Why aren't locomotives made aerodynamic?

[Overmod]

If I remember correctly, McCoy was famous for inventing both wet and dry lubricators -- and for some reason I remember lawn sprinklers. I remember reading about him in the first rush of "PC" reporting on tech subjects -- he was African American, wasn't he?

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chessking

While you're at it stop by the DINA and get a cup of coffee. And dharmon .. No, a centerbeam is not a new brand of bourbon. And No, an autorack is not your daddy's pickup with deer antlers fastened to the hood. And a grade crossing has nothing to do with you taking 3 years of kindergarden before crossing over to the first grade. And by no means are you correct when you thought tractive effort had something to do with excremental fortitude.

This guy's pretty clever.....but an autorack is what you put cars on to dry after you wa***hem...don' you know nothin son.....I say you're bout as sharp as a bowlin' ball. A kinder garden is where you grow cabbage patch kids and that only takes one season...where you gettin this stuff from...you need to spend more time on that computer lookin' stuff up......'cause you don't grade it after the season, you plow it under....

...and the only one that seems fortifide with execrement, son....is well .....

[edblysard]

Again!

[Anonymous]

dharmon, I speak for many here when I say we're all growing pretty tired of you telling the same story over and over about your dog spike givin' the wig wag signal every time you open up a fresh can of ALCO, or everytime you see a whistlepost, you go stand next to it whistling Dixie. Dharmon, when you went to your last interview to get a job on the railroad, wearing a suit and "tie" we all agree you went a little overboard with that huge chunk of cinder you hollowed out and snaked into. And what ever was the deal anyways when they asked you questions about the "hump yard". You replied, Oh dat dere is just plain disgustin'! can we move on??

[RudyRockvilleMD]

It has been known for a long time that the streamlining of trains that was prevalent in the late 30's through the early 50's didn't reduce air flow resistance that much because speeds were not high enough even on most passenger trains. Some of the streamlined trains had full car-width diaphragms, and I am not sure if they significantly reduced air flow resistance

However, with the advent of the TGV's, the "Bullet Trains" and the Eurostar which travel at true high speeds, >150 mph, streamlining or aerodynamic shaping with a lower coefficient of drag has an effect on air flow resistance because the air flow resistance is a function of the square of the velocity and the coefficient of drag A more aerodaynamic shape, e.g. a slant noise, might reduce air flow resistance.

[kevarc]

Chessking - I may be the jester, but then that mkes you the village idiot!

[Anonymous]

You are taking stands beyond your mean efforts. No matter what you call me, I'll always be smarter and faster than you. You have nothing worthwhile to offer me. So crawl (or slither) back into your comfort zone and let bygones be just that.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chessking

You are taking stands beyond your mean efforts. No matter what you call me, I'll always be smarter and faster than you. You have nothing worthwhile to offer me. So crawl (or slither) back into your comfort zone and let bygones be just that.

Cockroaches are fast, but I wouldn't call you smart by a long stretch Chessie... Why don't you just mark off the board and save us the trouble of throwing you off...

LC

[Anonymous]

Hey Limited (and you put that in your name, not me), this was my thread to begin with. You're all kinda trespassing when ya come in smattering the author and you're unwelcomed. So go away ... 4 eva! Stay off my tracks and we'll all be happy!!!

[Anonymous]

I hope you guys are enjoying yourselves, because several poeple have bothered to offer honest opinions and answers and judging by the stream of crap, nobody was even listening.

Maybe chessking is only being defensive because of hostile environment, and even if he deserves the attacks, he probably just got what he was looking for anyway, so why give it to him?

[Anonymous]

jruppert, you're a gem! FINALLY there's someone besides me with intelligence. For the longest time I've been targeted here, and at times I did instigate some trouble, but they are just as much to blame. They too instigated stuff. That's just me!!! I love a diverse approach to asking and answering questions or participating in the various threads. I'm good hearted but kinda rough playing. If they haven't a sense of humor or sense enough to slam me back, should they run and tell mommy?? I don't sit at my computer in a suit and tie (so to speak) with the 'utmost professional attitude' as my director upon the keys. They probably do. I'm half funny, half serious. So they could vote on the "gag order" thread and get rid of me as a chatter. It's in their hands .. not mine.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chessking

Hey Limited (and you put that in your name, not me), this was my thread to begin with. You're all kinda trespassing when ya come in smattering the author and you're unwelcomed. So go away ... 4 eva! Stay off my tracks and we'll all be happy!!!

Nah, I thrive on crap like you, guess chewing you up and spitting you out only goes to prove that you can eat **** and keep on slugging. I doubt you've ever been closer to tracks than the wrong side of the garbage dump fence. In any event, now that you have chosen to enter the forum, you can't just run away...

Of course you could slink away, perhaps that would be better for all...

LC

[Anonymous]

Wow! I didn't know you could use profanity on here. Although the use of such words is surely a reflection of diminished IQ, I'm glad you pointed out it could be done.

[}:)] I DO possess a fair amount of railroad knowledge AND have been railside many times: Town of Riga CSX main, West Shore, CSX/NS Wye Lyons, NY, FRRR Short Line, Rochester & Southern, Catawissa's CP line, etc. I'm not as dumb as you look when it comes to railfanning, railroads in general, or rolling stock!

So here's a mouse! Go eat and gently slither away.

[Anonymous]

Limitedclear? It's been a long road for us. Let's fianlly put this to rest and reopen the thread for serious inquiries.

[Anonymous]

But this is how predictable he is. He will probably post something like this:

QUOTE: Originally posted by chessking

Wow! I didn't know you could use profanity on here. Although the use of such words is surely a reflection of diminished IQ, I'm glad you pointed out it could be done.

I DO possess a fair amount of railroad knowledge AND have been railside many times: Town of Riga CSX main, West Shore, CSX/NS Wye Lyons, NY, FRRR Short Line, Rochester & Southern, Catawissa's CP line, etc. I'm not as dumb as you look when it comes to railfanning, railroads in general, or rolling stock!

So here's a mouse! Go eat and gently slither away.


"No, you're even dumber than YOU look...LOL....

Better run, I'm heading for the RAID....hate to see you with all six of your legs in the air...

LC"

Man I'm good!!! But I also know he's lying in wait for the proper timing.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chessking

Wow! I didn't know you could use profanity on here. Although the use of such words is surely a reflection of diminished IQ, I'm glad you pointed out it could be done.

[}:)] I DO possess a fair amount of railroad knowledge AND have been railside many times: Town of Riga CSX main, West Shore, CSX/NS Wye Lyons, NY, FRRR Short Line, Rochester & Southern, Catawissa's CP line, etc. I'm not as dumb as you look when it comes to railfanning, railroads in general, or rolling stock!

So here's a mouse! Go eat and gently slither away.

No, you're even dumber than YOU look...LOL....

Better run, I'm heading for the RAID....hate to see you with all six of your legs in the air...

LC

[kevarc]

Just how many screenies you got here? It is a real lamer that will not put his email addy up. But then you do seem to be the type that hides behind his mommy's skirt. And please do not hide behind the old thing, I don't want to be annoyed by the email.

To bad the mods haven't checked his IP and banned the IP number.

[Anonymous]

First of all kevlar, what the heck are you mumbling about, and second, to whom are you speaking? I do believe you are geniunely confused.

[kevarc]

You, who else would one have to mumble for, so the poor, poor child could understand?

[Anonymous]

You're weird! Goodbye kevlar hearted soul.

[kevarc]

It is Black hearted soul, can't you figure anything out? I'm not weird - I'm a Cajun, we just look at things a bit different.

Your moma put a pork chop around your neck so the dogs would play with you? Or did the dogs think you were a fire hydrant? Or do you sit on the poarch playing the banjo? That would explain a lot.

[edblysard]

Come on , come on,,,,I wanna hear him squeal like a pig!


So, by your own addmission, you do have the knowledge, and were playing stupid, asking dumb questions just to stir stuff up...

So again,
Why?

And I noted that, although you asked a question, and have received several different, and novel answers, you have yet to comment on them, or respond in any fashion to the original question.

Which leads me to conclude that the questions you ask are illrelevant in regard to your reason for being here.

Ed

LC, go easy on the Raid...as gross as they are, even roaches have a reason for being here.
Someone has to eat the garbage.


(by the way, chessking, so far, you have issued more insults than all the others put together....and now that it is thrown back at you, you whine and cry? there is a name for that.)

[edblysard]

Ok,
Just so you can't cry about us being "mean" to you, I will answer your original question...

From a railfan's point of view, strictly track side...you would wonder why the locomotives are not more streamlined....after all, from the amature's viewpoint, it would make some sense.

One would imagine going fast in a flat nosed box would burn a lot of fuel...

From a professional railroaders point of view, its a waste of designing and engineering skills, most locomotives run their entire lifespan at 25 mph or less.

Its rare that they get to, say, 70 mph on anything other than a intermodel run across open spaces.

And even at 70, it makes such a small difference in the fuel use that the cost savings would be less than the cost of fabricating and engineering a streamlined locomotive.

Ed

[Anonymous]

1959: EMD U25B: The "B" must stand for "Box". Now compare the front end shape of that to a more modern Dash 8-40C or SD70MAC. There must be something to say about wind resistance. Just look closely and compare the differences in designs.

[Randy Stahl]

As a collector of rare and exotic locomotives , I wi***o purchase an EMD U-25 B. Any help locating one will be rewarded.
Randy

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Randy Stahl

As a collector of rare and exotic locomotives , I wi***o purchase an EMD U-25 B. Any help locating one will be rewarded.
Randy

Randy-

I think one of the museums in Connecticut has one. I had always heard that the U25Bs had a rare and very expensive alternator and as a result most were cut for parts. Comment?

LC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chessking

Wow! I didn't know you could use profanity on here. Although the use of such words is surely a reflection of diminished IQ, I'm glad you pointed out it could be done.

[}:)] I DO possess a fair amount of railroad knowledge AND have been railside many times: Town of Riga CSX main, West Shore, CSX/NS Wye Lyons, NY, FRRR Short Line, Rochester & Southern, Catawissa's CP line, etc. I'm not as dumb as you look when it comes to railfanning, railroads in general, or rolling stock!

So here's a mouse! Go eat and gently slither away.

SO you've been out by the tracks what, SIX times!! And you're an EXPERT??!??!??

YAH, RIGHT...

FOFLMAO...

LC

[edblysard]

Ah ah ah...if you know what year the U25 came out, then you already know what the B stands for, and who really manufactured it.

Being a little oblique?

Or is your "amature" standing needing a little reinforcement?

Ed

(Randy, if you can find two of them, I'll take the second one!)

[Randy Stahl]

Oh yea those... I can get all the GE U25s I want. I was looking for the EMD U boats, read closely previous posts
Randy

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Randy Stahl

Oh yea those... I can get all the GE U25s I want. I was looking for the EMD U boats, read closely previous posts
Randy

Randy-

LOL. I missed that...

Thanks. That Jimmy sure knows it ALL...

FOFLMAO

LC