Just washing the wheelsets off - CPKC grainer on flooded tracks

[nkalanaga]

Maletrain:  As sd45elect2000 hinted at, the real reason for not running diesels through water is that the traction motors REALLY don't like it.  In the early 70s I heard, on the BN, that there was only about 4 inches clearance between the tops of the rails and the bottom of the motors. 

Of course, that wasn't an issue in most of eastern Washington, where enough water to cover the tie plates was extremely rare.

Steam locos don't much care, as long as the firebox is above water.  Just make sure the track is good!

[sd45elect2000]

Even without traction motors you need to aware that the water will displace the oil on plain bearing journals as well as boxes on the steam engine. Running through deep water means a bearing repack on the entire train.

On newer locomotives you cannot speed up the traction motor blowers . This was done on older locomotives to pressurize the motor and to keep the water out. So the rule always was to avoid running through more than 2 inches of water, engine in notch 8 and gen field switch off. After passing through the water is was advised to run the engine at a standstill in full dynamic brakes to dry out the bottom field coils. The motor voltage is pretty low in dynamics, 50 volts or so but the current is around 900 amps.

Even Timken, Brenco or other sealed roller bearings are condemned when the bearing cap is under water. The bearing/ wheel set  needs to be changed.


Randy

[nkalanaga]

I didn't know that it was that bad for sealed bearings.  Makes sense for plain bearings.  Water would have to be close to a foot deep, over the rails, to reach them, with 33 inch wheels.  I'd be afraid to run through water that deep, as any mud would make it impossible to see the rails.  Any current would make it hard to even have somebody on foot walking the track.