Private Car HEP Conversion

Parts required for installation of Amtrak style Head-End Power (HEP)

This is a list of all the parts and hardware required to install Amtrak-compatible head end power onto a railroad passenger car. The lengths of wire listed here are for a typical installation, and is subject to change due to the length of the car. Our head-end power parts brochure, available in the PDF Files section of our web site, also contains a list of these parts.

         Quantity Required
         For Typical Full      N.W. Rail
Item #   (Amtrak-style) HEP    Elec. Part #   Description
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1               4              MPA-1SR-0085   480 Volt Fixed Jumper
2               4              MRA-1-0024     480 Volt Receptacle, 
                                              24 inch leads
3               4              MRA-H          Clements 480 Volt HEP
                                              Receptacle Housing
4               4              CRA27180AMTK   27 point Communication
                                              Receptacle, 180 inch leads
5               1              CPA-2760AMTK   Clements 27 point Jumper
6               1              NW16289        480 volt HEP
                                              Junction Box
7               2              NW-COMJCTBX-SS 27 point Junction Box (stainless steel)
8               24             NW8007         Insulating Sleeve
9               100            914008         Standard HEP Neoprene
                                              #4/0 Wire Cleat
10              160            NW4008C        Standard Cleat Clamping
                                              Plate for #914008
11              24             ZB-20          #4/0 Cord Grip
12              72             326803         AMP #4/0 AWG Lugs,
                                              3/8 inch 2 Hole
13           1,100 ft.         W-10.6KV       #10, 27/24, 600 Volt
14           1,600 ft.         W-12.6KV       #12, 19/25, 600 Volt
15           500 ft.           T-75051        #14/2, Shielded Wire
16           1,000 ft.         T-75053        #4/0, 600 volt, AAR 591
17              4              HPMTGPL        HEP Mounting Plate
18              8              ZB-9           Control Wire Strain
                                              Relief
19 *            4 *            1-HEP-0026     Comm / MU Mounting Box,
                                              Single Opening

MU Option 
( MU is only required on certain Amtrak routes)


20 *            4 *            1-HEP-0027     Comm / MU Mounting Box,
                                              Double Opening
21              4              CRA-27180MUBK  Clements MU Receptacle -
                                              180 inch Leads
22              1              CPA-2760MU     Clements MU Jumper - 60 inch

*  	Substitute four of 1-HEP-0027 for the four 1-HEP-0026 if both
      MU and Comm are to be added.

Please Note:

These parts only convert a railroad car to HEP compatibility in terms of the car to car electrical system. To convert the interior car electrical system to operate off of the HEP system, additional changes will need to be made, depending on existing electrical equipment inside the car.

For converting a passenger car electrical system to head end power, Northwest Rail Electric also offers various HEP related systems, including:

Air Conditioning Condenser Package
Air Conditioning Compact Evaporator Package or Standard Evaporator Package
Solid Element Heaters
NW25-100 Electrical Locker package provides circuit breakers, HVAC Control, and Emergency Lighting Control.
Various custom packages for situations where our regular products don't fit the need.
HEP Main Circuit Breaker: The size of the breaker between the HEP system and the car electrical system depends on the size of the load connected to it.
Transformers: The size of the transformers depends on the size of the low voltage load.

Complete Car Control Package

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