Very heavy power transformer
klugesmith, Sun Dec 04 2016, 07:53PMYesterday, my wife and I were in Richmond, CA for a kayaking outing. On the way home, we stopped by some railroad tracks and got an unexpected visual treat.
Sorry about the sloppy photograph. I think that transformer transporter has 40 train wheels!
Re: Very heavy power transformer
hen918, Sun Dec 04 2016, 08:14PM
Nice model :)
hen918, Sun Dec 04 2016, 08:14PM
Nice model :)
Re: Very heavy power transformer
Patrick, Mon Dec 12 2016, 08:00PM
I said hop in.
Patrick, Mon Dec 12 2016, 08:00PM
hen918 wrote ...
Nice model :)
Nice model :)
I said hop in.
Re: Very heavy power transformer
radiotech, Sun Dec 18 2016, 08:39AM
Very nice. There is a name for that rail car. It also shows how critical the few transformers
of that size are for the grid.
radiotech, Sun Dec 18 2016, 08:39AM
Very nice. There is a name for that rail car. It also shows how critical the few transformers
of that size are for the grid.
Re: Very heavy power transformer
klugesmith, Mon Dec 19 2016, 06:17AM
I learned that it's called a Schnabel car. Some writer on Wikipedia says "as of 2012, there were 31 Schnabel cars operating in Europe, 30 in North America, 25 in Asia, and one in Australia."
As Radiotech said, when you need one you need one.
Transformers are not the only machines that get more efficient with increased size, which is sometimes limited by the ability to transport them.
Photo from
That's a junior (only 6 cylinders) Wartzilla diesel engine.
klugesmith, Mon Dec 19 2016, 06:17AM
I learned that it's called a Schnabel car. Some writer on Wikipedia says "as of 2012, there were 31 Schnabel cars operating in Europe, 30 in North America, 25 in Asia, and one in Australia."
As Radiotech said, when you need one you need one.
Transformers are not the only machines that get more efficient with increased size, which is sometimes limited by the ability to transport them.
Photo from
That's a junior (only 6 cylinders) Wartzilla diesel engine.Re: Very heavy power transformer
radiotech, Fri Dec 23 2016, 09:31AM
Somewhere on the net is the narrative of how fire departments responded to a massive fire
when one very large transformer blew setting the substation yard on fire during a severe rain storm.
One of three transformers was severely damaged and two adjacent ones were also heavily damaged.
The fire was difficult to extinguish, and caused very dangerous smoke .
The event is used a case study for emergency response.
radiotech, Fri Dec 23 2016, 09:31AM
Somewhere on the net is the narrative of how fire departments responded to a massive fire
when one very large transformer blew setting the substation yard on fire during a severe rain storm.
One of three transformers was severely damaged and two adjacent ones were also heavily damaged.
The fire was difficult to extinguish, and caused very dangerous smoke .
The event is used a case study for emergency response.
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