Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans Turbine (jet engine technology) electric powered engines are on the drawing boards already. Just check the smaller size, more H.P. less maintenance , newer jet aircraft engines being used today and the size of the existing monster diesel engines that use 1950's technology. Smaller engines--less maintenance-- and better fuel consumption will be here sooner than you think, it's all dollars. [/quote] While there are some things that haven't changed much from the '50s, there is certainly some current technology used in current locomotives. Besides, when you need to have your engine as reliable as possible, you don't want to be on the "bleeding edge" of technology. If it ain't broke... Turbine engines themselves were tried back in the '50s, and failed miserably. New technologies and refinements can sometimes help old ideas become feasible, even after many many years. An example of that is the B2 bomber, who's predecessor originally flew in the mid-'40s. But I don't think that the problems with UP's turbine engines have been overcome. First, the engines were extremely noisy, which relegated them to extremely remote areas (they weren't even able to use them alongside cornfields and farms, they were that loud), and there isn't anything new there. Second, the turbines almost used as much fuel when idling as when running, and so they were limited to mainlines, and even then, you couldn't have them sitting waiting for clearance for too long. And the startup/shutdown sequence was so involved that they had a small 350 hp or so diesel engine inside that was used for moving the engine itself around the yard (when light, of course). While technology might be at a point where the startup/shutdown sequence isn't as much of an issue, and fuel efficiency while idling (or under partial load) is improved (I don't know if those hurdles have been cleared or not), and if one would spend the money to design a turbine to this kind of application, the noise alone would still keep them out of service. Remember, we're talking about a 4k-6k HP engine, which even for a turbine isn't small (IIRC, the turbine in a Bell JetRanger helicopter is some 400HP). And then you have to consider the fuel type. When a railroad is run on diesel, it gets expensive to create an infrastructure to distribute a second fuel type, not to mention that jet fuel ain't cheap. So it would have to be so efficient to overcome that, or be designed to run on diesel. Those turbine engines of UP were fascinating machines, but they simply weren't feasible and economical for something like a railroad. ---jps
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag

Update Reply

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Model Railroader Newsletter See all

Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!

Subscriber & Member Login

Edit post

Post Body

Tags (Optional)

Subscriber & Member Login

Users Online

Search the Community