From: m35products (m35prod@optonline.net)
Date: Sun Apr 10 2005 - 13:50:44 PDT
Your rail engineer friend should go back to driving trains, and leave the
"engineering" to the engineers. The electric locomotive, not the
Diesel-electric, is the most efficient. That assumes that there are many of
them on a large system that is powered by proprietary power-generating
facilities. The economy of scale of large central generators, and the
dynamic re-generative capability of the locomotives, add to the overall
per-locomotive efficiency.
Simply, an electric locomotive uses little or no energy while at rest. A
Diesel-electric is always running, and using fuel, and making noise and
pollution, even when stopped. A prime mover, or a bunch of them, on every
train means all that fuel, fuel delivery, fuel storage, maintenance, oil
changes, spare parts inventory, repair facilites, repair workers, etc. All
these things add to the hidden costs per locomotive ton-mile of efficiency.
Would you rather have a little Honda 110-volt generator for each of your
bedrooms, and each of your neighbors' bedrooms, with the attendant noise and
pollution, or have the utility company supply you with electricity from a
distant power plant?
The (lost) battle between the efficient electrics and the inefficient
Diesels has been another in a long list of lost battles, most of which have
ruined the rail system of the US.
APB
----- Original Message -----
From: "Patrick Jankowiak" <recycler@swbell.net>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 3:09 PM
Subject: Re: [MV] Cost of petrol
> Anyone with some engineering experience consider commenting (just
> for fun) on the idea of converting something like an M35 to
> diesel-electric?
>
> Hmm. keep the engine, run it at 2000-2200RPM, put an alternator
> in place of the transmission, convert to DC, and a 200HP electric
> motor in place of the transfer case.. Make it work like a
> locomotive? A rail engineer told me that the diesel electric
> locomotive is the most fuel efficient way of moving things from
> one place to another.
>
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