> > From: "Bob Sullivan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 2006/12/04 Mon PM 11:47:34 GMT > To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: OT: Steam Powered > > I'm a fan of trains and worked for a railroad for a time. Any of the > managers in the Operating Dept. would have transfered back into the > line to be a steam locomotive engineer. > > Any train that a steam locomotive could get rolling, it could pull at > 60+ mph. (Traction is poor with steel wheels on steel track, but steam > locos had plenty of horsepower. So if you got it rolling...) > > Diesel-electrics had the weight to get the train rolling, but didn't > have the horsepower to move much faster than 20 mph. They were sold > by companies like GM to the Maintenance Departments based on repair > records and available time. > > The Maintenance Departments knew that Steam Locos were available only > 50% of the time or less. Diesel-electrics were (are) available 90-95% > of the time. Less cost per hour to operate, smaller maintenance > facilities around the line, more cost efficient all the way around. > > As a result, railroads became much less exciting. Speeds slowed to a > crawl, then maintenance of the right of way fell off as high standards > weren't needed to keep the speeding trains on the tracks. More > savings for the Maintenance of Way Depts.
Not correct in the UK. Diesel-electric trains regularly cruise at the speed record for steam. ----------------------------------------- Email sent from www.ntlworld.com Virus-checked using McAfee(R) Software Visit www.ntlworld.com/security for more information -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
