LRC (train)

LRC-2 and LRC-3 locomotives

LRC No. 6917 at Newtonville, Ontario.

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Bombardier Transportation Order number M6109, M6125 Serial number M6109-01 to M6109-21, M6125-01 to M6125-10 Build date 1980–1984 Total produced LRC-2: 21, LRC-3: 10

Specifications AAR wheel arr. B-B UIC class Bo′Bo′ Gauge 4' 8 1/2" standard gauge Length 63 ft 8 in (19.41 m) Width 10 ft 5 1⁄2 in (3.19 m) Height 12 ft 11 in (3.94 m) Loco weight 250,000–256,000 lb (113–116 t) Fuel type Diesel fuel Prime mover ALCO designed 16-251F Built by MLW / BT in Montreal Engine type Four-stroke diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Alternator GTA-17PF2 (traction), GY-68PA1 (aux), 2 Stamford C534B (HEP) MU working Yes (2 back to back or push-pull) Train heating HEP 480 Volt 60 Hertz AC Loco brake Air Train brakes Air Couplers Type H (APTA)

Performance figures Maximum speed 95 mph (153 km/h) Power output 3,700–2,700 hp (2.76–2.01 MW) for traction, remainder for locomotive auxiliaries and HEP

Career Operators Via Rail, Amtrak Numbers VIA 6900–6920 (LRC-2), 6921–6930 (LRC-3), Amtrak 38-39 Locale North America Preserved Via 6917 and Via 6921( both in operating condition) Restored Via 6917: May 2014 Current owner Via 6917: Toronto Railway Historical Society Disposition Most scrapped, two preserved, some for sale

LRC-2 and LRC-3 passenger car
An LRC passenger car.
Manufacturer	Bombardier Transportation
Built at	La Pocatière, Quebec Via Plattsburgh Amtrak
Operator(s)	Via Rail, Amtrak
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminum
Car length	85 ft (25.91 m)
Width	10 ft 5 1⁄2 in (3.19 m)
Height	12 ft 11 in (3.94 m)
Floor height	51 in (1,295 mm)
Power supply	HEP 480 Volt
Braking system(s)	Air
Coupling system	Tightlock coupling, APTA Type H
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The LRC (a bilingual acronym: in English: Light, Rapid, Comfortable; in French: Léger, Rapide, et Confortable) is a series of lightweight diesel-powered passenger trains that were used on short- to medium-distance inter-city service in the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It originally consisted of both locomotives and passenger carriages designed to work together, though the two can be (and now are) used separately.

LRC was designed to run with locomotives, or power cars, at both ends and provide 125 mph (201 km/h) service on non-upgraded railway routes. To accomplish this, the LRC passenger cars feature active-tilt technology to reduce the forces on the passengers when a train travels at high speeds around a curve in the railway tracks. LRCs have reached speeds as high as 130 mph (210 km/h) on test runs.

On its only regular service route, on the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor, wear concerns, signalling issues and conflicts with slower moving freight trains limit this to 100 mph (160 km/h) or less. For service at these speeds, a single power car was used. Special signage allowed the LRC to run at higher speeds than normal traffic across a great portion of the Corridor when the tilt system was enabled.

Although the last LRC locomotive was removed from service on 12 December 2001, the passenger cars are still in widespread use and form the backbone of Via Rail's services, albeit with the tilt system disabled. The same basic car forms the basis of the Acela Express in the U.S.

As a vehicle turns it generates centrifugal force, which is proportional to the square of the speed and inversely proportional to the radius. Even a small amount of force, acting across the length of the human body, creates a moment that can make moving about difficult. Centrifugal forces are not normally an issue in an automobile because the occupants are seated, nor in an aircraft where the fuselage is tilted so the centrifugal force passes through the line of the floor. It is primarily a problem in high-speed trains, where passengers and attendants often walk about while the train is moving. The force also pushes the entire train sideways, leading to wear of the outer rail. This was not an issue on early railways where the speed was low, but gained importance as line speeds increased and the radius of curvature became tighter.