Asiarunner

The Siemens Asiarunner locomotives are contemporaries to the Eurorunner class and are designed specifically for the South-East Asian market - in particular metre gauge - key features are a Co'Co' wheel arrangement (resulting in low axle loads) and good clearance (see Loading gauge)

Siemens Asiarunner
AR15, AR20[1]
A Vietnam Railways SE1 train with D20E locomotive at Hue Railway Station in 2010.
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel
Build date2006? (Ordered 2004)
Total producedAR15 VR: 16 (for Vietnam Railways)
Specifications
Configuration:
  UICCo′Co′
GaugeAR15: 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) metre gauge
to 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
AR20: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Length19,180 mm (62 ft 11+18 in)[2]
Width2,688 mm (8 ft 9+78 in)
2,950 mm (9 ft 8+18 in)
including mirrors[2]
Height3,945 mm (12 ft 11+38 in)
Axle loadAR15: 3.5 to 16 t (3.4 to 15.7 long tons; 3.9 to 17.6 short tons)
AR20: 16 t (16 long tons; 18 short tons)
Loco weightAR15 VR: 81t[3]
Fuel typeDiesel
Fuel capacity4,000 L
(880 imp gal; 1,100 US gal)
Prime moverMTU 12V4000R41[2]
Engine typeV12 diesel engine
Performance figures
Maximum speed120 km/h (75 mph)
Power outputAR15 1,500 kW (2,000 hp)
AR20 2,000 kW (2,700 hp)
AR15 ~1,220 kW (1,640 hp)
at wheel[3]
Tractive effortAR15: 260–320 kN
(58,000–72,000 lbf) starting
AR20: 320 kN
(72,000 lbf) starting
Career
LocaleVietnam Railways

Development

Much of the development of the Asiarunner locomotive had to be done from scratch, since Siemens had no contemporary example of a narrow gauge, or of a locomotive that was built to a smaller loading gauge that UIC 505-1.[4]

Nevertheless, the design mirrors in part the modular concept found in Siemens other locomotives (the Eurosprinter and Eurorunner). The main frame is one such module. The drivers cabins are also modular components.

Access to the main engine compartment is via the roof, which has three removable segments, there is a single side corridor which allows an escape route in the event of certain emergencies[5] (compare the wide gauge Eurorunners which have two passageways)

The engine is a 12-cylinder MTU model - similar to that used in the Eurorunner except with 12 instead of 16 cylinders.

The locos can work in multiple with up to three connected.

Operators

Whilst the Asiarunner was designed for use in Asia, Africa, South America and Australia, its only operator is Vietnam Railways, with 16 AR15s running passenger and freight services on its HanoiDa NangHo Chi Minh City route.[3]

See also

References

  1. "The Asiarunner – The flexible alternative". transportation.siemens.com (archive web.archive.org). Archived from the original on 18 March 2008.
  2. "Technical data of locomotive". siemens.com.vn. Archived from the original on 28 April 2008. (archive web.archive.org)
  3. Universal Locomotive AR15 VR, Vietnam Siemens.com
  4. Marc Oliver Girgert; Armin Gasch (2006). "Der Asiarunner für Vietnam = The asiarunner for Vietnam". Eisenbahntechnische Rundschau (in German). Eurailpress, Hamburg. 55 (9): 580–584. ISSN 0013-2845.
  5. "News from Transportation Systems : AsiaRunner AR15 VR". siemens.com.vr (archive web.archive.org). Archived from the original on 28 April 2008. AsiaRunner AR15 VR is the first locomotives in the Asian Runner family for the small gauges: 1000 and 1067mm
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