Genset locomotive

A genset locomotive is a locomotive in which a number of smaller diesel engines are used rather than a single large engine. The term is short for "generator set."[1]

General

A locomotive builder may make a range of locomotives of different power, with the lowest power shunter with, say, one genset engine, and the highest power main line freight locomotive with several genset engines.

The excess engines are turned off when the extra power is not needed.

The different genset engines do not have to be the same size.

Advantages

• save fuel, wear & tear, noise, pollution, etc., when excess engines can be turned off.
• should one genset engine fail, the others can keep the train going, albeit at reduced speed.
• to remove a genset engines, only a "medium" size crane is needed. (To remove a normal engine, a "large" size crane is needed.)

Disadvantages

• more complex design, but this would cease to be a problem once the design is debugged.

• Greater capital cost offset by lesser operating cost.

• Greater deadweight, however locomotives may carry extra heavy ballast to maximise tractive effort.

• one size engine is needed rather than different engines for each power range.

Table

N	Year	Country	Make	Model	HP	Engines	Wheels	Gauge	Link	Remark	K
003+	2013	INDIA	Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW)	WDM-2G	2400 3x800		B-B	1676mm	LK	RK	K
005	2006	USA	NRE N-ViroMotive Series	ML	2100 3x700	Cummins	WH	1435mm	LK	RK	K
010	2014	ZAF	Grindrod Locomotives	ML	0710	ES	WH	1067mm 1000 mm	LK	RK	K
020	2010	USA	Railserve Leaf	ML	1200 2x600	Cummins QSX15-L3	B-B	1435 mm	LK	RK	K
030	201?	USA	MotivePower Industries	MPI MP14B	1400 2x700	Cummins QSK19C	B-B	1435 mm	LK	RK	K
040	2007	USA	Railpower Technologies	Railpower RP14BD	1530 2x765	Deutz BD2015	WH	1435 mm	LK	RK	K
042	2004	USA	Railpower Technologies	Railpower GG20B Greengoat	0300 2000	CAT C9	B-B	1435 mm	LK	Only G-S With Large Battery	K
050	201?	USA	Progress Rail	Progress Rail PR43C	4300 2x??? 1x3600 1x700	. CAT C175 C18	C-C	1435 mm	LK	RK	K
100	20??	USA	Brookville	Brookville BL20CG	2100 3x700	Cummins	B-B	1435 mm	LK	RK	K
200	20??	USA	National Railway Equipment	NRE 2GS16B-AU	1400 2x700	Cummins	B-B	1435 mm	LK	RK	K
300	2013	EUR	Bombardier Transportation	TRAXX DE Multi-Engine	2880 4x720	ES	WH	1435 mm	LK	RK	K
400	20??	USA	??	ML	PR	ES	WH	GE	LK	RK	K
995	20??	USA	??	ML	PR	ES	WH	GE	LK	RK	K

See also

• Glossary of North American railway terms#G
• Railpower GGS2000D - a one-off.
• What is a Genset locomotive?

References

1. "What is a Genset locomotive?". Railserve Leaf. Retrieved January 3, 2019.