Re: Strategic Reserve.

["B.Rumary" <brian.rumary@virgin.net>]

> Techincally speaking, if it'll burn it'll work. I've heard of using sugar
> cane leaves for fuel. Not very hot burning, so you can only go a few mph,
> but where it's used it's free. (Cuba I think)
>
Actually its called "bagasse" and is the waste material left after the cane 
stalks have been crushed. Its is compressed into bales and in Java (NOT 
Cuba) is still used to fire steam locos. However its fuel value is rather 
low and the locos use big tenders with every inch of space packed full of 
the stuff, for just one trip! That is the problem with bagasse (and wood); 
the man-handling of the large amounts needed to run a steam loco. It also 
is a fire risk as these locos throw sparks all over the place. That is why 
US logging railroads mostly gave up on free wood and changed to coal or 
oil.

Incidentally, if you want to see what bagasse looks like, "Celotex" 
insulation board is just compressed sheets of the stuff. The Celotex 
Corporation used to own sugar mills in Louisiana, and sugar was the 
'by-product'.

Brian Rumary, England

http://freespace.virgin.net/brian.rumary/homepage.htm