Boooooo!
Where’s the UAC/NHRR TURBO TRAIN!
The Flying Blue Beer Can!
N&W Jawn Henrys, because they’re, well, HUGE!![:D][:D]
From an aesthetic standpoint, N&W 4500. Same brutal appearance as a Y6, but with traction motors.
From a practical, “use it to produce reliable transportation at reasonable cost,” standpoint, none of the above. The slam-bang of rail locomotive service makes turbines (and water-tube boilers) VERY unhappy - which keeps the shop crews employed, but is very irritating to the bean counters and customer service reps.
One reference claims that the C&O steam turbo-electric locos never completed a run without a breakdown! Right next door, N&W J’s could run all night, be turned in 90 minutes, then run all day.
Chuck
OK boys, here’s some real turbine lore from one who’s been there
…Almost “Blown Away” by Turbine !!!
In Omaha when I was about 13, I walked from my grandmother’s house down to the Dahlman Ave. overpass to watch the UP ( So. 32nd & I-80). A string of west bound PFE empties led by a three unit turbine soon appeared, preceded by the appearance of the trade-mark black tornado of the exhaust rising above the hillside as it came around the slight curve from Summit.
I could, to my delight, see the engineer and fireman waving briskly. The waving became more and more frantic !! Leaning over the edge and looking straight down at them through the cab windshield I could see them shouting something.
…what the ???
Then, as the very hot blast of exhaust hit me in the face, knocking me backwards and nearly off my feet, I realized what the panic was all about. Thereafter I gave the “Big Blows” a wide berth on overpasses !!!
…oh what I’d give to be able to go back and do that all over again !
I am with David, the United Aircraft Turbines were the best! Watching them fly out of Montreal on the way to Toronto was a real treat. I also tried to ride the AU Turbo out of Grand Central Terminal. But I was too late that day to get a ticket.
I did ride one of Amtrak’s French Turbos from Grand Central to Montreal. They did not have the looks of the UA turbos but it was a great trip.
Also forgotten in the above list is Long Island’s Turbine of the 1970s and the US Army’s turbine switcher (was is made by Whitcomb?).
How can you not love the S2?
rdganthracite said:
"Also forgotten in the above list is Long Island’s Turbine of the 1970s and the US Army’s turbine switcher (was is made by Whitcomb?). "
Well you are sorta correct about the Manufacturer of the US Army’s 2-4-2 turbine switcher. If I remember right it was built as a joint effort of Davenport and Boeing. I am not sure but at that point Davenport may have been a Whitcomb subsidiary at that time. Oh and if you hear a mighty Roar it Just might be a TURBINE or the US Army Transportation Corps., or maybe BOTH!!!