Whatzit?

[rogruth]

Power plant for motors?

[E7]

Saw that "Snowpiercer" will be a series on TNT. Wonder how long that will last.......

With the crowd that's out there now, be better off doing one called "Nipple Piercer"

[webenda]

No, no, no, no, no , no and no.

[webenda]

PIKO sells a toy train with "THE THING" in it.

[webenda]

New Jersey Transit rail bought a train with THE THING in it.

[webenda]

Here is a photo of THE THING with its doors open.

[webenda]

Look at that red can in the upper right corner.
That is a pretty big fire extinguisher!

[webenda]

Sometimes THE THING catches on fire.

[Roy]

I haven't found the definitive answer. I did find this photo:



Full size image: https://d25jl7n04nddev.cloudfront.net/guides/trains/banner_images/default/14-f31c5313f351041fd802e068634e50fa.jpg?1521720156

These are the newer, air-conditioned railcar sets. There are high gradients on this line, and the trains use three different braking systems, like the San Francisco cable cars. Another guess is that the center units contain dynamic brake resistor units, although I would tend to expect more cooling grids.

I'm not sure, but a third truck may be underneath the center unit. It may simply be an articulated vestibule. Or, it could be a freight, or baggage section.

[Roy]

New Jersey Transit rail bought a train with THE THING in it.

Wait a minute, Wayne. This is a third-rail electric line. Are you saying there are unelectrified portions, or that these generators are for back-up power?

[webenda]

Wait a minute, Wayne. This is a third-rail electric line. Are you saying there are unelectrified portions, or that these generators are for back-up power?

you can order THE THING with or without self contained power. it can derive power from diesel, pantograph or third rail pickup.

Some of THE THINGS have a corridor in them for passengers to move from one car to the other.

https://youtu.be/PVLfg14yUiQ

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Interesting. Indeed.

[rogruth]

Power plant for motors?

I thought I said that?

[webenda]

Power plant for motors?

I thought I said that?

You did but that is not what THE THING is any more than your Ford Flex is a power plant for motors. The Ford Flex is an "automobile" and THE THING is a "locomotive." A little locomotive that can have a diesel engine and generator to power its traction motors that turn its wheels or can have an electrical pickup device to obtain power from an overhead wire or an electrified rail in the center or outside of the track rails. The passenger cars have no motive power of their own. They are pushed or pulled by THE THING. THE THING has no air conditioning or bathrooms. The cars contain bathrooms and the car's air conditioning equipment is powered by THE THING'S generators.

Reference: https://www.railway-technology.com/proj ... -railcars/

Stadler calls THE THING a "driver module." If it pulls or pushes a train, it is a locomotive.

DEFINITION: lo·co·mo·tive
a powered rail vehicle used for pulling (or pushing) trains.

When Stadler tests THE THINGS they have no cars attached, the just run round the test track by themselves.

Reference: http://www.railvolution.net/news/first-gtw-module

[Roy]

In the case of the Ligne de Cerdagne railcar, it appears that The Thing is essentially an articulated vestibule with a third rail pick-up, and power truck. I would expect the trucks under the adjoining cars to also have traction motors. No diesel prime mover, or electric generator. Is this correct? Can you point us to a link verifying all this?

I've read that the train is considered environmentally friendly, since it's power comes from a hydro-electric plant on a nearby river. I can't imagine them making this claim, if a diesel prime mover is involved.