The electrics, like the later diesel-electrics, produce more tractive effort at slow speeds than steam engines. As I recall the original box cabs were semi-permanentely coupled in two unit sets. (Over the years they would be rearranged to different multiple unit combinations.) Steam engines would have to be double or triple headed, each using an engineer and fireman to move the same tonnage one engine crew could do. The electrics also had regenerative braking that could feed power back into the catenary, in theory a train going down hill could help power a train going up hill. Having a contract with the power company to take back electricity produced by the railroad, after the first official run it was announced that the power company owed the railroad money for the run. The train produced more electricty going down grade than it used going up.
Doing more with less and at less cost. Essentially the same battle would happen again when diesel-electrics challenged and then vanquished steam.
Jeff
kenny dorham You mention the number of Summits. Is that the reason they went to what must have been a rather large expense to electrify.? Would those "Summits" have burned up A Lot of coal and water for the number of miles involved.? Thank You
You mention the number of Summits.
Is that the reason they went to what must have been a rather large expense to electrify.?
Would those "Summits" have burned up A Lot of coal and water for the number of miles involved.?
Thank You
That is one of the reasons, but I think the decision to electrify was a result of a combination of all the factors I mentioned in my previous post.
In those pre-diesel days, electrification was viewed as an economical way of powering mountain railroads, once you got past the initial expense.
In Middleton's book When the Steam Railroads Electrified he notes that as the MILW Pacific Extension was being built, electrification was already beng considered, and land for it was acquired with the ROW. It was built at a time when a number of early rail electrifications were tried. They had 5 summits to climb, while NP had 3 and GN had 2. A number of hydro-electric projects were being built in Montana. The final push came when the president of Anaconda Copper became a Board member.
Search back through threads that Michael Sol participated in - you will find more information about MILW's electrification and other aspects of their operation than you ever wanted to know.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Why did the M R use electric power.?
In the section(s) out west, where they used Overhead Power Lines
Were the engines of the day not powerful enough to pull the trains in that area...were there long tunnels.? I have never heard any discussion as to Why they electrified in that terrain.
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