The point is well-made. Just think about how often the microwave in your kitchen is used and compare it to the number of times that the microwave in your employer's lunch room (or a locomotive cab) is used.
CSSHEGEWISCH The point is well-made. Just think about how often the microwave in your kitchen is used and compare it to the number of times that the microwave in your employer's lunch room (or a locomotive cab) is used.
In the break room of a office serving 100 people each of 3 tricks there were 2 consumer grade microwaves - they had a observed life expectancy of approximately 3 months. Another office had 3 microwaves for a office of 10 people per trick - first one failed after 5 years.
In the first example the duty cycle of each machine was in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 minutes per hour or more.In the second example the duty cycle of each machine was in the neighborhood of 10 minutes per hour or less.
In most homes the mincrowave duty cycle is probably 10 minutes per DAY or less.
These are personal observations from my experience.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Consumer Grade.. hah, I wish we had those (some older units HAVE been retrofitted with them and they work fine). The typical locomotive microwave is bolted/welded to its stand, and is very plain. It contains no turntable, and the only control is a timer dial (no power settings, defrost, etc). So I find it hard to imagine that these cost much more than any name-brand. And yes, they all do break down with some regularity, but even the brand new ones have issues. Some take 1 minute to burn your sandwich, others will take 3 times as long to render it lukewarm. They also heat very unevenly, my personal habit is to nuke it for 2 minutes, eat the hot part and then nuke it again.
Regarding the ex-BC Rail units, they are also being equipped with microwaves, but originally came with an actual small oven instead along with the hot plate. While this fails to meet CN's contract requirements it works fine if you happened to bring the right kind of container, ie.. plastic and ovens don't mix, same as metal and microwaves. Personally I wouldn't care which one we had, as long as I knew in advance to prepare accordingly.
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-an Articulate Malcontent
UlrichHowever dynamic brakes were removed in most cases as they were deemed unnecessary given CN's gentle grades. Why pay for something that isn't needed?
I assume you're stating what their opinion was back in the day, but it's worth clarifying that that was the line of thought 40 years ago, not today.
Dynamic braking's advantages outside of territories with a lot of elevation change is well established and Canadian National subscribed to it years ago (I don't think they've bought a non dynamic brake equipped locomotive new since the early 1970's).
... And just how many times MORE is the microwave in a locomotive cab (with two, maybe three people, probably not eating much more than what they carried on or have stocked in a small refrigerator) going to be used?
I don't see how a comparison with an employee lunchroom, or even a shift's breakroom, holds up at all. In any case, I'd expect the difference in 'longevity' to be much more involved with vibration and shock damage, or other conditions regarding the 'environment' on a working locomotive, than anything associated with duty cycle. And I also suspect that even a rudimentary multiaxis shock mount (perhaps nothing more complex than a few pieces of inexpensive shaped foam or rubber) would solve those issues sufficiently...
Leo_AmesDynamic braking's advantages outside of territories with a lot of elevation change is well established and Canadian National subscribed to it years ago (I don't think they've bought a non dynamic brake equipped locomotive new since the early 1970's).
I think the SD40s were the last without it. My understanding is that CN didn't see the need when first dieselizing, as they had a ruling grade of 1% on the whole transcontinental railroad.
Their GP38-2W's weren't equipped with dynamic brakes. I think those were the last ordered without it.
Overmod CSSHEGEWISCH The point is well-made. Just think about how often the microwave in your kitchen is used and compare it to the number of times that the microwave in your employer's lunch room (or a locomotive cab) is used. ... And just how many times MORE is the microwave in a locomotive cab (with two, maybe three people, probably not eating much more than what they carried on or have stocked in a small refrigerator) going to be used? I don't see how a comparison with an employee lunchroom, or even a shift's breakroom, holds up at all. In any case, I'd expect the difference in 'longevity' to be much more involved with vibration and shock damage, or other conditions regarding the 'environment' on a working locomotive, than anything associated with duty cycle. And I also suspect that even a rudimentary multiaxis shock mount (perhaps nothing more complex than a few pieces of inexpensive shaped foam or rubber) would solve those issues sufficiently...
Another item that gets overlooked is the electromagnetic fields that get generated on a locomotive with a 'generator' transforming mechanical motion into 600 volts with amperage potential of over 1100 amps in addition to the normal vibrations and impacts that occur with a locomotive. The shielding that the locomotive has built into it doesn't TOTALLY shield out all the field.
Outsiders would be amazed at the food a T&E crew 'can' consume on a 12 hour+ tour of duty - even more if the go on the law in East Nowhere and the transportation for them can't find them.
BaltACD CSSHEGEWISCH The point is well-made. Just think about how often the microwave in your kitchen is used and compare it to the number of times that the microwave in your employer's lunch room (or a locomotive cab) is used. In the break room of a office serving 100 people each of 3 tricks there were 2 consumer grade microwaves - they had a observed life expectancy of approximately 3 months. Another office had 3 microwaves for a office of 10 people per trick - first one failed after 5 years. In the first example the duty cycle of each machine was in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 minutes per hour or more.In the second example the duty cycle of each machine was in the neighborhood of 10 minutes per hour or less. In most homes the mincrowave duty cycle is probably 10 minutes per DAY or less. These are personal observations from my experience.
At where my father works, he brought in my family's first microwave to the break room back around ~1990 when we replaced it with one with a turntable.
Still going strong, the last I heard. Puts today's equipment to shame.
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