| 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
electrical 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. This
process was expected to result in reduced
condenser maintenance compared to the
Henschel condensing system used on most
previous condensing steam locomotives.
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. Panels and gearing
designed to allow panel closure against
blocking coal lumps without damage.
|
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 of 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 would provide
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 nearly instant 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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