How not to use a turntable

[BestSnowman]

I found this picture on RailPictures.net last night: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=289394

I guess it adds a new level of potential prototypical operation

[pdlethbridge]

OOPPPSS!

[jettrainfan]

I was gonna put that up last night! Oh well, i put up a picture of Thomas without a face instead!
It was on the front page of the site and it caught my eye.

[SteamGene]

Well, what do you expect - it's a diesel and had no idea what the thing was.  Sort of like the city slicker walking behind the frisky horse...
Gene

[CNE Runner]

"OK Jethro, when I say NOW gun it and I'll push!"
or
"Honey, hold my beer and watch this!"

Ray

[jward]

that's no ordinary diesel, that's an sd80mac. it will do the work of at least 2 of steam's finest, all by itself. MU 2 of them together and you probably have enough tractive effort to pull that turntable right out of the pit.

[panniertankboy8751]

that's no ordinary diesel, that's an sd80mac. it will do the work of at least 2 of steam's finest, all by itself. MU 2 of them together and you probably have enough tractive effort to pull that turntable right out of the pit.

As Robotnik would say, "Who Cares" The only good ddiesel is an F Unit.

[SteamGene]

Jeffrey,
I hate to say this, but it just barely surpassed the tractive effort of the last of steam.  Two C&O H-8s could pull it backwards while it tried to go forward. 
Gene

[pcctrolleyII]

Can any one say oops.

[jward]

accordong to this page:
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/allegheny/?page=co
the h8 had a tractive effort of about 110,000lbs. the sd80mac is 187,000lbs.  thus the allegheny could pull only 59% of what the sd80mac can. add to that the higher speed capability of the diesel.... the h8 could haul 5000 tons at 40mph, the sd80mac can do 65 with the same tonnage or more. then add in the quicker turnaround at the yard, diesels just need tanks topped off. steam needs ashes dumped, fires cleaned and restarted, etc. plus no water stops for the diesel....

i stand by my statement about one doing the work of 3.

[pdlethbridge]

The only good diesel is a scraped diesel. PC I said Oops

[Tom Lapointe]

Well, it's nice to know I'm operating prototypically! 



...& I'm sure my operation was easier to clean up! 

                                                                                                 Tom

[jward]

The only good diesel is a scraped diesel. PC I said Oops

well that diesel had sume nasty scrapes i am sure.....lol

[Atlantic Central]

Jeffery,

The continous tractive effort of a SD80mac is 155,000 lbs, not 189,000 lbs.

189,000 lb/ft is the stall tractive effort, or in other words, the amount of power available just as it starts moving. One of the most interesting things about ANY electric motor is that it developes its maximum torque just as it begins to move than torque decreases as speed increases.

Using the SD80mac as an example, it could actually start a train based on that rating but not be able to acelerate that train past 4-5 mph as torque decreased with increasing motor speed.

The 155,000 lb number is what it can maintain at speed.

So it is more powerfull than an H8, but only by 30%.

And anything the the H8 could do at 40 mph it could do at 60-65 mph. Steam engine HP continues to increase with RPM and the boiler capicity of the H8 exceeded what its cylinders could consume even at 60 mph.

So any train it could get moving it could pull at 60-65 mph assuming track and equipment conditions would allow it.

The H8 was never used to its total potential except maybe when used for express freight or troop trains during WWII.

It was capable of being a high speed, high power loco just like a Challenger or a Big Boy, and was more powerfull than either of those.

Sheldon

[pdlethbridge]

The steam locomotive could pull more than it could start  as horsepower increases with speed.
The diesel locomotive could start more than it could pull as its horsepower is greater at start speed but decreases as speed is increased.