Great Western Coffee Shop

DRS has ordered ten dual-powered locomotives (Class 88?), from Vossloh which are very similar to the Class 68s that are currently being built, but with the added versatility of being able to work under electric power.  This is just the sort of locomotive that, with the large increase in electrification, could help to see much more freight hauled under electric power and I personally hope (and think) that the majority of new locomotives ordered will be of a similar configuration.  I wonder how powerful it will be in terms of being able to haul freight of a decent tonnage in both diesel and electric mode, such as potentially the Intermodal trains from Southampton on the new electric spine?

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/drs-orders-10-electro-diesel-locomotives-from-vossloh.html (http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/drs-orders-10-electro-diesel-locomotives-from-vossloh.html)

It is really the much discussed electric loco with a 'last mile' diesel power pack, to allow it to run about in unwired yards and docksides etc.  As said in the linked article although it will be 4 MW electric, but it will only have a 700 kW diesel.  So I wouldn't really describe it as 'with added versatility of electric' - it is fundamentally an electric loco.

Although that's a lot more 'oomph' than a class 73 on diesel, it still isn't going to be pulling normal freight trains all around the country with only 700kW.   Given it's going to have a modern AC traction package, with better traction control, I'd tend to lump it in with a single Class 20 for pulling power...

Paul

It appears only to have a 700kW diesel engine which means about 550kW at rail, compared to 4000kW from the wires. That's probably OK for starting, shunting and running at 35mph, if the gradients aren't too great.

It should make a big improvement to the railfreight options for Felixstowe, Liverpool and other off-wire fringes. I wouldn't like to be stuck behind it when running main-line on diesel only.

The re-engined 73's have about double the diesel power.

Well done DRS

OTC

Agreed that it is of limited power under diesel but at least it should be able to get out of the way if the power goes down.

RE Felixstone branch, locos like this make it even more necessary to wire the branch as they will be able to move about the docks without the need to wire all the sidngs but won't have really enough power to get to Ipswitch under  diesel

So, if it is similar to a 73 on diesel, how fast is it likely to go and could it do that with a few mrk3 coaches behind or light-engine only?

The new loco is 4 axle so cannot exceed 90t. Attach 4 mk3's at c140t you have 230t. This gives a diesel power to weight ratio of c2.4kW/t at rail. A class 101 DMU (fondly remembered by many of us) would be about 2.75.

The buffet would need to be well stocked.

OTC

I like the analysis - seems to cover it!

I don't think its is capable of providing auxiliary power in diesel mode the article states 500kW in ac traction mode take that much from a 700kW (940 hp) diesel you are down to an 08 shunter level, compare this to its sister class 68 which has 2 800kW diesels.

And lets face it 10 ain't setting the locomotive world alight.

You've got to start somewhere.  The Class 47s were based on two prototypes and an initial batch of just 20 was then ordered.  There ended up being over 500 built!

Surely by now someone must have designed a loco that can either diesel generate its power or run the motors from the available AC or DC supply?

They have. As mentioned above there's the class 73 electro-diesels, which can run on diesel power or draw electricity from the 3rd rail. Also disscussed above, the 10 new OHLE electric locomotives ordered by DRS will have a diesel generator for moving arround in non-electrified yards.