| CASE STUDIES |
| CLASS 66 'UIC-II' LOCOMOTIVES - ASSESSMENT OF COMPLIANCE |
| Background |
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| In 1996 EWS signed an agreement to purchase
a fleet of 250 Class 66 Locomotives from General
Motors Electromotive Division (EMD). ESG (the
technical wing of EWS at the time) was commissioned
to approve the vehicles against Railway Group
Standards. Although, the Class 66 was based on
the previously accepted Class 59 Locomotive, the
Class 66 contained numerous enhancements that
challenged the established practises and standards
of the time. The Class 66 fleet entered service
on time, to budget and with full compliance to
Railway Group Standards. |
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| Since then ESG has undertaken vehicle acceptance responsibilities
for further builds of Class 66 Locomotives operated by Freightliner,
GBRf and DRS and purchased by HSBC and Porterbrook. |
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| Project Overview |
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In order to comply with new European exhaust emissions
regulations (UIC-II), EMD has modified their successful
JT42CWR (Class 66) Locomotive. In order to meet the UIC-II
requirements it was necessary to make some minor changes
to the standard '710' diesel engine unit and fit a larger
cooler group. However, these modifications had an adverse
effect on the vehicle's compliance to Railway Group Standards,
necessitating a whole suite of 'indirect' modifications
to the vehicle.
- Noise & Vibration
- Structure
- Gauge
- Access & Egress
- Fire Performance
- Weight
Based on our past performance, ESG was approached by EMD
to scrutinise these changes against Railway Group Standards
(RGS) and provide a comprehensive design scrutiny submission
document that could be presented to a Conformance Certification
Body in support of a Certificate of Conformance - Vehicle
Design.
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| Key Features |
- Understand the extent and legislative implications
of the various modifications undertaken on the Locomotive
- Review and application of the relevant Standards
- Weight Management (the locomotive is to remain within
a tight weight tolerance in order to retain the same RA
rating, and negate any scrutiny or brake performance,
track forces, structural strength etc.)
- Explanation and guidance of RGS requirements to the
client (although, it is acknowledged that, in this case,
EMD have a good working knowledge and application of RGS
requirements).
- Comparison of method and acceptance criteria between
UK and American performance specifications
- Present and explain alternative routes to acceptance
to client where conflicts or options arise
- Engage and manage outside party support where expertise
is required that cannot be resourced internally.
- Document the scrutiny process and present in a form
meaningful and helpful to a third party Conformance Certification
Body.
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| Skills Profile |
- Knowledge of content and application of Railway Group
Standards
- Project Management
- Risk assessment
- Documentation
- Peer Review
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| Further information contact Robert.Morley@esg-railconsultancy.co.uk |
| Photographs and project detail reproduced by kind permission
of General Motors Electromotive Division. |
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