Many of these locomotives don't have preheaters on them, neither do these large engines have glowing plugs like a car diesel. When the block is completely cold the compression in the cylinders doesn't generate a high enough temperature yet to ignite the diesel on injection, a lot of the heat is sucked into the block and coolant. Usually it will not be this hard to start them, it's only just when it is freezing cold and when an engine has been shut off for more than a day, normally the block will retain warm enough for quite a long time after shut down to make for an easy start. Most of the video's posted with those smokey locomotive engine starts are from preserved railways or other operators who don't use them on a daily basis. An Alco or GE will start similarly difficult under those same conditions, there are some video's showing this, a 2 stroke like the EMD or Deltic will start better because of each downward stroke being a power stroke, it heats up more quickly and will not struggle that long once it starts firing. Most locomotives using German engines in them have coolant preheaters, bringing engine temp up to 60°C before starting and they will start without struggling.
Well explained! These engines are 15 litres per cylinder so with no pre-heat they are a bugger to start. When they were designed and built, they were not designed to go cold. Indeed, when these were in more or less daily use, as you pointed out, they seldom went cold!
Also, the engine is already 'started' as in running under its own power from the start of the video. But it takes a while to warm up and achieve proper combustion an all cylinders.
Ahh, yeah, the modern diesel locomotives here in the states can actually be set to automatically turn on and off to keep temps up, and/or to keep up air pressure. I dunno about block/coolant heaters. Many times they don't have access to an electrical outlet except at the shop. Yeah some of the older locos like the U-type GE's and the Alcos tend to be smoky on startup. I have seen some smoky EMD's, but not as many. I think sometimes it's due to wear in the engine, and burning off oil. (Like how the Napiers often have a faint but noticeable light-blue-ish colored tinge to the exhaust.) I'm not an engine designer/engineer, but I do think part of it has to do with the characteristics of the combustion chambers. Some diesel designs just start easier in the cold, even with no pre-heat, compared to others. P.S. Ever seen the video of the French locomotive cold start? That thing has some afterfire bangs in the exhaust manifold! /watch?v=zMcp8HDn47E
@@alistairscott137 Pffffffffffffffh the German locomotives from 1935 and up are at least +20 years away from the locomotives at the same time in Britain... ever heard of Class 05 ... or by the way Germany INVENTED the Diesel-Electric Locomotives Brithis locomotives are small and like "Rail Tractors" but not stuff you can Seriously take part of the Competition
