Re: Steam Train Races
David Bromage (dbromage@metz.une.edu.au)
27 May 1997 04:06:00 GMT
David Johnson (trainman@cia.com.au) wrote:
>epton@networx.net.au wrote:
>
>>I am seeking information about train races (steam preferably) that may be
>>run anywhere in the world against other forms of transport (cars,
>>motorbikes, horses, road cycles, mountain bikes, etc) and also foot
>>runners.
>
>3801 used to race a Sopwith Camel, but it really was a joke. The
>plane used to a couple trips to Morpeth while waiting for the train to
>catch up.
>
>The plane has a stall speed of about 140 km/h? whereas the train has a
>maximum speed of 115 km/h, and not in a straight line.
I've seen news footage of the train keeping pace with the plane. Either the
plane has a lower stall speed or the train was travelling faster than 115km/h.
I looked up a few airfraft enthusiast Web pages and found the maximum speed of
the Camel 2F.1 is 114mph so its normal cruising speed should be much lower.
A Tiger Moth is even slower. Some planes of that vintage had cruising speeds
as low as 60mph.
Cheers
David