Re: Alternatively powered train

[John Wilson <wilsonjohn@home.com>]

John Gilmer wrote:
> 
> Sometimes plants with a source of steam (power plants are perfect) have
> locomotives which replace the boiler with a tank which in charged with raw
> steam from the plant.   The VEPCO plant in Alexandria, VA used such an
> engine as recently as 1985.   They kept the engine for fun sakes but use a
> small diesel now.
> 
> In the 1950's and earlier such "steam" engins were common.
> 
> Michael Milway wrote in message <362BEF04.A6CE9AB3@uow.edu.au>...
> >RYAN LYNCH wrote:
> >>
> >> Does anyone know of an alternatively powered train that exists.  If so,
> >> please respond.
> >
> >Compressed air locomotives have been used in mines for many decades.
> >They are safe, non-polluting, low maintennance and their exhaust gasses
> >are actually benificial to the miners. They can be refuelled anywhere in
> >the mine that there is a compressed air pipe.
> >
> >Any process that produces a combustable waste product has undoubtable
> >used this as a source of fuel for its boilers and steam locos.
> >
> >Michael Milway.

Fireless steam engines were often used in industrial environments where
there was a hazard of dust explosions ignited by the firebox or by
sparks. Today they've been superceded by diesels with fancy spark
arresters. I think they were popular at power plants because of the
possibility of a coal dust explosion, like the one that did major damage
at the State Line plant in Indiana/Illinois a few weeks ago.

73,
JohnW