallel to the cab wall, mounted bi-directional style as opposed to the approximate 45? angle of the original standard control stands. This makes it easier to operate the controls when running backwards as it were. However, the instrumentation is completely behind you now on the video display. So in order to observe the gauges as you apply the air brakes or to view the amp gauge you have to turn around and look away from the action. There is a speedometer mounted to the rear on the high voltage cabinet behind the Engineer so if operating long hood forward, at least you'll have a speedometer in front of you as you face the rear of the locomotive.



There have been some changes made on the layout of item placement on the control stand itself. On EMD models for many years the headlight control switches were very practically placed with the front headlight switch at the lower right and the rear headlight switch placed at the lower left of the control stand. The ergonomic control stand features both headlight switches placed on the upper right side of the control stand. The front headlight switch is to the right of the dynamic brake controller. Immediately below that is the control switch for the cab heating, ventilating and air conditioning and the rear headlight switch is below that. Very strange placement that takes quite a bit of getting used to.



The sander control buttons used to be located to the right of the independent and automatic brake valves, just below the whistle handle. Now they are placed at the bottom of the control stand below the attendant call and alertor acknowledger buttons. There is no dimmer switch for the panel lights on the control stand itself. There is a dimmer for the video display on that system. 



The whistle handle is changed to a wand that sticks out instead of stands up. The bell button or knob is replaced with a lever as well. For many years the bells on CN and many other railroads were automatically activated whenever you sounded the whistle. On these units, that doesn't happen. You have to engage the bell independently to make it ring.



There is a ditch light control switch which sets them to operate the ditch lights to the front or the rear of the locomotive that is located below the rear headlight switch.



All of the control switches are located to the right of the front headlight switch. Those for the engine run, generator field, control and fuel pump are the top row, those for the number lights, pilot, step and ground lights are below them. 



There is a steel desk to the right of the video display unit with a built in cup holder.



There are some other changes to this locomotive model as well. On the exterior the main reservoirs have been changed in their positioning. Since the early 1960's all EMD built units (aside from those with the so-called "torpedo tubes") have had one place on either side directly above the fuel tank. The SD70-2 has them both placed on the right side of the locomotive above the fuel tank.



The bell is an electronic version instead of the traditional mechanical style. It doesn't even look like a bell. It emits an electronic bell sound that, from a distance, sounds like a real clapper striking a metallic bell. However, when you turn it off mid ring, it just stops cold; no echo or anything, just immediately quiet.



This unit features the ugly duckling nose now standard on EMD units. While not much for looks it does provide a little more interior room. The hot plate previously mounted on the Fireman's side above or to the left of the refrigerator has been relocated to the hallway at the bottom of the interior cab stairs across from the toilet. The microwave oven has been located here for years on CN units so the addition of the hot plate here sort of makes it like a kitchenette.



Speaking of the toilet, the door leading into it has been redesigned. It is now a concave design which allows for more room in there now. The door is a heavy composite material instead of the previously used steel door. Hopefully this material will not warp out of shape like earlier doors that used composite materials. The interior walls are made from the same material instead of the previously used thinner, high gloss material. 



On the Fireman's side are a speedometer, whistle handle, emergency brake valve, radio speaker, handset (looks like a telephone handset) and volume control. There is a desktop but not a drawer. Go figure on that one. In its place is a rack mounted on the high voltage cabinet that contains all the forms normally stored in the desk drawer. The refrigerator is still located on the Fireman's side but is placed in a different manner. Instead of being placed with the door facing the right side it has been turned to face the center of the cab with the door opening towards the high voltage cabinet.



There is the CN option fluorescent center light along with the standard EMD incandescent light. While looking up at the ceiling, there is a different type of material used as the headliner. It is also fastened with what looks like rivets. This appears to solve a problem with the older material coming loose and hanging down.



The front cab windows are not angled like those on the older cab and nose designs which can cause strange reflections and glare, particularly at night.



The removable panels on the back of the control stand seem to be a thinner grade of steel. Most of them on this unit were warped and bent. As a result they didn't fit tight against the stand itself. They were loose and rattled something terrible in certain throttle positions when the unit was moving and whenever the locomotive hit a rough spot in the track. I had paper towels jammed into the gaps to stop the rattles.



CN did not order these units with EMD's WhisperCabT feature and that is a shame. There is a fair amount of noise in these cabs even when not revving in higher throttle settings. There was also a fair amount of rattle coming from the exterior; the handrails of all places. The walkway handrails tend to vibrate and rattle, particularly where two pieces of the railing come together inside of the stanchions that support them. The handrails are attached directly to the rear of the cab. The rattles and vibration from the handrails are transferred through the connection and come right into the cab. The WhisperCabT does not have the handrails attached to the cab which helps cut down on the noise and vibration.   



Overall, this locomotive performed as expected. It pulled quite well and the dynamic brake also worked as designed. I was pretty impressed with it but with all the rattles and cab noise a bit under whelmed overall with the model.



And so it goes.