Turkish PowerHaul demonstration loco arrives in UK

[John Ashworth]

Turkish PowerHaul order expected as demonstrator arrives in UK

18 October 2012 Railway Gazette

INTERNATIONAL: Turkish company Tülomsas is hoping to sign a contract by the end of this year to supply state railway TCDD with 20 European-profile GE Transportation PowerHaul locomotives.

The first European-profile PH37ACai PowerHaul was the highlight of GE Transportation's presence at InnoTrans last month. It was assembled by Tülomsas from US-supplied components, and after being on show in Berlin in the branding of Heavy Haul Power International was due to be shipped to GE Transportation's plant at Erie in the USA for thorough testing. Tülomsas is to assemble another two production-series locomotives, which will enter commercial service with HHPI.

Tülomsas had previously assembled a UK-profile PowerHaul, which TCDD used for trials before it was shipped to the UK in October where it will be demonstrated to freight operators.

PowerHaul offers 'maximum flexibility for all markets with this class of locomotive', according to GE Transportation's General Manager, Global Locomotive Operations, Robert McKeel, with a claimed 9% fuel saving over comparable diesel-electric locomotives.

[John Ashworth]

There's a video of this loco, numbered 70099, being hauled through Newport Station on 17th October 2012 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu6_F_-fIgQ

There are some photos of the loco at Newport Docks at http://www.wnxx.com/content/171012/70099.htm

[Mel Turner]

In view of the 70 Classes continuing reputation to spontaneously combust, a wag at http://fourfooteightandahalf.com posted the following photo of the welcoming committee

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/c ... 01_446.jpg

In all seriousness, GE has the resources and will to fix this teething problem (then deliver the balance of the Freightliner order which is currently on hold). This raises an interesting question, in the GE tender to Transnet for the 465 diesels which closed earlier this month, which prime mover was offered? The gas engine variant of the P616 is available in versions from 8 to 20 cylinders, this type is obviously the engine of choice to replace the (now approaching obsolescence) 7FDL family in locomotives built to a restricted loading gauge (Europe/Africa/Australia/Asia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerHaul_%28locomotive%29

Was TÃœLOMSAÅž the company who supplied the frames for your 39.200 Class? they were an EMD licensee prior to the GE partnership