Hi Gregory
On (12 Jul 97) Gregory Procter wrote to Alec Cameron...
 GP> In automobile terms, it compares to the different back end ratios you 
an
 GP> order
 GP> when you buy a pickup. Do you want the Interstate gearing for long
 GP> distance high
 GP> speed work, or are you intending to haul a house-truck body and a 2.5 
on
 GP> trailer over the mountains? You will want different gearing.
Yup, and alternative gear sets are offered for many loco designs, for 
arallel
reasons. The increasing versatility of loco electrics though will surely lead
to elec control changes, instead of gearing changes, permitting
mechanically identical locos being readily optimised for either freight or IC
passenger duty "at a flick of a switch". I am thinking of the current large
scale application of three phase variable frequency traction motors.
 AC> Some "smart" control systems apply less power to the lead axle, while
 AC> loading up those further back.
 GP> Better equalization would have been more effective!
Whoa! Explain Better Equalization in this context....... please.
 GP> It is quite hard to consider a modern steam loco, because there
 AC> are none. If by individual axle drive you mean electric motors, then
 AC> that is a gross abuse of the steam loco design process. A steam loco
 AC> should have a steam engine fed by its boiler. I too would like
 GP> another
 AC> steam loco design to be undertaken and more important! would like it
 GP> to
 AC> be applauded for its efficiency, durability, performance and low
 AC> running cost. I see not the slightest chance, that this will ever
 AC> happen. ====
 GP>  No, I was thinking along the lines of a Diesel Hydraulic chassis, ie
 GP> bogies
 GP>  driven by cardan shafts and gearing, with a high speed steam motor in 
the
Maybe your next message will say- steam motor? Turbine or what?
                                  ^^^^^^^^^^^
Cardan shaft? Great system it should be more popular. But I feel that the
ability of mu trucks to run with the [eg 6] motors at slightly differing 
speeds
and torques, due to dirty track or severe overload or unequal wheel rim wear,
is a PLUS in operation. When uncontrolled slip occurs, it usually involves
just one or two wheelsets, and those that have gripped well, work
significantly harder [pull more] while Slippery Sam has let go.
                                                            
>> CONTINUED IN NEXT MESSAGE <<
... ....The wheel is environmentally unviable
--- PPoint 1.92
---------------