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DE10 - What does it haul?


Krackel Hopper

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Krackel Hopper

hey hey,

 

This is probably a real newbie question.. I know the DE10 is used as a "switcher" type loco.. but what sort of freight and/or passenger cars would you see a DE10 loco hauling?  I'm sure it's used for numerous things.. so maybe more specifically.. the DE10 "dolphin" painted loco..

 

I'm still not up to speed on where/how to find info like this on my own.. and searching the forums for info on the DE10 only seems to bring up posts about the Tomix DE10 being sub-par.. heh..

 

I know I can haul whatever I want because it's my layout.. but I'd rather avoid the "WTF is a DE10 doing hauling such-and-such cars"  I'll probably still haul whatever I want.. but it'd be nice if I at least knew/had a few cars that actually matched..

 

Not sure if this is better here or in "N-scale" but I figure I'm asking about what the prototype DE10 "dolphin" hauls so.. prototypes seemed like a more appropriate place for it.

 

Thanks!

Jon

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CaptOblivious

You can find them hauling just about anything. Do a search on google images, flickr, or youtube for de10 and you will find a lot. HOKI800 ballast hoppers, container cars, 14-series passenger cars, even EMUs through nonelectrified lines! It's a very versatile loco!

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Expanding on the Captain's information, the DE10 was introduced to replace steam locomotive haulage for freight and some passenger trains on JNR's branch and secondary lines.  There was a predecessor diesel, the DD13, intended for this job, but that type had a too high axle loading for some of the branch lines.  To address this issue, the DE10 was equipped with the unusual AAA-B bogie configuration to spread out weight.

 

As for your dolphin livery DE10, the prototype was based at the Kanazawa General Rolling Stock Depot (Mattou Works), on the Hokuriku Main Line in JR West territory.  It is (was?) used as the works loco, probably to haul rolling stock intended for repair in and out of the works.

 

Given that the DE10 type was developed to replace steam, it could be considered a first generation (though second gen would be more accurate) diesel.  That the type still is in common use is quite remarkable, as their cohorts in other industrialized nations are either gone or trundling on some tourist  or short line.  Of course, the more protracted phasing out of steam, and the aggressive electrification policy of JNR probably has helped.

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Martijn Meerts

Japan in general seems to be fairly careful with, and proud of their trains. Don't think any other country has so many old sets still in service, and keeps so many out-of-service machines in working order. They have quite a lot of steam trains that run quite regularly for example.

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Claude_Dreyfus

Their longevity is no doubt helped by both their reliability and flexibility. Also having seen some of the trains they pull, they have a fair amount of grunt for a small engine.

 

A similar type locomotive in the UK is the class 20, almost identical in terms of intended duties the pioneer was introduced in 1957. Some of these engines are still in service today, with over 50 years active service behind them.

 

The UK record is currently held by a shunting class - the class 08 - which was introduced in 1953 (the actual loco in question was built in 1954) to a design virtually unchanged since the late 1930s!

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Expanding on the Captain's information, the DE10 was introduced to replace steam locomotive haulage for freight and some passenger trains on JNR's branch and secondary lines.  There was a predecessor diesel, the DD13, intended for this job, but that type had a too high axle loading for some of the branch lines.  To address this issue, the DE10 was equipped with the unusual AAA-B bogie configuration to spread out weight.

 

As for your dolphin livery DE10, the prototype was based at the Kanazawa General Rolling Stock Depot (Mattou Works), on the Hokuriku Main Line in JR West territory.  It is (was?) used as the works loco, probably to haul rolling stock intended for repair in and out of the works.

 

Given that the DE10 type was developed to replace steam, it could be considered a first generation (though second gen would be more accurate) diesel.  That the type still is in common use is quite remarkable, as their cohorts in other industrialized nations are either gone or trundling on some tourist  or short line.  Of course, the more protracted phasing out of steam, and the aggressive electrification policy of JNR probably has helped.

 

Thought I made this rely but maybe not. I had read a while ago, that part of what kept the DE10 around was it was a mechanically simple locomotive to work on with a pretty good reputation for being easy to service so it made little sense to devolpe a replacement for any other reason than fuel consumption. Sadly the DE10 is not very good with fuel, but the cost to design and teeth out the electronic and mechanical issues with a new model of a modern computer controlled locomotive for shortline service weighed in kept the DE10 around.

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Claude_Dreyfus

That reply probably sums it up. The UK class 08 shunter does not even have a replacement on the drawing board, not will it for a good few years yet. It was the reputation - like the DE10 - of being clock-work reliable. In view of this, and the nature of the work it does, it is probably just not cost effective enough to replace...

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Given that the DE10 type was developed to replace steam, it could be considered a first generation (though second gen would be more accurate) diesel.  That the type still is in common use is quite remarkable, as their cohorts in other industrialized nations are either gone or trundling on some tourist  or short line.  Of course, the more protracted phasing out of steam, and the aggressive electrification policy of JNR probably has helped.

I guess the GP9 would be the closest US equivalent.

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