Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

The Big Stuff => Full Sized Steam Engines => Topic started by: classixs on May 04, 2021, 07:20:35 am

Title: Re: Locomotive Racing
Post by: Bentwings on December 25, 2021, 03:23:15 pm

I’m sure every Er person has read about the great crash of two old loco hitting head on. A number of people watching were killed.
Byron

Title: Re: Locomotive Racing
Post by: Stoker on May 04, 2021, 08:37:49 pm

Actually, without any train tonnage coupled on behind them, those engines are graced with full adhesion due to their own weight, without any drag from behind that they have to try and get started moving. Not saying that they couldn't spin their wheels trying for a fast start, but just that it is vastly less likely to happen when only pulling their own weight. In a situation like that the advantage would likely go to the smaller engines mostly because they almost certainly have smaller diameter drivers, and thus are operating in what is effectively a lower gear!

For the exact same reason that the little engines are most likely to win a short sprint, it is the larger engines with greater wheel diameters that would be certain to win a longer race with higher "geared" top speed potential!!!

Title: Re: Locomotive Racing
Post by: St Paul Steam on May 04, 2021, 08:10:22 pm

Quote from: classixs on May 04, 2021, 10:48:16 am

Doubt they can let them have it all, without spinning the wheels...but if nothing else, they can certainly make any treehugger´s head explode when let loose ;D

I was thinking the same about wheel spin on the start, I thought to myself before they ever started...I bet the littlest engine wins. They were certainly "Rollin coal" as the young boys with the turned up diesel fuel pumps would say around here.

Title: Re: Locomotive Racing
Post by: classixs on May 04, 2021, 10:48:16 am

Doubt they can let them have it all, without spinning the wheels...but if nothing else, they can certainly make any treehugger´s head explode when let loose ;D

Title: Re: Locomotive Racing
Post by: St Paul Steam on May 04, 2021, 10:04:34 am

Well.. that was interesting,  a bit anticlimactic after the start flare was shot,  kinda like watching turtles race. I guess I was expecting quicker acceleration. 😄
Alot of preperation went into that 15 second run.

Title: Locomotive Racing
Post by: classixs on May 04, 2021, 07:20:35 am

Pretty old movie, and you might have seen it already...
But i just saw it posted by Michiel Helsloot on another board, found it pretty cool, and wanted to share here as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn38lyfZp1Y