Vale is in for new Evolution series locomotives and their choices are interesting ones .
Firstly the ES58AC’s . They’ve ordered some of the 16 cylinder Evo versions and they obviously think the extra horsepower will be useful .
I guess its been a while since anyone ordered more than the usual V12 ES/ET44AC so more power to them - literally .
In their specs Wabtec quotes 32.5 metric tonne axle load so 195 MT gross .
Also 23,500L fuel tank capacity .
They also say these are designed to be a specific heavy haul unit .
The other version they want is an EvoBBW four truck unit .
If the picture of them is correct each pair of trucks is mounted under a bridge plate that articulates the same way a truck would in Co Co config . That’s a neat way of getting around the issues that rigid four axle trucks would have had .
IIRC, Wabtec has built some B-B+B-B’s for a Brazilian narrow gauge. GE had used the B-B+b-B arrangement for late 1940’s Virginian M-G electric locomotives. GE later built a number of Gas Turbine Electric locomotives using the same arrangement, with the running gear of the scrapped GTEL’s being re-used for the U50B’s and Alco C-855.
Interesting to see someone interested in 16 cyl EVO’s.
Span-bolstered B-B arrangement has been extensively and successfully used. It is interesting to consider the design issues when the geometrical pivot point of a span-bolstered truck is not precisely at the middle of the span-bolster – or if the design is to be applied to a modern C-C locomotive with centerless trucks where the ‘center pin’ is a torque link rather than a pivot.
I take it you have seen the GE BB40-9WM - it’s a nice engine with a really good P3 or P5 on most VALE engines the Rumo ones are good too but I’m surprised that VALE is getting more units after they purchased the SD80ACe and the ES58ACi
I’m a big fan of the Brazilian locomotive market the only thing that bothers me is the narrow gauge trucks they use I know it’s a mix of standard and narrow gauge units but if you look at the coupler knuckles to a regular standard gauge unit they are a tad bit lower.
It would be nice to see another high HP unit with a new GEVO engine enter the market too
Really ?
I wouldn’t have thought you’d get 6200 USG between those two pairs of trucks , assuming these units are approx std US domestic frame length .
The largest I’ve had is SD90MAC and they have longer than standard frames and fuel tanks .