During the 1960's the Armstrong-Sulzer engine was seriously damaged and replaced by a Cooper-Bessemer six cylinder 6-FD engine. The train remained in service into the late 1970's before being scrapped at the Paranapiacaba yards.
The 1939 Railmotors & Trailers
Following the success of the 1934 built 'Cometa', two further trains of greater power and capacity were ordered from Armstrong Whitworth. They were of similar layout - that of one power car and three passenger coaches, for this build there was no articulation between the vehicles. The engines fitted to these two power cars had 33% more power than the 'Cometa' with the coaches having a total capacity of 134 passengers. The power cars and equipment was supplied by Armstrong Whitworth whilst the passenger coaches were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd.
The total weight of 108 tons and length of 194 feet was governed by the restrictions on the infamous Sierra incline which required the trains to be raised and lowered by cable. Maximum speed was 60mph and the trains were required to negotiate six-chain curves.
All the power equipment apart from one traction motor was housed in the 47.5 ton bogied power car. The styling of the power car matched that of the passenger coaches to give an unbroken appearance to the whole of the train. The power car also contained the guard's locker and a buffet/kitchen supplied by Stone's. The engine was a four-stroke Armstrong-Sulzer 6LDA25 with Buchi exhaust gas pressure-charger. Cylinder size was 250mm bore and 350mm stroke giving a maximum output of 600hp at 750rpm.
The crankcase was of fabricated steel and combined with the sump, side frame supports extended beyond the engine to support the generator. Rubber blocks carried the engine generator set on the main frame. The cylinder block was of cast iron and was bolted to the crankcase, iron castings were used for the cylinder heads and liners. The crankshaft was of oil-treated carbon steel with hollow bored crankpins and journals, carried on seven bearings composed of steel shells lined with whitemetal. The big end bearings of the nickel-chrome steel connecting rods had gunmetal shells lined with white metal.
CAV Bosch supplied the fuel pump and injectors, Auto Klean the fuel strainer and Zwicky fuel filters. A Stream-Line oil renovator with two heating elements was incorporated into the lubricating oil circuit. Vokes air filters were fitted at cant rail level. The turbo blower was water cooled off the main engine cooling system, radiators for which were mounted in the roof.
English Electric Co Ltd supplied the electrical equipment, possibly the only time a Sulzer engine was coupled to electrical equipment supplied by English Electric. The main generator was a direct-couple six pole machine with interpoles and an overhung auxiliary generator. Three traction motors were fitted, two under the power car and one on the underframe of the passenger coach at the opposite end. Each drove a single axle through a cardan shaft and worm gear. The one hour rating of the generator at 750 rpm was 850amp 430volts, the continuous rating at the same speed was 750amp 525 volts.
The weight of each traction motor was 3,130lb, the armature being carried on SKF roller bearings. An overspeed trip at 2,200rpm (25% above normal top speed) would operate if any part of the mechanical section of the transmission failed. Two 54 cell 197 amp/hr Chloride lead acid batteries were provided, one to provide starting for the engine, the other for power car and coach lighting.
Because of the weight restrictions imposed the passengers cars incorporated much high-elasticity steel for the underframes and bogies. Roller bearing axleboxes were provided by Timken, Luvax shock absorbers were part of the bogie springing. Body framing was of light steel flanged channel sections, floors were galvanised steel sheets covered with cork and linoleum. Insulation was provided by sprayed on Robert's asbestos applied to the inside of the aluminium coach panels, the roof was also made of aluminium.
Panelling of the saloons was of polished mahogany to the cant rail level, the roof was of cream enamel. The last portion of the trailing coach was fitted out as a Pullman Saloon with seating for twelve instead of twenty. A small buffet service area was adjacent to this area.
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Factory portrait of railcar DLN 2. |
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Well would you look at this beast, a 600hp turbocharged 6LDA25 power unit for use in the railcars. It makes you wonder what these railcars were capable of if their weight was approximately 108 tons in service? These things aren't going to fit under the floor. |
Both sets were named - 'Planeta' & 'Estrella'. The former was painted red with a cream roof, the latter dark blue with a cream roof. They joined the 'Cometa' on first class passenger traffic between the port of Santos and the city of Sao Paulo.
At least some vehicles, including the power car from 'Estrella' lingered at the Paranapiacaba yards into 2001, little more than gutted, rusting shells.
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A remarkable find at Paranapiacaba (in 2001?) were several vehicles from the railcar 'Estrella' - the name is barely visible. The non-powered driving trailer is not present. Sixty plus years have taken its toll, yet still a reminder of what once came out of Tyneside and the Black Country.
Photograph courtesy Charles de Freitas. |
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A similar view from August 2005.
Photograph courtesy Renato Gigliotti. |
To compliment the two views above, the three views below from 2007 provide some additional views of the Estrella, or at least what's left of it as it slowly rusts away. All three photographs below are courtesy of Otavio Barros.
