I will refer you to page 21 of the latest “20/20” issue. In the second column, did any of you think there was something odd about the numbers and try to do the math for yourself?
14,000 lbs / 225 h.p. is 62.2 h.p. ratio. It looks like they divide 225 h.p. by 7 which is the 32 figure, but the 7 is 7 tons not lbs. They claimed 32 h.p. for every pound which would be 32 x 14,000 = 448,000 lbs which is 224 tons.
Then again 325,000,000 million x 1,000,000 is what Mini Mike spent and still has lots left over.
Maybe whoever did the calculation that was published used the “new math”?[:D]
Does new math work on old calculators? [;)]
I didn’t get my check yet.
You’re not a registered Democrat.
On the more general subject of the 20th anniversary issue, I skimmed through it and left it on the shelf at the newsagent.
By chance I had the 15th anniversary issue with Preston Cook’s article on F units out, and I reread that issue. That was really something. Not quite as detailed as we got from X2200 South in Don Dover’s time, but definitely a reference on the subject.
Peter
Well that’s too bad… I’m sure the News Agent fellow was amused as is Classic Trains with you’re comment.
At least you get to use their Forum for nothing so it doesn’t cost you to dole out a put down.
The A-B-B-B-B-A 30,000 h.p. UP DD35’s running for Cajon was a real eye popper. A serious ground shaking moment I’m sure and the sound something perhaps a dedicated steam lover like myself could tip his hat to, begrudgingly mumbling something about “not bad”. Only my dog here to confirm that though.
I doubt that all of those units were on line! Instant “scrapiron”!
It’s a 92 car freight. There are very distinctive individual plumes, shooting straight up, coming from every one of them. March 18, 1975.
I would say the train is just getting under way, or labouring on grade.
Six DD35’s on a 92 car freight? Jeez, a “Big Boy” didn’t need any help with a 92 car freight! An N&W Y6b wouldn’t have needed any help either!
You call that progress? [;)]
I’m sure the UP had a reason to put 30,000 h.p. on that train, even if it was just as a trial.
Keep in mind that it’s quite possible that this was a power move and some of that power may have been offline and idling rather than sending electricity to the traction motors.
30,000 HP would work wonders with the lead drawbar.
I guess I led a sheltered railroad career - I never heard anything about limiting head end locomotive power until the AC locomotives began to appear on the property.
Of course until the sustained pulling power of the AC units showed up it was never considered that trains could be built that would exceed the capacity of high strength knuckles.
What was a BIG train 40 years ago would not be worthy of operating these days - hold it for tonnage until a ‘proper train’ can be accumulated.
Balt,
There have bee rules in place for a very long time about how many axles may be on line in power and dynamic brake. Suffice it to say that it is not going to take long for that 30,000 HP to bust a knuckle or worse jerk a drawhead out of the end of a car.
To you railfans, all of that power makes for a good story. But, in the real world, it is most likely a lot less power on line than some of you want to “mythisize” about.
Well as previously stated they are all ejecting a very forceful straight up plume of exhaust. That would mean every engine is working. If that means they are engaged with the traction motors I don’t know.
The Chicago Great Western would run huge lashups of F units but maybe not 30,000 h. p. worth.
CGW’s “standard”, at least on the line out of Chicago, was 9000 HP with 6 F-units (A-B-B-B-B-A), or four GP30s, or three SD40s. CGW bought additional F7B’s just to fill out their lashups.
CN’s current operating rules allow 24 powered DC axles in a consist, which may be increased to 30 on certain subdivisions with a supervisor’s authorization. With an AC unit it is 18 axles.
Dynamic braking is restricted to 18 DC axles/consist, 12 if you have an AC unit.
The rules on other railroads may vary. As an example, before the Mount MacDonald Tunnel was built in the 1980s Canadian Pacific used to run 6-unit SD40 helper sets in the middle of loaded trains on Rogers Pass. 36 powered axles in that consist, but since they were pushing as much or more than they were pulling drawbar strain does not seem to have been nearly as much of a problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBPVTEx9Syw
The Utah Railway did the same:
If the PRR Q2 was tested by the Union Pacific, the “8000hp” PRR Q2 wouldn’t need any helper as well! Even though the starting T.E of Q2 was lower than the “Big Boy” (115,816 lbf with booster Vs. 135,375 lbf). The experimental PRR Q1 could easily handle a 100-car freight on level track and reach 40mph at 40% cutoff…
For those of you that denied themselves or think we are talking about helpers:
