Metro-North's stealthy switcher

By William C. Vantuono, Editor

	Metro-North has replaced 1950s-vintage, four-axle GE E10B electric switchers with two new 600-hp diesel-electric switchers from Brookville Locomotive for use in Grand Central Terminal. Photo by Brookville Locomotive

Legend has it that deep within the bowels of New York City's fabled Grand Central Terminal there exists a subterranean world crisscrossed by railroad tracks and third-rail and inhabited by an incongruous collection of rolling stock, rodents, and displaced people (not including passengers).

The newest addition to this underground city is a nimble yellow beast that can be seen busily hauling hoppers full of recycled newspapers and trash and delivering supplies to the track and signal crews who keep Grand Central's cavernous complex fit for commuter trains. The beast weighs 70 tons and is just a hair over 32 feet in length-a tiny interloper compared to the electric-multiple-units and dual-mode locomotives with which it shares Grand Central's spaghetti bowl of tracks.

The "beast" is MTA Metro-North Railroad's new 600-hp diesel-electric switcher locomotive. Two of them have been custom-built by Brookville Locomotive of Brookville, Pa., to Metro-North specifications. The nimble little machines have replaced 1950s-vintage, four-axle General Electric E10B electric switchers (which themselves replaced ancient GE "S" motors built in 1906).

"We wanted something small, lightweight, and simple," says Metro-North Director-Equipment Shops and Yards Tim McCarthy. "We were having trouble with our old electric switchers. They had a tendency toward 'gapping,'-stalling at low speeds across third-rail gaps." The Brookville locomotive is just the ticket, says McCarthy. It's a low-emission unit, and ventilation in Grand Central is more than adequate to handle its exhaust. Plus, it can be easily stopped and restarted, like a diesel-powered truck, so it's never left idling for long time periods. It has a provision for keeping its batteries charged and engine block warm.

Metro-North's switcher is the largest locomotive Brookville has built in its 82-year history. The company is primarily known for manufacturing mining locomotives in sizes ranging from four to 45 tons, and the Metro-North units "are the first step in opening a door to the industrial switcher business," according to President Dalph S. McNeil. Brookville offers industrial switchers in the 45- to 150-ton range. On the drawing board but not yet built is a 150-ton unit.

Metro-North's 70-tonners are of a two-axle, center cab design with multiple-unit capability. Powered by a six-cylinder, electronically-controlled, fuel-injected 600-hp Caterpillar 3456E diesel engine, they feature Kato main and auxiliary alternators and EMD D-78 traction motors. Wabtec has supplied many components: a three-cylinder motor-driven air compressor; motor-driven traction motor blowers; a VAPORID air dryer; 26-L brake equipment with blended dynamic brake and cab signal/train control interface; Cobra™ high-friction composition brake shoes; a solid-state event recorder; and a Q-Tron QES-III microprocessor-based control system with health monitoring, self-diagnostics, and wheelslip/creep control. With a driving wheel diameter of 40 inches, starting tractive effort is 53,000 pounds. The locomotives are fully Federal Railroad Administration-compliant.

"More precise control of the locomotive equates to smoother operation and greater fuel efficiency," says Brookville. "This unit can outperform an SW-1200 locomotive by attaining a tractive effort of 37% at 40 mph on grades up to 2.5%. Fuel consumption is 51% lower than an SW-1200 pulling at 25% tractive effort through 2% grades. Plus, we offer rapid spare parts availability, as all components are standard and available off the shelf."

Brookville Locomotive's 70-ton diesel-electric switchers built for Metro-North are of a two-axle, center cab design with multiple-unit capability. Powered by a six-cylinder, electronically-controlled, fuel-injected Caterpillar diesel engine, they feature Kato main and auxiliary alternators, EMD D-78 traction motors, and a Wabtec Q-Tron QES-III microprocessor-based control system with health monitoring and self-diagnostics.

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