CHAP 1 - Introduction CHAP 2 - Some Basic Specs CHAP 3 - Locations of Major Equipment CHAP 4 - the "TRACS" Computer System CHAP 5 - the High Voltage, Auxiliary and Propulsion Systems CHAP 6 - the Low Voltage Systems and Batteries CHAP 7 - the Air System CHAP 8 - the Braking System CHAP 9 - the Suspension System CHAP 10 - the Trucks CHAP 11 - the HVAC Units CHAP 12 - the PA and Intercom System CHAP 13 - the Pantographs CHAP 14 - the Doors CHAP 15 - the Couplers CHAP 16 - the Lighting System CHAP 17 - the Destination Signs CHAP 18 - Winterization CHAP 19 - Operation CHAP 20 - Maintenance CHAP 21 - Floobydust
2.1 Here are a few of the basic specifications for the Baltimore LRV:
Length - 95.5 ft (over coupler faces).
Width - 9.5 ft.
Height - 12.5 ft (to top of lowered pantograph).
Weight - approx 53 tons.
Truck Centers - 30 ft.
Minimum turning radius - 100 ft.
Axle Spacing - 6.5 ft.
HVAC Capacity - 2 x 8 tons (96,000 BTU) each.
Motors - 4 x 275 HP each (1100HP total)
Propulsion Modules - 2ea -- 440VAC/3 phase/800 Amps max output per leg (ABB rates it at 0-585VAC).
Auxiliary Module - 1ea -- 121/219VAC/3 phase/210 Amps max output per leg (ABB rates it @ 330VAC).
Battery Charger - 1ea -- 39VDC/210 Amps max (50 Amps max when car is "auxed off").
Seating - 86 (without wheelchairs).
Wheelchairs - 4 (each takes away three seats).
2.2 Original manufacturer's of the major sub-systems are as follows:
Brake System - Knoor (Westminster, MD).
Trucks - AAI (Cockeysville, MD).
Body - ABB (Sweden)(For the original 35 cars) / AAI (Cockeysville, MD)(For the additional 19 cars).
HVAC Units - Transit-Air (Hornell NY).
Destination Signs - Luminator (Plano TX).
Lighting - Luminator (Plano TX).
Pantographs - Transtech (SC)(On the original 35 cars) / Shunk (Replacement pans and OEM on cars 36-53).
Couplers - Dellner
PA/Intercom Unit - COMCO (Brooklyn NY).
Trip Stop System - Siemens (Germany).
2.3 At the time of delivery, the Baltimore cars were the longest and heaviest cars produced. They were also the first LRV's in America to utilize AC propulsion. The basic car
is articulated and consists of two almost identical sections, "A" and "B". The "A" end always faces to the south, since there are no loops or wyes on the system.
2.4 As some of you may already know, the Baltimore LRV's are manufactured by ADtranz (formerly known as ABB), in Elmira Heights, NY. That's about 21 miles east of Corning , and
almost due north from Baltimore and Harrisburg. The ADtranz facility was formerly used as a repair facility for the New York City subway cars, and many of the old trucks can still be seen floating around
the factory floor supporting work in progress.
2.5 The cars were designed in Sweden, and I believe the Baltimore order was the first for them in this country (as a complete system, or car). The only other ABB LRV cars I know of
are on the Norristown (PA) line. A lot of compromises were made in order to meet the 51% made in America policy, most of which have plagued us as maintenance headaches (you never know which hardware or
fittings will be SAE or metric, so we have to carry it all around with us).
2.6 Although you won't find a builders plate on the car with a model number on it, most of the documentation ABB put out carries the designation M-244 as the model number for the Baltimore
cars.
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