For all of You Train Lovers
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YY1
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No, the T1 traction issues never got solved. They were super slippery.
The 4-8-4 arrangement was in vogue at the time and was super successful.
It was a good idea, same number of wheels with twice the number of cylinders.
It just didn't work well. PRR never owned a 4-8-4 (or a 4-6-4, or a 2-8-4).
There's a GREAT book series (only 2 volumes out as of today) about the design history and dieselization process on the PRR.
If you like the history of technology like I do, they are a fascinating read. They seem to even have plot lines and main characters (management directives and the engine classes themselves). It is extremely detailed and very thourough.
Rather than keep working on a flawed steam design, the diesel solved their problem.
The T1 was styled by Raymond Lowey, who also designed the Studebaker Avanti, among other things.
It is my all time favorite locomotive.
The 4-8-4 arrangement was in vogue at the time and was super successful.
It was a good idea, same number of wheels with twice the number of cylinders.
It just didn't work well. PRR never owned a 4-8-4 (or a 4-6-4, or a 2-8-4).
There's a GREAT book series (only 2 volumes out as of today) about the design history and dieselization process on the PRR.
If you like the history of technology like I do, they are a fascinating read. They seem to even have plot lines and main characters (management directives and the engine classes themselves). It is extremely detailed and very thourough.
Rather than keep working on a flawed steam design, the diesel solved their problem.
The T1 was styled by Raymond Lowey, who also designed the Studebaker Avanti, among other things.
It is my all time favorite locomotive.
Last edited:
YY1
Well-Known Member
PRR management really wanted the T1 (or some coal burner of their own design) to succeed.
The contemporary design freight loco was the Q2 4-4-6-4 (another oddball arrangement and also duplex drive). It was not especially successful either, although more so than it's predecessor, the Q1 4-6-4-4.
It's also interesting to note that they were NOT fond of gm products.
Their truck fleet was comprised almost entirely of internationals, with some Dodges and fords.
They bought every other brand of diesel locomotive that came to market (Baldwin, Alco, Lima, Fairbanks-Morse, etc), before finally accepting the fact that gm had the superior design at the time, and then bought the E7, E8 and F3, F7, GP7, GP9 in quantity although still buying enough Alcos and later GE's to be considered a major customer.
The contemporary design freight loco was the Q2 4-4-6-4 (another oddball arrangement and also duplex drive). It was not especially successful either, although more so than it's predecessor, the Q1 4-6-4-4.
It's also interesting to note that they were NOT fond of gm products.
Their truck fleet was comprised almost entirely of internationals, with some Dodges and fords.
They bought every other brand of diesel locomotive that came to market (Baldwin, Alco, Lima, Fairbanks-Morse, etc), before finally accepting the fact that gm had the superior design at the time, and then bought the E7, E8 and F3, F7, GP7, GP9 in quantity although still buying enough Alcos and later GE's to be considered a major customer.
to Sydney and Perth.
The Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin thanks to Great Southern Rail!
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Submit and I took a ride on a choo choo train yesterday...
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I have no idea, but they said that it uses a ton of coal per trip; 3 miles up & 3 miles down. It also had to top off the water 1/3 the way up to have enough to complete the trip.
That's the only running steam engine they have; the other 3 or 4 locomotives are modern diesel engines.
YY1
Well-Known Member
It's an incline railway, so the boiler is at that angle to keep it level.
There are tubes inside filled with boiling water and tubes of superheated air from the fire box.
they are surrounded by water that isn't boiling and that keeps them cool (relatively)
if the water level gets too low and exposes the super hot tubes for too long---------BOOM!
There are tubes inside filled with boiling water and tubes of superheated air from the fire box.
they are surrounded by water that isn't boiling and that keeps them cool (relatively)
if the water level gets too low and exposes the super hot tubes for too long---------BOOM!
Slap Stick
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The reason the boiler is like that is to keep it level going uphill.
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On out way to Mount Washington, we saw one of these speeder cars going down the tracks from Conway to Bretton Woods....
Roadcuda
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I've had a few chances to ride these cars. They are a lot of fun riding in.and you do get a little rougher ride then a regular rail car. IT is a much different ride with being so close to the rails and with open doors.
Slap Stick
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As, I didn't see your post and said the same thing minutes apart.
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If you visit the interior of B.C. you can enjoy a trip on the Kettle Valley Railway steamer. Built in 1912, the 2-8-0 #3716 now burns oil in its firebox instead of coal.
https://www.kettlevalleyrail.org/experience/
https://www.kettlevalleyrail.org/experience/
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I was against that and my reasoning was that half the charm of a steam locomotive was the plumes of smoke. However, after riding on the Mount Washington coal burner on Saturday, I now say that converting to oil is a good thing. We couldn't ride with the windows open because of all the coal cinders coming in. The guy in front of me kept his window open for almost half the ride and his white shirt looked like someone dumped a pepper shaker on his shoulder. Riding a coal burning steam locomotive back in the day must have been a horrible ride.
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