Looking for Diesel Engine Making 300 HP at 800-1000 RPM

Rick Rowlands · Dec 12, 2010

I may have to repower a locomotive, and am looking for a diesel engine that can put out 250 to 300 horsepower at a speed of 800 to 1000 rpm. No faster than 1000 rpm can be used in this application. I don't know much about sizes and outputs of engines used in heavy equipment, but am figuring that someone on this forum might know of an engine that would fit my parameters.

The engine that I am replacing is an inline 6 cylinder Hamilton diesel. It is direct connected to a Westinghouse DC generator

Rick Rowlands · Dec 13, 2010

Well, either such an engines does not exist or I'm asking the question in the wrong forum.

BillG · Dec 13, 2010

Rick, I don't think it's so much the wrong forum as the request. Slow speed diesels are pretty hard to come by in that configuration. Most engine manufacturers that produced this type engine are either long gone or not allowed to import to this country (emissions you know). My suggestion would be to repower with a standard "off the shelf diesel" with a gear reduction, this way you can get the HP and performance that you want. You may even want to include a torque converter. Just a thought, Bill.

stumpjumper83 · Dec 13, 2010

only thing I can think of is talking to gerhart machinery in lititz, pa. Those boys collect old cats and specialize in cranes and draglines. Maybe by chance they have an old murphy. old cat or something else that might work.

qball · Dec 13, 2010

i believe gerharts would be able to set you up with a big murphy diesel.
they are a big, slow revving engine.

Rick Rowlands · Dec 13, 2010

Thanks for the tip about the Murphys. I don't even know enough about small diesel engines to know that Murphy made slow speed engines, so just saying the name is a great help. Google can take it from here.

Interesting thought about the gear reducer. Where should I begin to look for a 2 to 1 reducer that could couple up to a newer Cummins or Cat engine?

capnkel · Dec 13, 2010

I don't know much about locomotives,but i see no reason why you couldn't adapt a modern,more popular engine,such as a small Cat,Cummins,Detroit,or whatever by putting a reduction gear on the engine.A turbo 671 detroit would easily put you in the 300 +HP range with a 2:1 reduction gear it would be running 1600-2000,just right for your needs.As for gears i think any marine gear would work just fine,would only need to hook the gear cooler into the engine cooling circuit.There are a handfull of gears that can be had in roughly a 2:1 ratio.Twin disc 507 comes in 1.98:1 and will handle up too 400 HP,and wont change the crank centerline,and can be run full power in either direction.

DPete · Dec 14, 2010

Sounds like an interesting project, my first thought was a D342 but you guys with the reduction idea are right, a Cat 3406, Detroit, Cummins with a 50% reduction sounds perfect, many available. Post some pics if you can

Rick Rowlands · Dec 15, 2010

Thanks for the input. I have access to a Cummins NTC 335, which will put out 250+ HP. Coupled up to a marine gear reducer, such as the Twin Disc 507 should get me down to the speed that I need to drive the generator. Its an interesting idea. I'll have to do some more research so if you have any more thoughts please chime in. This is new territory for me.

This is the locomotive in question. Built in 1930 by a consortium of Baldwin Locomotive Works and Westinghouse Electric, it is one of the oldest diesel locomotives in existence. This was the first locomotive design to utilize an operator's cab. It is currently in St. Paul, MN. In 2011 we will bring it to Youngstown, OH for restoration. It originally had a Westinghouse built Beardmore design engine which was changed out in the 1950s for a Hamilton diesel. Hamilton diesels are pretty much extinct so I want to put something in it that I can maintain.

Here is the Hamilton diesel. Monstrous thing. 300 HP at 800 RPM. Don't even know if it still runs. It hasn't operated since the 1980s.

BillG · Dec 15, 2010

Rick, Before you go to all of the work with that 335, you may want to check availability of parts. That engine is getting long in the tooth and I would hate to see it go down after all of the work to set up and install. I think I would be looking at a Cat or Detroit (I know but parts are still plentiful) or at least an L10 or later and stock up on parts from surplus as they become available.

Rick Rowlands · Dec 15, 2010

Thanks Bill. Didn't know that!

fast_st · Dec 15, 2010

Well, hmm, so the unique parts to that engine would be say the crank and rods, I'd be willing to bet that at that time, pistons might well cross over to something else, rings are just bore size. Bearings are just an ID, OD and width. How much maintenance could an old low rpm engine need? I've helped rebuild hit and miss engines from before the teens and parts are sometimes available and infrequently costly.

motrack · Dec 15, 2010

I was reading a trade publication few months back and the story was of Cummins repowering locomotives with new engines.
I cant recall which publication the story was in or a lot of details as I just skimed thru....... I get too many publications and too little time to read everything.
Your home work for this project may have already been done by someone else........ maybe try contacting Cummins?

Here is a interesting link........http://www.progressrail.com/repowered-locomotives.asp

Rick Rowlands · Dec 15, 2010

My initial plan is to get the Hamilton running if I can. But I need a contingency plan in case the Hamilton is beyond repair or likely to fail. I don't want to be stuck with a dead engine and no plan to replace it with no time to do the replacement. So while I'm sitting here waiting for the now to melt its a good time to do my thinking and researching.

Rick Rowlands · Dec 15, 2010

Motrack, usually when a locomotive is repowered a new generator is installed that matches the power output of the new engine. In my case, I cannot afford to replace the generator so I cannot take advantage of that option. Cummins would be more than happy to build for me a new Tier 3 compliant MG set that would work perfectly in this locomotive, but I am afraid the cost would be astronomical.

I suppose the one unknown is if a marine gearbox would withstand railroad service. Unlike in a boat where power is applied at a steady rate for long periods of time, in a switcher you can go from idle to full power and everything in between dozens of times an hour.

motrack · Dec 15, 2010

You may find something suited to you needs here........http://www.dieselenginetrader.com/

stock · Dec 16, 2010

would you have the specifications for the original engine? or the one that is fitted,And on the gear box thing just consider the output shaft rotation might upset the dc generator...........

DPete · Dec 16, 2010

Hope you don't mind me posting your pics, it's harder than it used to be.

Rick Rowlands · Dec 18, 2010

I wish I could figure out how to post pictures. I participate in maybe a dozen forums, and this is the only one that will not let me post pictures the "normal" way.

Looking for Diesel Engine Making 300 HP at 800-1000 RPM

Rick Rowlands

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