Re: Strategic Reserve.

["John Garrison" <corrjng@rbnet.com>]

B.Rumary <brian.rumary@virgin.net> wrote in message
VA.000009a1.01e6dd5d@brian.rumary">news:VA.000009a1.01e6dd5d@brian.rumary...
> > 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
>

Gee, the stuff you learn when you hang around long enough. Thanks BR