[sdiy] OT: Generator?

[Jim Patchell]

"Reverend djbluE (Chromatest)" wrote:

> Tony Allgood wrote:
> >
>
> throughout this thread, I've been wondering why locomotive engines in
> america don't do this... (regenerative braking).  AFAIK, even though
> trains are diesel in america, the diesel powers generators and the
> locomotion is created by big electric motors (don't ask me why!), so
> it makes sense to me to use regenerative braking, unless of course,
> there aren't any batteries, just the generators to the motors (through
> a controller or two no doubt)
> -ben

    More than likely, expense.  Putting large numbers of batteries in Diesel
Locomotives would be an expensive maintenence headache.  Back in the 60's
(this might be an urban legend, but, like all legends, it tells a story), a
German locomotive company was trying to break into the American Locomotive
market with a Diesel Hydrolic (the company was something like Kraus Moffit).
One of the rail companies that was getting a demo was my favorite railroad,
the Southern Pacific.  After doing an 8 hour run, the German engineers
suggested it was time to take the thing in for maintenence.  The S.P. dude
said, whooaa, hold on, it has only gone 200 miles, you have 999,800 more miles
to go before the first scheduled maintenance.  The upshot was, if it needs
regular maintanence, American railroads are not really interested.  In it's
final years, the SP didn't even bother to wash or paint it's equipment.

    But now you've done it, you got me going on trains.  :-)

    -Jim