EV Digest 3905
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) Re: Digi shots of Goldie, Extreme home...
by "Rich Rudman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) Fwd: Re: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor?
by Dave Cover <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) Re: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor?
by "Tim" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) test - please ignore
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
5) Power wheels back online
by Chris Zach <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) Re: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor?
by Chris Zach <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) RE: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor?
by "Markus L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
8) RE: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor?
by Rod Hower <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) marketing hydrogen, really
by Marc Geller <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
10) Re: variac turn-on? maybe ot
by "Arthur Matteson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
11) Re: marketing hydrogen, really
by "Arthur Matteson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
12) Re: marketing hydrogen, really
by Chris Zach <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
13) WATTABMR- Damage report
by michael bearden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
14) Re: Power wheels back online
by Lee Hart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
15) Re: ruminitions on energy
by Lightning Ryan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
16) Re: WATTABMR- Damage report (safty ideas)
by Danny Ames <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
17) 2254
by "Bob Rice" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
18) Re: Thanks :)
by "Rmanzan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
19) Re: Thank you!
by "Rmanzan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Begin Message ---Thanks Ken. John Frost from SEVA is doing the calendar.... The best shots of Goldie this year are The VEVA04 stunt. You all think the Gone Postal Suck Amps show was a effort.... They are shooting a Extreme Home make over episode here in Kingston Washington, they started today. Well the Que up for the buidling materials is on the new Kingston Lumber Store site.It's the same buisness park as My New Manzanita Micro production shop is in. The news helicopters are flying around.. there are Dozzens of tow rigs a pair of D8 Cat dozzers... Fuel trucks and about 50 tow rigs and campers on site. The new house is coming on low boy trailers form all points of the compass. The lighting crews and carts are being staged at various points from here down to the site. The sky will be lit up right here at home from the round the clock efforts... I can still get to my shop....And I better not black out the buisness park tonight..... Rici and I just drove through the KLS site, A week a go it was 5 acres of concrete slabs, and some skelton lumber racks. Now There's a new lumber store.... and stacks of containers, and gear and contractors swarming over supplies and equipment. We have been invaded... for a darn good purpose. ! > > -Ken Trough > Admin - V is for Voltage Megasite > http://visforvoltage.com > AIM - ktrough > FAX - 801-749-7807 > message - 866-872-8901 >
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--- Begin Message ---> > Am I asking too much from this motor? > > Yes, I think you are. I don't think it will have enough power. Thanks for the feedback! That's what makes this list so great. I guess there is a bit of a difference between driving a belt around a couple of pulleys and throwing a foot of wet snow 20 feet off the driveway. Maybe I can make a nice go-kart for the kids. It might work for a scooter, but I'd probably never use it, too many hills and too far from town. I'll find something to use it in. If I look at it long enough I'll get inspired. Hmmm, how about an electric fishing boat? Thanks again for your input! Dave Cover
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--- Begin Message --- I measured 35 amps while going 9.5mph in "D2" with field weakening on level ground and 110 amps going up a 20% grade in "D1" with full field. I was using a digital clamp-on ammeter.
Tim
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Coate" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 9:20 AM
Subject: Re: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor?
On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 19:33:13 -0800 (PST), Dave Cover did scribe:Since my lawn tractor has a hydrostatic drive and the implements are driven off the same pulley, I was thinking I could replace the ICE with the electric motor and use it the same way. Set the motor to run at a certain RPM and drive. Hopefully I could use this for both mowing and snowblowing. Am I asking too much from this motor?
I'm not totally versed on all the numbers, but can give you some thoughts from using my Elec-Trak. I suspect some of the others may be able to jump in with more details and better ideas.
I'm thinking you'd want something larger. The Elec-Trak E20 has a main traction motor and separate auxiliary motors for the mower. Together they pull somewhere around 50-75 amps at 36v nominal when mowing on relatively flat ground so 1.8 to 2.7 KW. More if you're going up hill; 100+ amps (3.6 KW).
- Tom Coate 93 Escort 120VDC Elec-Trak E20 36VDC
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--- Begin Message ---please ignore
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--- Begin Message --- Well, the switch is back together, and the Power Wheels Jeep is back online. With the new contactor it's "faster" according to the kids. Makes sense since I have just shortened the wiring significantly.
I left the plug braking circuit (actually a small power resistor) in there for the time being; will have to think about that further. What I really need now is some better tires, since the thing will slide with the plastic wheels against wet grass.
Maybe I should take a picture and post it at the EVDL.
Chris
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--- Begin Message ---I can chime in on snow-thrower: Forget it.
The Elec-Trak snowthrower pulls a massive amount of power under steam. Think 70+ amps at 36 volts. It has it's own motor that is every bit as big as the main drive motor on the E15, and a very heavy auger. The weight of the auger provides serious inertia to help it when you're smashing it into a snow bank.
That said, it will crunch thru just about anything I have tried it on. Snow, packed snow, even the plowed-up mountains that the snow plows leave in front of your driveway.
Time: I can blow heavy snow for 45 minutes on six T105's before the pack is exhausted. I have never driven the pack down that low while simply mowing/hauling/pulling down trees. You also have to factor in the fact that snow falls when it's cold, so you have the ultimate double-whammy of cold weather, insanely heavy load, and of course snow.
Snow is heavy: I doubt a 1-2hp electric would handle it.
Chris
Tom Coate wrote:On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 19:33:13 -0800 (PST), Dave Cover did scribe:
Since my lawn tractor has a hydrostatic drive and the implements are driven off the same pulley, I was thinking I could replace the ICE with the electric motor and use it the same way. Set the motor to run at a certain RPM and drive. Hopefully I could use this for both mowing and snowblowing. Am I asking too much from this motor?
I'm not totally versed on all the numbers, but can give you some thoughts from using my Elec-Trak. I suspect some of the others may be able to jump in with more details and better ideas.
I'm thinking you'd want something larger. The Elec-Trak E20 has a main traction motor and separate auxiliary motors for the mower. Together they pull somewhere around 50-75 amps at 36v nominal when mowing on relatively flat ground so 1.8 to 2.7 KW. More if you're going up hill; 100+ amps (3.6 KW). I don't have any data on the snowthrower, maybe some of the other ET guys do. I do know that it has a quite large motor on it and under load quickly brings the total current draw quite high (150-200+amps I'm guessing). How much you'd need for snow depends on the size of the snowthrower (ET's is 42 inches), the mechanical efficiency and the amount and amount and type of snow you're handling.
To make matters worse, the ET is direct drive while you're looking at hydrostatic. The hydrostatic drives are not that efficient (I think I've heard numbers around 75%). Given that, I'd guess you'd want to be in the 4-5KW range or more for mowing and potentially much more for snowthrowing. But, as they say, I may be wrong.
How big is the ICE engine in the tractor? A rule of thumb is to take the ICE HP by 4 and get a rough idea of the electrical HP you'd need. But that is only a very crude guide.
As for range, my E20 with 6 T105s can mow for 2+ hours easily enough (I get tired of mowing before it does). No way the snowthrowing would go on that long. Some of the ET folks use auxiliary battery packs to extend the time with the snow.
- Tom Coate 93 Escort 120VDC Elec-Trak E20 36VDC
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--- Begin Message ---Measurements of amperage drawn on my E20 tractor and from a fellow E12 owner are at the bottom of the following web-page http://java.cs.vt.edu/public/users/mlorch/Elec-Trak/index.html In summary. The maximum current flow to the main traction motor (e.g. when starting rapidly on inclines or when accelerating at full throttle) that my E20 can sustain for short periods is about 300A @ 36V (almost 10kw) - i wasn't able to produce a load that would draw this much current for more than a few seconds though. Initial start-up spikes if driven very hard may peak above 400A for very brief periods but then a safety circuit disables field weakening and thus indirectly limits the armature current. In typical usage I see an average draw of 50 - 75 A when mowing in the smaller gear. If driven hard during mowing the amperage may go up to about 150A - at higher speeds (the E20 can go up to 9mph which is quite a bit more than most small ICE tractors) I can no longer mow safely and the ride gets way to bumpy on my yard. So in summary I think for moving the tractor a 3kw motor would be adequate. The mower motors (3 motors, one per blade for a 42" deck) some elec-trak use are rated at 3/4 HP each! (see http://www.kansaswindpower.net/motors.htm) Hope this helps Markus > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tim > Sent: Mittwoch, 10. November 2004 19:16 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor? > > > I measured 35 amps while going 9.5mph in "D2" with field > weakening on level > ground and 110 amps going up a 20% grade in "D1" with full > field. I was > using a digital clamp-on ammeter. > Tim > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Tom Coate" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 9:20 AM > Subject: Re: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor? > > > > On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 19:33:13 -0800 (PST), Dave Cover did scribe: > >> Since my lawn tractor has a hydrostatic drive and the implements > >> are driven off the same pulley, I was thinking I could replace the > >> ICE with the electric motor and use it the same way. Set the motor > >> to run at a certain RPM and drive. Hopefully I could use this for > >> both mowing and snowblowing. Am I asking too much from this motor? > > > > I'm not totally versed on all the numbers, but can give you > some thoughts > > from using my Elec-Trak. I suspect some of the others may > be able to jump > > in with more details and better ideas. > > > > I'm thinking you'd want something larger. The Elec-Trak > E20 has a main > > traction motor and separate auxiliary motors for the mower. > Together they > > pull somewhere around 50-75 amps at 36v nominal when mowing > on relatively > > flat ground so 1.8 to 2.7 KW. More if you're going up > hill; 100+ amps > > (3.6 KW). > > > - Tom Coate > > 93 Escort 120VDC > > Elec-Trak E20 36VDC >
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--- Begin Message ---We produce treadmill motors at Ametek-Rotron. I've done speed torque tests on these motors and they are not adequate for a riding mower. The Elec-Trac requires a motor close to those used on golf carts. The same power requirements are needed for the snow thrower (about the same size motor as the traction drive on the ET). The treadmill motor will work on a gocart for the kids. Rod E15 ET 1994 Dodge TEVan 1995 Club Car golf cart and 2 gocarts with my BLDC motor/drive :-) --- Markus L <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Measurements of amperage drawn on my E20 tractor and > from > a fellow E12 owner are at the bottom of the > following > web-page > http://java.cs.vt.edu/public/users/mlorch/Elec-Trak/index.html > > In summary. The maximum current flow to the main > traction motor > (e.g. when starting rapidly on inclines or when > accelerating > at full throttle) that my E20 can sustain for short > periods is about 300A @ 36V (almost 10kw) - i wasn't > able to > produce a load that would draw this much current for > more than > a few seconds though. Initial start-up spikes if > driven very > hard may peak above 400A for very brief periods but > then a safety > circuit disables field weakening and thus indirectly > limits > the armature current. > > In typical usage I see an average draw of 50 - 75 A > when mowing > in the smaller gear. If driven hard during mowing > the amperage > may go up to about 150A - at higher speeds (the E20 > can go up to > 9mph which is quite a bit more than most small ICE > tractors) I can > no longer mow safely and the ride gets way to bumpy > on my yard. > > So in summary I think for moving the tractor a 3kw > motor would be > adequate. The mower motors (3 motors, one per blade > for a 42" deck) > some elec-trak use are rated at 3/4 HP each! > (see http://www.kansaswindpower.net/motors.htm) > > Hope this helps > > Markus > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Tim > > Sent: Mittwoch, 10. November 2004 19:16 > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Re: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor? > > > > > > I measured 35 amps while going 9.5mph in "D2" with > field > > weakening on level > > ground and 110 amps going up a 20% grade in "D1" > with full > > field. I was > > using a digital clamp-on ammeter. > > Tim > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Tom Coate" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 9:20 AM > > Subject: Re: Treadmill motor for lawn tractor? > > > > > > > On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 19:33:13 -0800 (PST), Dave > Cover did scribe: > > >> Since my lawn tractor has a hydrostatic drive > and the implements > > >> are driven off the same pulley, I was thinking > I could replace the > > >> ICE with the electric motor and use it the same > way. Set the motor > > >> to run at a certain RPM and drive. Hopefully I > could use this for > > >> both mowing and snowblowing. Am I asking too > much from this motor? > > > > > > I'm not totally versed on all the numbers, but > can give you > > some thoughts > > > from using my Elec-Trak. I suspect some of the > others may > > be able to jump > > > in with more details and better ideas. > > > > > > I'm thinking you'd want something larger. The > Elec-Trak > > E20 has a main > > > traction motor and separate auxiliary motors for > the mower. > > Together they > > > pull somewhere around 50-75 amps at 36v nominal > when mowing > > on relatively > > > flat ground so 1.8 to 2.7 KW. More if you're > going up > > hill; 100+ amps > > > (3.6 KW). > > > > > - Tom Coate > > > 93 Escort 120VDC > > > Elec-Trak E20 36VDC > > > >
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<<inline: mn_hydrogen06_t.gif>>
(11-10) 15:19 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --
About four miles east of the U.S. Capitol, in an industrial section of town, sits a gas station that looks like any other. But it's not, because on Wednesday it became the first in North America to have a hydrogen dispensing pump.
Shell executives, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and District of Columbia Mayor Anthony A. Williams unveiled the technology, which the Bush administration hopes will help reduce the country's dependence on imported oil.
"This will be, in fact, the first step toward the real transition in the economy from the carbon-based economies of the past to a hydrogen economy of the future," Abraham said.
The pump services only six minivans which General Motors Corp. uses to demonstrate the technology. But with 80,000 vehicles passing by every weekday, Shell officials hope it'll get a lot of attention -- and, eventually, use.
GM hopes to sell affordable hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010, and Shell envisions building on the number of stations and having mass-market penetration between 2015 and 2025.
The minivans are equipped with fuel cell stacks which turn hydrogen into electricity to power the vehicle. The only emission is water vapor.
Not everyone supports the refueling station. More than two dozen neighborhood residents with safety concerns protested the opening. Organizers said they don't want the station located 50 yards from an elementary school.
George F. Smalley, a Shell Hydrogen spokesman, said the chances of an explosion were "very, very remote." Hydrogen deliveries will happen at night or on weekends, separately from gas deliveries, Smalley said. The underground storage tank has 24-hour electronic monitoring and the pump requires a security code to use.
On the Net:
Shell: www.shell.com/hydrogen
General Motors: www.gm.com
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/11/10/financial1819EST0382.DTL
�2004 Associated Press
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--- Begin Message ---Zero crossing is actually the *worst* time to turn on a transformer, as it allows an entire AC half-cycle for the current surge. If you literally turn on the transformer at a zero-crossing of the AC line voltage, the surge current will be its worst.
This is completely wrong. There is no surge current because there is no voltage at zero crossing. Only after a half-cycle has flowed will there be current, flowing 90 deg out of phase with the voltage.
There is only no surge current transiently because that's what the definition of an inductor is. It doesn't matter if you're at zero or full voltage for t->0. The current will ramp up according to the time constant and the applied voltage. When the transformer saturates, due to remenant magnetization, the inductance lowers and therefore allows a larger current flow.
The tripping of a breaker is dependent not only on the magnitude of the current spike, but also its duration. This must be taken into account as well.
It seems to me that turning the transformer *off* at the right spot is probably easier to implement as a better solution - try a current zero crossing.
This gradual decrease is what causes the thump and then the tapered hum when a variac is energized under the wrong conditions. Energizing at zero crossing reduces the surge to almost nothing.
But you said the current surge was due to the remenance...if you energize it at zero you still run a 50% chance of saturating the core. The only way I can see the benefit of a zero-crossing is that it provides a softer entrance into saturation, or it allows the material to more slowly de-magnetize itself (slide down the BH curve). I don't think it's possible for the material to de-magnetize itself upon saturation. Furthermore, why would it require *many cycles* for the material to "de-magnetize" itself? It does that every cycle anyway, right? The BH curve has a horizontal asymptote at saturation, so the path returning is not dependent on the path entered, no?
Back to the original question, I recommended a zero crossing solid state relay because I KNOW that it works, I know WHY it works and I've scoped out the circuit to verify the theory.
Why does it work?
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--- Begin Message --- It must be the second first one...I could've sworn there was one in Dearborn, MI as well.
- Art
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--- Begin Message --- > Theunderground storage tank has 24-hour electronic monitoring and the pump requires a security code to use.
So in other words it's not *really* a commercial pump. It's just for show.
Chris
Put a &$&#*&*( 50kw Magnecharger there. More people could use it.
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--- Begin Message --- I have almost finished removing the batteries from my wrecked EV. There are still two left in the last compartment in front of the motor, next to the vacuum pump. The only defininite causalty electrically was the Todd DC/DC which was a victim of "That's Incredibly Stupid, Entry # 999". The day of the accident, I turned on the emergency flashers, then found out that I couldn't turn them off after the tow truck dropped WATTABMR off at my house. So, I switched off the Todd, thinking that the dinky little 12v battery would run down in a little while. (I couldn't open the hood to disconnect it)
In the morning, I got the pry bars and wrenched the hood open, then decided that I would charge the pack fully so all of the batteries would be charged before I started pulling regs and batteries out.
I ran a line out to the PFC, and turned it on, then thought, "Oh, I could charge the 12v. too, just switch on the Todd" (I have always switched it off during charging). Well, I don't know why, but the PFC ran up very quickly to very high voltage, and all of the smoke that was stored in the Todd came pouring out. It may have been that the main breaker for the pack had opened, I don't know, but how Incredibly Stupid, to fry a hard to replace DC converter to charge a $10 battery that didn't need to be charged.
Live and learn.
On the whole, I was very pleased to see that my racks held, no batteries broke loose, nothing obviously shorted out, and no batteries show any real damage. There are some bolt marks imprinted on a few cases, some scuffs and scratches, but no separations or posts pulled.
Considering that this was a pretty heavy EV to start with carrying 1440 lb. of Optimas when it hit a almost non-moving pick-up at close to 40mph, I feel pretty good about it.
Michael B.
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--- Begin Message ---Chris Zach wrote: > > Well, the switch is back together, and the Power Wheels Jeep is back > online. With the new contactor it's "faster" according to the kids. > Makes sense since I have just shortened the wiring significantly. > > I left the plug braking circuit (actually a small power resistor) in > there for the time being; will have to think about that further. What I > really need now is some better tires, since the thing will slide with > the plastic wheels against wet grass. Keep in mind that the slippery tires is what keeps it from wrecking the gearboxes. Maybe what you really want is a little PWM controller. -- "Never doubt that the work of a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has!" -- Margaret Mead -- Lee A. Hart 814 8th Ave N Sartell MN 56377 leeahart_at_earthlink.net
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--- Begin Message ---This same book has fascinating diagrams for contactor controllers for EVs. One was a single unit that switched from 2 to 48 volts in 2X increments via a long wooden lever handle. On the bottom end of the handle was a bunch of spring loaded contacts that slid along multiple arcs of stationary contacts. I bet it sparked impressively! I'll see if I can find a scanner and put some of these pages on the web.
That would be Great!!!
I'de love to see as many contactor controllers as you can scan! Heck, I'll probably buy that book, if it's available anywhere!
L8r Ryan
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--- Begin Message ---Michael, So your Todd was damaged because you exceeded its DC input maximum voltage by a whole lot? This concerns me as I also have a Todd and PFC. I wonder what kind of safety device options are easy and simple ? When the PFC is connected to the mains it energizes a relay whose contacts disconnects the Todd from the main pack. Or if you need to charge the 12V battery during this time is it feasible to use a voltage clamping device like a varistor, is their even something big andd watty enough to handle that. I want to avoid a smoking Todd myself. Danny... michael bearden wrote: > > I have almost finished removing the batteries from my wrecked EV. There > are still two left in the last compartment in front of the motor, next > to the vacuum pump. The only defininite causalty electrically was the > Todd DC/DC which was a victim of "That's Incredibly Stupid, Entry # > 999". The day of the accident, I turned on the emergency flashers, then > found out that I couldn't turn them off after the tow truck dropped > WATTABMR off at my house. So, I switched off the Todd, thinking that > the dinky little 12v battery would run down in a little while. (I > couldn't open the hood to disconnect it) > In the morning, I got the pry bars and wrenched the hood open, then > decided that I would charge the pack fully so all of the batteries would > be charged before I started pulling regs and batteries out. > I ran a line out to the PFC, and turned it on, then thought, "Oh, I > could charge the 12v. too, just switch on the Todd" (I have always > switched it off during charging). Well, I don't know why, but the PFC > ran up very quickly to very high voltage, and all of the smoke that was > stored in the Todd came pouring out. It may have been that the main > breaker for the pack had opened, I don't know, but how Incredibly > Stupid, to fry a hard to replace DC converter to charge a $10 battery > that didn't need to be charged. > Live and learn. > On the whole, I was very pleased to see that my racks held, no batteries > broke loose, nothing obviously shorted out, and no batteries show any > real damage. There are some bolt marks imprinted on a few cases, some > scuffs and scratches, but no separations or posts pulled. > Considering that this was a pretty heavy EV to start with carrying 1440 > lb. of Optimas when it hit a almost non-moving pick-up at close to > 40mph, I feel pretty good about it. > Michael B. > > >
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--- Begin Message ---Hi EVerybody; 2254, OK the leadin here That's Amtrak's No. for the 4pm Sunday Acela Express, NY to Boston. It happens EVery Sunday, nothing particulary exciting thing about that, 'cept one thing. I't's MINE! Well, I only get to borrow it for a run, my FIRST unacumpanied "Flight" Had gone to the training school for them when they first came out, but hadn't wanted to dive right in, had nice cushy short run in hours jobs, home every evening, weakends off. Sorta like other RR guyz get into as retirement looms. OK MY time is winding down, I can take the pension this Dec. Sooo if I want bragging rights to running Amtrak's fastest, better bid it in for awile. Then I can say I've flown EVerything from GGG-1's to Acelas' only took 30 years, and lots of other equipment that feature promently in hobby shops windows in the train dept. Far from my mind as I go down to the track 8 to board the Acela. About 300 other folks came along, "sold out"my Conducter sez. Tell me people don't ride trains anymore, well HERE in the Least Coast they sell well. Shimmering in the bright platform lights, new train smell, inside still, even. Folks were settling down in big cumfy seats, wish the Airlines would buy seats from the Bombardier folks that built the Acela. Acela was a Bombardier-Alstom contract.Good pedagree here, Alstom built the REAL Hyspeed trains for the SNCF RR of France, one of which holds the 312 MPH speed record for wheeled trains, no cheating, no maglev here! Climb aboard the power car, they don't call them locomotives anymore, but they REALLY are. Acela is a 6 car trainset, with a "locomotive" at each end, they look like the nose of an airliner, streemlined a bit, same contour as the coaches. Climb into the "Cockpit" you face a couple of TV screens for all the essentials, speedo, air brakes readings, signal conditions. Throttle, oops! " Effort Lever" in Acela speak, but it duz the same thing the throttle in Thomas the Tank Engine can do. OK a few specs from thre big 2 inch thick operating manual that comes in the glove compartment<g>!Quote"Propulsion system, continious 4600kw/6000hp and ya get one on EACH end! Should keep up with the freight trains! Motors; AC of course 4 asynchronous, GTO Type inverters, Water cooled, whatEVer the hell THAT means, But one of Acela's slick tricks is feeding power back into the line when braking or if you as the pilot, desire to slow down, sorta like downshifting in a car, for desired braking. The air brake is electric over air, or electric progation, meaning the brake signal goes from the brake handle, it's still called that, through the electric control jumpers to the brake system, so they all go on at the same time! Instead of the time honored 1870 Westinghouse Automatic air brake, which controls the braking rate of a train, by reducing the pressure in the brake line through the train, you have seen those big black hoses hanging between every RR car. Built in safety thing if any of those hoses come apart, train stops right away, a condition known as an " Energency" brake application, like if the train separates, engineer throws the train into Energency when hitting a car, person, or whatever he feels a quick stop is needed, like in less than a mile<g>!One of our executive decisions.Needless to say a brake thing is a planned thing, like about two miles out @125mph or so, on the conventional stuff. Acela is like driving a Porsche after a Jetta. Quick acting brakes evoke a bit of confedence, when you get going Acela style. OK yeah, Voltage? We start out on the Pennsy's archaic 11000 25hz Really, About the ONLY place in the USA you will find this flaver! Left over from the 'teens when the Pennsy decided to go with that New Fangled AC stuff! Actually they got that system from the New Haven, THEY started with Westinghouse's new system, in 1907, Woodlawn to Stamford, about 25 miles, they built their own power plant, state of the art turbo alternaters, about when the Mauretania was setting her reign of fast Atlantic crossings, with HER turbo plant, and the Pennsy's engineers were building or boring a marvelous system of tracks under the Hudson and East River in NYC to GET trains into Manhattan, 4 traks under the East River to Long Island and 2 over to New Jersey, and All points west. We still use this system, although we NEED a few more tunnels so we could run more trains at rush hour and move stack pack freights through NYC. THAT's why we don't run those nice two story passenger cars, Superliners ya see on the Left Coast. We are hobbled by 1907 car dementions of the tunnels. The Acela slips through these just fine. On a roll, only about 10 minutes late. Hah! You say? yur used to 4 hours delay picking Aunt Minny up from PDX or Seattle station, because the Amtrak runs on FREIGHT RR's the BNSF is stuck with letting Amtrak run on rheir track, and like an unwanted guest yur treated, held for the freight train because YOU will fit in the siding, whereas the feight train streatches through two time zones, you know that ;waiting at the grade crossing!! Highball! Time to go, I Say "2254 Cleared for Takeoff" on the radio, we wend our way out of Penn Station, 15 mph, through a maze of switches for line 1 towards Long Island, when ya get streightened out in the tunnel, haul her out to 60 the same speeds of 1907 2 minutes you pop out in daylight, another switching plant of the Wrong Island RR I call it that becuz nobody's perfect, you COULD be routed to Speonk, Ronkomoma,or Montaulk Point. All real place names, I;m NOT making them up<g>!You watch the tracks, as you don't have a steering wheel, yur at thew mersy of the tower operator or train dispatcher. Just like the movies, they sit in an office miles away, COULD be on Mars, watch your progress on a model board with all the tracks and lights showing your progress. No stopping for coffee anymore, they KNOW where ya are!And if you are moving.Almost as bad as a GPS, in fact Amtrak IS trying GPS'S now so they will know where their trains are ALL the time. Hard to think they would lose an Acela, curb weight 1,171,000lbs, it is a heavy train! About twice the weight of the cool Swedish X 2000 we tried about 10 years ago. American trains are VERY crashworthy, massive centersills and a compression strength 800,000lbs, and total length of 663feet long about 10 feet wide, as all other trains here are.and if yur garage is high enough 14f2in high. truck wheelbase 9'4"Starting tractive force a decent 49,400 lbs, max speed 165, but limited to 150.Haven't tried the 0-to60 times.yet! Back to the story. Why the hell am I going to Liong Island, well, we don't stay there long. Were routed up the "branch" we call it a two track line over the East river now, the Famous Hell Gate Bridge, a 1915 marvel of rr bridgework, a 4 track mighty 1000 foot span, across the far west part of Long island sound. A fine view of NYC here as you rise 150 foot above the River, we go through the second voltage change here, over to a more mod 13500 volt 60hz, joining the twentyth Century now, common voltage in any current electricity catalogue, pun intended. the New Haven , as Metro North, heir to the old New Haven ,converted it from 11k 25 hz about 15 years ago, junked the now antique power plant and buy power as you and I do.Con Edison, or Northeast Utilities, up here. One of the problems with Acela is, like a Vioper or Corvette, you can't really USE it! This woulda been my LAST trip if iI let her rip! Yur very closly momitered, @#$% train rats you out if you go way over the speed limit, Fones home to headquarters, and YOU get a call pretty quick! Enter Metro North with it's 75 mph speed limit to New Haven. I make about the same running timeas the Boston Day Express of 1895, hour and a half for 72 miles. Sigh! But that was damn good for those time, steam locos and wooden Pullman cars.Stopped in New Haven for water and coal!The New Haven got it down to 1 hour 15 minutes in the 50's Were scheduled for a 3 hour an about 24 minute flight, beating the Merchant's Limited" 4 hours15 min. 1941 times, just a bit! Leaving New Haven we switch over to 25K still 60 hz, the newer electrification, opened in 1999, proposed in 1915, but we don't rush into things on the railroad! Can take the wraps off now! Speed goes up, on the train control, this TELLS you how fast you can go. Now GETTING there can be a challange! Wheelslip is hitting you all the way, with 6000hp in a featherweight loco, 100 tons, like driving a rear wheel drive car on ice with bald tires!You nurse the throttle to stay below Goldie or Zombie bursts of wheelspin, Leaves, it's fall, here, now. They raise hell with traction, the residue from being run over on the rail makes it slick out there. Braking ya have ABS brakes Trains have had that for 75 years! So you can stop, eventually. I didn't say it was easy, ya just got to plan ahead, a seat of the pants job, dispite the shiny razzle dazzle equipment. Pretty soon, when she digs in, yur doing 125 or so. The cab setup has a cool selection on the FIREMANS side readout of amps in, fun to coast along @ 45-50 ampa but at 25k volts! You can't SEE the damn screen if yur running!But fun to watch if somebody else if running. Pretty soon, now, this is an express, nonstop from New Haven to Providence, RI As we get up into RI the trak eases out, like MILES of streight track. Let her rip! gets up to 150 mph and holds it, effortlessly! I fantisise in my Perfect Wprld, of these trains, paid for by a 5 sence a gal gas tax, Hell! Nobody cares how much gas costs in the USA anyhow gudging by all the SUV's on the road! What's 5 or 10 cents an how, Amtrak TRIED to get one-half-of-one-CENT of the Gas Tax as a subsidy, more then they get now, but were shot down by the Highwaymen. With Bush and Co in power, who knows! Rhode Island would fit neatly as a SUBURB of LA CA, Don;t take much time to get across [EMAIL PROTECTED] Soon were wending our way along the 50and 60mph tristing track we have ALWAYS had. Sigh, for the price of a fighter plane they coulda gone right into town at 150. Bought the land and moved the traks into a streight line. They spent Billions, but never changed any of the orifional 1850's RR roadbed! 8 million sticker price on the one I'm flying! Trains are an expensive hobby, but if you can work it right they, Amtrak will actually PAY you to play! With my inpending retirement, I can get paid not to play when the time comes, play with my other electrics' Quick stop at Prov, an were off the last 40 miles to Beentown go fast 150, into town ,at ,to me; a blistering 125, through Sharon , Cantion Junction Reedville, curvy, used to be 70 mph track, before upgrades.Route 128 comes up in the inky blackness. The Acela has the damn DIMMMEST headlight! you REALLY outdrive it at warp speed Good thing I don'y hafta steer! If the Titanic had had a good headlight........... Yud think it would be BRIGHT, like when ya get your DC tio dc converter hooked up in your electric. Rolled into Bos. only about 10 minutes down on the time. It sighed to a stop, motor blowers spooling down, like a jet when it stops at the gate. Everybody got off and walked away, and they could use the train again. A good landing as the airplane folks say! Speed is relative, Dennis Berube or Bill Dube could CATCH me@ at full bore in their electrics in seconds from a standing start! I though of that while whirling along at 150. Or at 110 in Electric Looies GO KART! at Woodburn .Othe thoughts; Derail at that speed an' yur going to go miles, sideways, backwards, upside down, sorta like the British Hyspeed that hit a car at a grade crossing at only 100mph, ruined HIS day, and 7 other folks. There would be NO grade crossings in my Perfect World. We still have a few, but only in 70 mph territory, no chance of a Warp speed incounter, I hope! Bottom Line, A great "Other" EV looking forward to next sunday. Seeya there? In training Bob
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