-=> Quoting Alec Cameron to Gregory Procter <=-
 AC> On (04 Jul 97) Gregory Procter wrote to Alec Cameron...
 >> CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MESSAGE <<
 GP> drastically, perhaps by as much as 50% for steel on steel. The system 
ou
 GP> talk
 GP> about can only slip for a very small percentage of the time or the train
 GP> would
 GP> grind to a halt!
 AC> Not at all. The train accelerates thru the period of controlled
 AC> wheelslip and the wheelslip progressively disappears at a suitable
 AC> increased train speed.
Now I see where you're comming from!
I was thinking in terms of keeping HEAVY trains rolling, rather than EMUs
slipping on a patch of leaves. On our coal trains, when an axle slips going
uphill, the rest follow suit as the load goes on them, and the the train 
slides
back down to the bottom of the mountain. (It doesn't actually, because of the
modern traction control systems, but it would without them)
 GP>  We're comparing apples and pears here.
 AC> I think it's OK to compare apples and pears, if it is nourishment vs
 AC> cost, and attractive flavours that count.
 AC> A 1997 steam locomotive could
 GP> be
 GP>  designed with individual axle drive on two axle bogies, with
 GP> positive
 GP> creep,
 GP>  MUing, single driver, modern ashpan and grate  operation etc. all
 GP> the                                                            ^^^
 GP>  advantages that the Diesel and electric have.
 AC> ^^^^^^^^^^
 AC> Sorry, this is Don Quixote stuff. And isn't it a bit naive, to expect
 AC> to win all the advantages....? Such as a resale market?
 AC> ^^^
 Of course, but I'm making the rules at this end!
 Who would NZR sell its old locos to anyway?
 We buy everyone elses! 61x  Mk IId coaches for example!
 AC> You might like to consider, why this hasn't been done.
 GP> That's easy! To be competitive, the steamer would have to be proven and 
be
 GP> sold
 GP> in sufficient numbers to be near the price of the big Diesel loco
 GP> builders.
 GP> It's like electric cars, GM has them for sale, based on petrol engined
 GP> cars, but
 GP> the price is 10-15 times that of the petrol car, even though the 
lectric
 GP> is
 GP> simpler.
 AC> Thanks for coming down to earth. But at least there are buyers for the
 AC> GM elec car, it is a practical machine.
But not at $100,000- for all its practicality.    I've built two on a tight
budget, and without the refueling infrastructure, long or even medium length
trips are not practical!
The design burden for a steam
 AC> loco to be accepted in the Western world is overwhelming.
Agreed, but it would be a similar process to the electric car, a government
would have to force the development.
 AC> Thanks for the debate. I hope others may join in. There's a lot more
 AC> to railfanning than taking photos!  Cheers....ALEC
Hey, its been fun, and I've learned a bit! Thanks.
Greg.
  
... Catch the Blue Wave!
--- FMail 1.02
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