1.1.
GENERAL
Fast, powerful, reliable, and economical, the modern, highly
developed
diesel-electric
locomotive
has
undoubtedly
found
a
permanent niche for itself as a prime mover. It requires a minimum
of maintenance, low-cost fuel oil, a small supply of water, and a
short warmup period. The diesel engine of the locomotive can produce
more heat units of work more efficiently than any other engine and is
used as a source of motive power for locomotives throughout the
world.
The efficiency of diesel engines from 100 to 2400 indicated
horsepower, as the source of energy to turn electrical generators,
has been adequately proven.
The U.S. Army owns diesel-electric locomotives for training
transportation railway service personnel in their operation, for use
in utility railroad service, and for combat logistical support. This
chapter describes the Army's locomotives and explains the system used
to classify them.
1.2.
DIESEL-ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES
A diesel-electric locomotive is an efficient, self-contained
unit with all parts properly coordinated for providing motive power
for railway equipment.
The major parts are the diesel engine to
furnish primary power, a generator, electrical equipment to transmit
power from the generator to wheels, trucks to keep driving wheels on
rails, and an under frame and a cab to hold the trucks in line and to
support the diesel engine, generator, control equipment, air
compressor, and other necessary equipment.
The diesel engine in the locomotive is an internal combustion
engine similar to that used in the automobile.
The diesel engine
uses compression ignition, a process whereby air is compressed to
extremely high pressure resulting in high temperature within the
cylinder.
Then fuel oil, injected into the cylinder, is ignited by
the high temperature of the compressed air.
On the other hand, an
automobile engine uses a mixture of gasoline and air which is ignited
by a spark from a spark plug.
The mechanical energy output of
the diesel engine is converted by a generator into electrical energy
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