Locomotive oil analysis

[Gary Allan]

It's all good, yo!

 

[Camu Mahubah]

That was a good link Gary Allan, I have wondered about the motor in the SD80MAC, now I know it is a V-20.

 

[Max_Wander]

I love those things! Each piston is 'modular' and can be changed individually, they come up to about your chest in height and have almost a foot of bore. They would certainly have to be two-stroke because they redline at about either 900-1100rpm. Each railroad usually will use the Locomotive lube from the oil company that they do the most business with. My old employer CN used to use all Esso products. Starting the engines was a ton of fun. Prime the engine with lube, pull on the throttle, press the button and watch the magic! You could even give them a good rev like a carb'ed car

...The gears for the traction motors are lubed up by bags.. these plastic bags full of extremely thick oil, like STP engine treatment, are just tossed into their case, the plastic bag apparently gets chewed up and disintegrates into the oil. The supercharger/turbo as mentioned is about the size of a patio table put vertically. These are amazing machines!! Diesel is filled via firehose!

 

[Camu Mahubah]

A couple months ago I moved an SD7 that was built in 1955, 1750hp diesel-electric. The sound this diesel made was intoxicating... the new Evolution GE's with the Caterpillar diesel are my current favorite... they are 4-strokes.

 

[Camu Mahubah]

Correction it was an SD9...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CSXwetrock.jpg

I dunno how to make a link but if you check this address out you will see a SD70MAC at work...

 

[Camu Mahubah]

Today I moved a GE AC6000, yes 6000hp, this from a 4-stroke diesel. At one time emd and ge were in a hp war in the nineties. I feel very lucky....!