What's spilled on this engine's hood?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Doing some research for a potential weekend project and came across this guy:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2785375

I've seen MANY pictures of diesels over the years but this one stumps me.

Anyone have any idea WTF that is spilling down the hood side from below the radiators?

[C855B]

My best (and obvious) guess is coolant additive spilled while replacing or otherwise disconnecting radiator hoses.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

My best (and obvious) guess is coolant additive spilled while replacing or otherwise disconnecting radiator hoses.

Haha, yeah, as I was typing this I realized it probably had something to do with coolant, but I know it's usually just water and it'd be weird to see both radiators leaking similarly.

But hoses being replaced makes sense.

[C855B]

It wouldn't be just water of course, the stains would be from an antifreeze. In this case, considering the era it would probably be some sort of noxious industrial chemical we wouldn't normally see in automotive systems. Or maybe even a system cleaner (even more noxious), and some apprentice shop mechanic decided that disconnecting the hoses would speed-up the flush. ("Hey, kid - are you going to clean that mess up?")

[fire5506]

Definitely coolant water additive, anti-freeze is not used in locomotives.  Either leaking radiators or most probably leaking dresser couplings. There are no hoses, pipes and dresser couplings.

[C855B]

OK, that was the second thought, undoing couplings to hasten the drain. Unlikely for all three locations to be leaking at the same time. Know about couplings/pipes on 2nd-gen+, but not all that familiar with 1st gen.

[fire5506]

If you know about the pipes and couplings on second generation then you should know that dresser couplings will leak quite often and need to be tightened up until they finally bottom out and need the rubber seals replaced and then start the whole process over again. What happens a lot of times is the coupling will leak while the engine is cold and when everything warms up the couplings stop leaking. First generation EMDs had what is called wet radiators and second generation are dry radiators. The difference is on wet radiators cooling water is always in the radiators and dry radiators only have water in them when the engine is running.
 There is a drain valve to drain the coolant water out, and it is a lot easier to use the valve instead of climbing up to get to the couplings.

What you see is just where it happens to be coming out from inside, behind the shutters is just one open space for the front and one for the rear radiators.

I worked on both first and second generation EMDs.

[Steveruger45]

I’m also wondering what is causing the black stains at various spots on the access doors etc.   exhaust leak maybe?

[peteski]

If antifreeze additives are not used in locomotive cooling systems, how do  they prevent the water from freezing and cracking the engine block in sub-zero climates (like Northern Canada)?  They just make sure the engine keeps on running all winter?

[sd45elect2000]

I’m also wondering what is causing the black stains at various spots on the access doors etc.   exhaust leak maybe?

Some worker walked away with locomotive grime on his clothes, not stains, clean spots.

[sd45elect2000]

If antifreeze additives are not used in locomotive cooling systems, how do  they prevent the water from freezing and cracking the engine block in sub-zero climates (like Northern Canada)?  They just make sure the engine keeps on running all winter?

The additive is a rust inhibitor called Nalco.

They will freeze and self destruct when they freeze, leave them running.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I’m also wondering what is causing the black stains at various spots on the access doors etc.   exhaust leak maybe?

I think that's just where dirt has been wiped off by people brushing up against them.

If antifreeze additives are not used in locomotive cooling systems, how do  they prevent the water from freezing and cracking the engine block in sub-zero climates (like Northern Canada)?  They just make sure the engine keeps on running all winter?

Yep! It's why cracked blocks and radiators are major problems for restoring historic diesels. It's ALSO the reason why railroads have recently (in the past 20 years) been installing "APUs" and "auto start" features so that they can shut engines down in the winter and have a way to keep the coolant warm enough to not freeze. In the past they just let them run all the time.

Conrail actually ran an internal promo campaign to get folks to shut engines down in the summer. It was called "Shut em down and save"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-Conrail-Shut-Em-Down-and-Save-Blue-Trucker-Snapback-Railroad-Train-Hat-/173978533826

[wazzou]

If antifreeze additives are not used in locomotive cooling systems, how do  they prevent the water from freezing and cracking the engine block in sub-zero climates (like Northern Canada)?  They just make sure the engine keeps on running all winter?

I’ve read more than once that this issue among many things, hastened the Milwaukee Road’s embargo of the Western Extension was a particularly hard winter in 1979 that led to a lot of cracked Diesel engine blocks.

[sd45elect2000]

I’ve read more than once that this issue among many things, hastened the Milwaukee Road’s embargo of the Western Extension was a particularly hard winter in 1979 that led to a lot of cracked Diesel engine blocks.

Happened a lot in the Midwest too. They would leave a train with locomotive attached and run them out of fuel after a week of idling

[peteski]

Thanks for the info.
Why not just add antifreeze to the coolant water?  Problem solved. Less fuel wasted. Fewer engine hours logged.  I  guess there mist be some compelling reason why they use plan water (and it probably has nothing to do with protecting wildlife)?  I know antifreeze decreases water's thermal capacity, but is that valid enough reason not to use it?