Another busy day on the railway

[martyn williams]

Had a few locos to fuel and service today,also had a callout to the Murco fuel terminal just outside Bristol.Engine failed to start on a 2000 ton petrol train,caused by one of the starter motor contacts failing.If one motor fails to engauge the second motor won't engauge and both won't turn.soon sorted it out.Had to be done asap as ther are huge penalties for a cancelled train,can be £10,000 plus.
Picture shows the refuelling hose coupled to a class 66,fuel delevery is two ltrs per second.This loco took 5926 ltrs to fill it.Severn locos took 24,000ltrs of fuel in my shift.

[John Gaunt]

Great pictures Martyn.
I'm wondering why the locos have two started motors, do they have two diesels, or do two starter motors work together to start one diesel ?

[martyn williams]

Hello John
On the older locos the main generator motored the engine to start.On the newer locos you have two motors one above the other,The modern locos have alternators and rectifies.Their power out put would run a small town.
The starters work in tandem, the fault with the loco yesterday was the second motor was not tooth on tooth .its a safety device,to prevent motor damageThe motors are very heavy, around 120lb and 8 times bigger than your tractor starter.
Martyn

[John Gaunt]

Thanks for the explanation, Martyn.

[SRB]

Hello there John,

Larger Cat machines use twin starter set up as well, this pic is of a 777.

starter.jpg

SB

[John Gaunt]

Hi Stuart,Thanks for the photo, it's very clear. I guess manufacturers use this tandem arrangement so they can use standard starter motors rather than having to have one big purpose made one. Guess it also means lower tooth loading on the starter gear ring as two motors rather than one are driving it.

[Ross]

Nice pics B100

Aye can be tricky to change the starters on 777's!

I prefer to change the IR Air-motors found on the big trucks.

Ross