Can anyone give us a few suggestions for keeping diesel locomotive batteries charged when the unit is not in use? Our ex-CPR FP7A, #4069 has fortunately spent the last two winters at the BC Rail shop in Squamish where she was kept warm and dry. However she will spend this year at our site in our Car Shop,but with no heat. Is there a simple low-tech method to keep the batteries charged since the unit doesn't appear to have any sort of on-board device to plug in to?
Also, is there a more modern substitute for the large older style of batteries?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.wcra.org
gferguson@aebc.com

At Railroad Museum of New England, we have dealt with this problem by using a small, portable charger. The unit we use was obtained from Steve Zuiderveen ( I don't recall the manufacturer's name), and is about the size of a toolbox. It plugs into 110V AC, and puts out 74V DC. Two DC leads with alligator clips ae attached to the knife switch in the electrical cabinet, and the charger sits on the cab floor. It starts out at about a 13-14 amp rate, and will taper down to about 2-3 amps once the batteries come up to charge. We rotate the charger between our diesel locos, using the charger for about a week on each loco during the winter. A plug-in timer can also be added to turn the charger on for one-two hours per day.

As to the size of the things-- that's a function of what they have to do, which is put out lots of amps to turn the engine over, and stand up to the vibration and impact of being on a locomotive. I'd suggest trying to avoid the "mono-block" batteries, they are just too big and heavy for museum and shortline applications. The individual "small" 300-pounders are the way to go. A bunch of Sears Die-Hards will not even tickle that 567 prime mover!



hpincus@mindspring.com

> I'd suggest
> trying to avoid the "mono-block"
> batteries, they are just too big and heavy
> for museum and shortline applications. The
> individual "small" 300-pounders
> are the way to go. A bunch of Sears
> Die-Hards will not even tickle that 567
> prime mover!

My silly GE has the worlds most inconvenient battery box. If you have long skinny arms you can just slide your insulated arm in to remove the last cap but you do not have enough space to work a hydrometer. We just stuck a big monoblock in one side to replace 4 batteries and all the associated connections ... the monster has to go in and out with a fork lift for maintenance but what an improvement.


lamontdc@adelphia.net

> My silly GE has the worlds most inconvenient
> battery box. If you have long skinny arms
> you can just slide your insulated arm in to
> remove the last cap but you do not have
> enough space to work a hydrometer. We just
> stuck a big monoblock in one side to replace
> 4 batteries and all the associated
> connections ... the monster has to go in and
> out with a fork lift for maintenance but
> what an improvement.

We don't have a fork lift!!! Yes, trying to bolt up the cables by feel is not easy; we fasten the rear ones on first before sliding the things into the batt box. I wish these things would run on D-cells.


hpincus@mindspring.com

> We don't have a fork lift!!! Yes, trying to
> bolt up the cables by feel is not easy; we
> fasten the rear ones on first before sliding
> the things into the batt box. I wish these
> things would run on D-cells.
I agree Howard. The other reason we put a mono battery in is becuse it was free. one of my customers bought the locomoitve they came out of and wanted new batteries put in, I told him these batteries were only a year and half old and he said fine then use them on your railroad.
What GE13031 failed to mention was we don't have a fork truck either. We put them in sliding them on planks. the only advantage we had was our servie truck has a crane on it to put the battery on the plank.

irss@eriecoast.com

> What GE13031 failed to mention was we don't
> have a fork truck either.

Ah yes, but right next door the implement place has let us rent their AT forklift which makes things nice, especially when you are at a place that has no interest in maintenence facilities!

lamontdc@adelphia.net

> At Railroad Museum of New England, we have
> dealt with this problem by using a small,
> portable charger. The unit we use was
> obtained from Steve Zuiderveen ( I don't
> recall the manufacturer's name), and is
> about the size of a toolbox. It plugs into
> 110V AC, and puts out 74V DC. Two DC leads
> with alligator clips ae attached to the
> knife switch in the electrical cabinet, and
> the charger sits on the cab floor. It starts
> out at about a 13-14 amp rate, and will
> taper down to about 2-3 amps once the
> batteries come up to charge. We rotate the
> charger between our diesel locos, using the
> charger for about a week on each loco during
> the winter. A plug-in timer can also be
> added to turn the charger on for one-two
> hours per day.

See our web page for the charger Howard mentions below. While the chart on the page does not go up to 75 vdc, we have sold quite a few that way for just the purpose Howard is talking about.

I am the East Coast Rep for NW Rail Electric. If you call the office direct, let them know I sent you.



NW Rail Electric Battery Charger Page

SZuidervee@aol.com