Steam-turbine-electric locomotives:
Basically, they worked sort of like diesels, in that the prime movers powered a generator which then fed power to the driving wheels in the engine's trucks. They were interesting and fast.
But even if they could have competed with diesels, they came along at the wrong time. Railroads needed proven locomotives to haul wartime trains, which meant diesels if they could be gotten, conventional steam if they couldn't. Even if GE wanted to pursue the technology, the plants that would have made the turbines were likely backlogged with building steam turbines for naval warships.
GE scrapped the locomotives before the war ended. GE would became one of the two primary manufacturers of diesel locomotives in North America.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Living a few blocks from Roseville's Union Pacific yard,largest on the left coast, and right in the downwind 'diesel plume' I wish this technology had been developed. Quiet, lots of torque, ecological using half the fuel of steam. But mondo complex!
Post a Comment