DavidB-AU Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Audi has awarded Alstom a contract to supply two H3 hybrid locomotives for shunting operations at its Ingolstadt automotive plant in Bavaria. http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/locomotives/audi-orders-hybrid-shunting-locomotives.html IMHO this is the sort of unit that should be considered to replace the remaining 08s. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
admiles Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Nice thought but I really can't see any UK company spending that kind of money when a clapped out 08 can be hired for a fraction of the cost. Different mindset in Germany I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 5, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 5, 2015 Would they still do so when accounting for fuel costs and the environmental burden for a prolonged period? Probably. I don't know what the fuel consumption of an 08 is but it isn't much and with the amount of use most of them get nowadays they are going to last a long time if looked after properly. It would take a brave, and wealthy, man to replace a cheap asset like that with something that is much bigger and costs real money to both buy and maintain. And in any event I doubt if very many 08s have the engine running for long enough to recharge the battery power of a hybrid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
byron Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Sadly a different mindset in Germany - we lumber on, they develop. And when the rest of the world is looking for a shunting loco, who has what to offer? Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven156 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I wonder if the shunter drivers will be like Audi Car Drivers, driving too fast and doing what they want as they think they own the road...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Remembering that the purchaser is an industrial railway, I don't see any reason why some industrial railways in this country might consider purchasing similar locomotives. For starters, far from all industrial concerns in the UK use "clapped out 08s" and I'm sure that most businesses constantly review operating costs and effects of environmental legislation. UK companies understand economic realities and aren't nearly as backward as has been suggested. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jol Wilkinson Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I wonder if the shunter drivers will be like Audi Car Drivers, driving too fast and doing what they want as they think they own the road...... Oh, so I'm not the only person to have noticed that. Something to do with "Brand" image attracting a particular sort of person perhaps. Which also helps explain why they have chosen a hybrid loco, to support their high tech image. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted February 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 5, 2015 Once the 08s are life expired then it becomes a plan to replace them with something better but I suspect like cars the biggest amount of environmental damage comes from making them in the first place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
byron Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Remembering that the purchaser is an industrial railway, I don't see any reason why some industrial railways in this country might consider purchasing similar locomotives. For starters, far from all industrial concerns in the UK use "clapped out 08s" and I'm sure that most businesses constantly review operating costs and effects of environmental legislation. UK companies understand economic realities and aren't nearly as backward as has been suggested. From experience (Railfreight Contract Manager) when rail based equipment is due to be replaced, the usual response is to try and pull out of rail operations. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB-AU Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 The fact that shiny new class 68s are running around suggests that not everybody is welded to clapped out second hand equipment. It would only take one innovative ROSCO to dip their toe in the water to see if the concept will fly. If you read the full article, DBAG is going to be testing 5 of them at Würzburg and Nürnberg. I have no doubt DBS will be interested in the outcome. The fact the Alstom H3 can also do 100km/h would make them more useful than the 08 too. It means that, for example, the Penzance shunter could do a 60mph dash up to St Blazey and back once a week instead of wasting a 66 on 5 small tanks of fuel. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 The fact the Alstom H3 can also do 100km/h would make them more useful than the 08 too. It means that, for example, the Penzance shunter could do a 60mph dash up to St Blazey and back once a week instead of wasting a 66 on 5 small tanks of fuel. Cheers David Alternatively,we could do Wallingford to Cholsey in 2 1/2 minutes.... Don't think Santa would be able to give out the presents that quickly though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckymucklebackit Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Interesting Wheel Arrangement, would that be a Bo-A or B-A?? Or edit to suggest an 0-4-2 Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Reminds me of the story of the very short man who applied for a job at an Audi garage. "OK," says the manager. "Bill's got a Quattro up on the hydraulic platform. You can work with him and see how you get on." Only trouble was, Bill was 6'6" meaning that when the platform was at a comfortable working height for him, the short guy couldn't reach, and when it was lowered, Bill couldn't get under it. The short guy has an idea. "Put the platform back at the height you had it," he says and wanders off into the storeroom. He comes back a few minutes later with two shock absorbers strapped to his left foot and two to his right foot. By bouncing up and down,he's able to work on the car, despite it being way above his head. "That's amazing!" says the manager. "How did you think of that?" "Easy," replies the short man. "It's the four sprung dwarf technique...." Interesting Wheel Arrangement, would that be a Bo-A or B-A?? If the latter, I pity the fool... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jol Wilkinson Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I still struggle with this idea that a hybrid loco uses less fuel than a conventional one. Where does the power come from to charge the batteries? In any conversion from one power system to another (e.g. charging a battery) there is some energy loss usually in the form of heat. If the batteries are charged from an external source (i.e. a power station somewhere), then there is still energy consumption, pollution, etc. Running on the batteries will result in zero pollution at that time, but not when the energy to charge them is being produced. Or is the claimed saving in fuel simply down to much more modern diesel engine technology, perhaps aided by "battery charging" when the loco is not in service? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Regenerative braking can provide some battery charging. Also the battery can be charged while the engine is idling, yes it will make the load a bit higher and use more fuel, but it means the fuel used when idling is not wasted Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Interesting Wheel Arrangement, would that be a Bo-A or B-A?? Or edit to suggest an 0-4-2 Jim It is most likely a C as surely all wheels will be powered? Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixM Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Orders like this result not just from the need of new locos but from official subsidies for alternatively powered ("environmental friendly") locomotives (as well as lorries, private cars, ...) by the German state as well. Felix Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB-AU Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 It is most likely a C as surely all wheels will be powered? According to the Alstom product sheet it's an A'AA'. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Various datasheets etc http://www.alstom.com/Global/Transport/Resources/Documents/brochure2014/H3%20Hybrid%20-%20Product%20sheet%20-%20EN%20-%20LD.pdf?epslanguage=en-GB http://www.alstom.com/Global/Germany/Resources/Documents%20-%20Brochures/H3_LOCOMOTIVEHYBRID-ENGLOCOHYBRID.pdf http://www.alstom.com/Global/Transport/Resources/Documents/Brochure%20-%20Rolling%20Stock%20-%20H3%20shunting%20locomotive%20-%20English.pdf?epslanguage=en-GB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted February 6, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 6, 2015 Alternatively,we could do Wallingford to Cholsey in 2 1/2 minutes.... Don't think Santa would be able to give out the presents that quickly though! I suspect it might also be a bit on the bouncy side - says he having driven an 08 along the branch Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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