Can All Bi-Mode Trains And Locomotives Do This?
The November 2016 Edition of Modern Railways has an article about the new Class 88 locomotive.
It is an electro-diesel locomotive, than can run on both overhead electric power or its own onboard diesel engine.
This is said.
The loco can transition from electric to diesel power on the move, dropping the pantograph without losing speed.
That must make operation very flexible.
I wonder if all bi-mode trains and locomotives can do this!
The Anonymous Widower 
There are numerous technical issues (alternator and OLE in phase) with this, but not least that starting a big diesel can take a while.
Even the nicely balanced Deltic can be a bit of a bitch on a cold morning:-
and as for other diesels: –
Comment by Mark Clayton | October 27, 2016 |
As a Control Engineer by training, I very much feel that this should be possible.
If you’ve ever seen the palaver at Drayton Park, when the Class 313s change voltage, what the 88 does is a big advance. But the 313s are very old trains.
The article didn’t say, the locomotive could transfer from diesel to electric power at line speed.
Comment by AnonW | October 27, 2016 |
The Class 73 is Dual Mode & It too can change on the move without problems!
Comment by Ed Bridges | January 27, 2017 |
Thanks for that!
Comment by AnonW | January 28, 2017 |