Class 86

[geoffk]

Anyone know how long Freightliner will be keeping its class 86 locos in service? They are now 45 years old. There are no new locos apart from class 70s and a few mothballed 92s - no idea how FL plans to replace the 86s or when.

We need to concentrate our photographic efforts on these while they are still out there.

 

[Christopher125]

Electric loco's can in theory go on much longer than your typical diesel if well maintained so they'll probably be around for a while yet.

 

[ACE1888]

The '86's' just seem to 'roll on' a classic design indeed

 

[rail-britain]

I would expect it to be highly unlikely they will be replaced with another AC electric loco
Therefore these duties will simply pass over to the other locos in the existing fleet
This may see some trains reduced in length or operated by pairs of diesel-electric locos

 

[Helvellyn]

DBS have numerous Class 90s and Class 92s stored that would seem an ideal replacement for the Class 86s. The question is whether DBS would want to sell them to a competitor!

 

[rail-britain]

DBS have numerous Class 90s and Class 92s stored that would seem an ideal replacement for the Class 86s. The question is whether DBS would want to sell them to a competitor!

These Class 90 locos are in store for a very good reason!
They have been stripped of useful and/or required components, the chances of them returning to service are nil or very low
Also, I believe one of them had the bogies swapped, so both of them are non-serviceable (cracked)
Equally, DBS themselves are running short of Class 90 locos now, such that if another is taken out of service this would leave them with no spares for the sleepers!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

*ahem* DBS put most of those stored 90s on a recent tender list didn't they?

 

[captainbigun]

They did, and there was a good deal of interest. The tender is now closed.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Electric loco's can in theory go on much longer than your typical diesel if well maintained so they'll probably be around for a while yet.

In India they still have EMUs that look like they are from the MK1 coach era so they might be as old as the Southern slammers would be now. They seem to have sliding doors ?. but apart from that I suspect they have no disabled friendly loo or any pis whatsoever.

 

[rail-britain]

Electric loco's can in theory go on much longer than your typical diesel if well maintained so they'll probably be around for a while yet.

There are fewer moving parts in an AC electric loco, hence less wear and tear
However, the same issue affects the main components, such as the traction motors and bogies
Swapping an engine is easy enough in a diesel-electric, but it's not so easy in an AC electric to swap the transformer

 

[captainbigun]

There are fewer moving parts in an AC electric loco, hence less wear and tear
However, the same issue affects the main components, such as the traction motors and bogies
Swapping an engine is easy enough in a diesel-electric, but it's not so easy in an AC electric to swap the transformer

I'd rather change a transformer than an engine! The fixed output transformers are all easy to change. 89/91 are both under the loco so just a case of disconnecting the pipework and power connections and drop then drop the transformer. A 90 is not much harder, but goes through the roof. 86/87 are a bit more involved as you have a number of control connections to remove for the tap changer drive unit, still, easily done in a day.

But unlike an engine you can keep overhauling a transformer as much as you need to. Having said that, the fixed output units should never require attention as they contain no moving parts.