Enroute work today I saw Amtrak no. 6, The California Zephyr, stopped at the Omaha station. The train had two Amtrak refrigerated boxcars bringing up the markers. A check in the UMLER of AMTK 74090 and 74093 reveals that these cars carry an “RPM” mechanical designation.
Question: What powers their refrigeration units? A straight diesel prime mover, a diesel-electric system, head-end (hotel) power, or maybe a combination of diesel and electric?
I would guess that a diesel engine runs a generator that produces electricity. They are probably loaded and unloaded while uncoupled from the train, and therefore locomotives, so I would guess HEP is out. I doubt that the compressor, fan, or blower are direct driven.
I’ve been wondering for a while how it works. Seems to me the most modern cars have a distinct “whirr” – probably as you said, a diesel-powered generator.
[:D]
Compresor is direct drive(bolted to the eng.) Fan drive depends on age and make. Lawrence.
Actually, I was a little surprised to hear that the CZ was carrying freight cars. Since the end of last year when Amtrak took most of its freight-carrying off, the Empire Builder is back to looking like a train again; and when I snapped the westbound CZ on July 2 of this year, it, too, was nothing but passenger cars (for convenience’s sake I count any dorm-baggage as a “passenger,” i.e., non-freight car).
On the other hand, when I snapped the Southwest Chief going thru Galva, Illinois, later that day (it was a lucky day) it had, I believe, four or perhaps five freight cars with FRED on the end. Not a very pretty sight: Loco, loco, dorm-baggage, Amshell, Amshell, Amshell, presumably four bedroom cars and a diner, freight car, freight car, freight car…
But I understand that Amtrak wasn’t able to get out of all its long-term freight hauling commitments. I can’t quote TRAINS exactly, but I do recall there was one California-based company whose cartage agreement Amtrak couldn’t break.
What’s the experience of the rest of you–are long-haul passenger trains “prettier” than in 2004, or do most of them still have a bit of the 'ol freight?
I emphasize that it was Amtrak’s decision to drop fast-freight at the end of 2004; there was no boycott nor (I guess) significant lack of sponsorship to the X-freights cars on the part of shippers.
Here in metro Chicago we see Amtrak 3/4 as well as 5/6 daily. Some of these have freight cars on them and some don’t, it depends on the day and what is needed to be hauled. However, lately there have been more and more trains without any freight at all and the days of these trains (especially the Chief) hauling ten to twelve freight cars is over indeed.
“The days of these trains . . . haulinhg ten to twelve freight cars is over indeed.”
Which is fine with me. I don’t appreciate riding a fast freight with a few “people cars” in the middle. It may just be sentiment but that’s how I feel.