Re: Thought exercise - steam VFT

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

In article <39ca88a2@newshost.pcug.org.au>,
David Bennetts <davibenn@pcug.org.au> wrote:
>
>"David Bromage" <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
>E3fy5.52$nQ.6020@news0.optus.net.au">news:E3fy5.52$nQ.6020@news0.optus.net.au...
>> Here's an interesting paper exercise. Suppose a multi squillionaire had
>> decided to build a 200mph train between Melbourne and Sydney in the late
>> 40s or early 50s with the technology available at the time.
>>
>> What sort of steam locomotive would have been required for such a service?
>>
>A steam turbine electric would be feasible - but it would be a very heavy
>unit and its power to weight ratio would be horrible.

 One was built in the US. In the early diesel/late steam era. A railroad that
had access to considerable coal reserves. They hung onto steamers as long
as they could due to having access to cheap coal, and commissioned a huge
coal fired turbine electric locomotive. Their cheap coal still wasn't enough,
the thing was to expensive to maintain against the early DEs.