Forum Discussion
MEXICOWANDERER
May 17, 2017Explorer
A 6500 hosepower boiler would be about the size of an olympic auditorium. Working and going to college I fired a pair of B&W boilers. 160#. Consumed max 85000 lbs/hr water. Rated 160 hp.
I was referring to OLD steam engines not 2x6x2 monsters. With six drivers. Standard max boxcar load is 100 tons. A 135 carriage train of today requires a lot of power on steep grades. And they have to brake something a steam engine has trouble with.
Train locomotives are fascinating. We used to freak out commuters who were stopped in heavy traffic on a multiple rail crossing. Drive a pickup onto the rails at the next crossing. Stand on the bumper with a sealed beam spotlight. Then throw a pipe across the rails to activate the wig-wag. Switch on the light and revolve it slowly. The local cops caught on only too quickly.
I was referring to OLD steam engines not 2x6x2 monsters. With six drivers. Standard max boxcar load is 100 tons. A 135 carriage train of today requires a lot of power on steep grades. And they have to brake something a steam engine has trouble with.
Train locomotives are fascinating. We used to freak out commuters who were stopped in heavy traffic on a multiple rail crossing. Drive a pickup onto the rails at the next crossing. Stand on the bumper with a sealed beam spotlight. Then throw a pipe across the rails to activate the wig-wag. Switch on the light and revolve it slowly. The local cops caught on only too quickly.
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