Hi Reggie
On (01 Aug 97) Reggie Arford wrote to Alec Cameron...
And I have passed over the difficult bits! 
AC> RA> Why? A Beyer-Garatt (sp?) type engine, perhaps burning
AC> RA> pulverized coal or a coal/water slurry, would work quite nicely.
Coal water slurry is a proven power station option [stationary power
stations!] but has this fuel ever been used in a loco? The considerable 
eight
of all that water would reduce the possible revenue ie the tonnage *behind*
the tender. Then there is the energy loss involved in vapourising the 
esidual
water. In a power station, the slurry is not burned until well drained and
aerated, a process that might take days between coal receipt and use.
You have proposed that a rigid set of drivers as in conventional steam locos,
is sprung and equalised sufficiently for you to compare with eloec motor
bogies. I must continue to resist that assertion. The mechanics/ dynamics are
very much agin the steamer, conventional arrangement.
[.I damaged your msge here....]
 RA> [fully] sprung and equalized. The equalizing system adjusts the spring
 RA> tensions so that all axles receive their share of the burden.
 RA> Note that lead and trailing truck axles are typicaly included,
 RA> but at a lesser rated burden.
                               
I have no problem with the dynamics of the lead and trail bogies. The
springing of these could be as good as on a Bo Bo elec or de body. But I 
on't
buy the principle that the main drive wheels of a conventional steamer, are
uniformly sharing the burden of the train on- the- move. Because-
* The drive wheels and axles have very high mass hence inertia, and will more
slowly respond to the ups and downs of the rail head.
* The heavy side rods, pinned to each drive wheel, also restrain any
independence of vertical movement of any single axle as IT passes over a
valley or hill in the rail head.
* The springs that serve each axle are much "harder" than those of a
conventional motor bogie. The bogie of today has multiple springs and links.
Not just one spring per axle box!
And, I don't think there is much scope for designing springing improvements
into a set of 6, 8 or 10 couple drive wheelsets.
 RA> AC>Well, this is theory and dreamtime.
 RA> Sure. Until someone needs one, and builds it. Just how much
 RA> longer will it be economical to burn oil, vs. coal? :)
The solution is easy. Frugal living, village life, windmills and solar 
anels,
demolish the shopping malls and restore the cornfields. Plus negative
population growth.  Cheers......ALEC
... Me drive? I'll take the train as the good Lord intended!  ^oo   oo^oo   
oo^
--- PPoint 1.92
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