Was the Geep trailing in the photo used for dynamic braking? UP Steam does this sometimes, placing a diesel behind the steamer for DB to make the engine work some more, or for downgrades. I don't know if NYC Geeps had DBs, much less see if the one pictures has it.
Are you sure that isn't an ALCO? A locomotive hauled it around, and served as its reverse, as its drive shafts were disconnected to prevent the torque converters overspeeding the Detroit 6-110 diesels. As Jake noted, those prime movers on the roof had no reverse. Yes, the diesels overheated, and the high temp automatic shutdown had to be disconnected. At least one of them had to run anyway, as the jet shafts weren't even geared to the air pump, much less any generators. And yes, brakes were considered important. How did this conversation get started in a thread about curves? This thing was modified solely for the straightest stretch of track the NYC owned.
Thanks for correcting my misinformed opinion. However, I was partially correct in that there was no reverse thrust capability. It sounds to me like the goal of the experiment was re-stated to declare success. Note also that the testing was only on straight track with no curves (for very good reason), rendering it completely irrelevant for practical use (as is evident to this day). The effort was really not much more elaborate than a simple sled test. I thought that engine pod looked familiar! The B-36 was built at AF Plant #4 in Fort Worth, where I worked for 15 years (long after that.) I have a poster of the plane, signed in my presence by the test pilot, during an anniversary celebration of its first flight. The film "Strategic Air Command" (starring Jimmy Stewart and June Allison) features the plane, and footage of Carswell AFB and next-door AF Plant #4. The B-36, eventually equipped with four of these jet engines (in two pods), and six massive 28-cylinder radial piston engines spinning 3-blade pusher props, was the largest and most powerful bomber in the fleet. The original version, before the jets were added, is the worlds largest piston-engine airplane to ever fly. It's payload even exceeded that of the venerable B-52 that still flies today. The B-52 is exclusively powered by similar jet engines in pods of two each.
The diesel locomotive shown was only used to pull the jet-powered RDC back, since the jet-equipped RDC had no reverse capability. I don't believe it was attached during the jet-powered test run. Diesels are also included on UP Big Boy steam excursions to generate electricity for the passenger and support cars.
Durn tight radius curves! I actually have no idea what happened here, but I'll bet it made one heck of a bang. (June 1966, Philadelpha, PA)
At first, I thought the inner track had completely collapsed under the railcars, but on second look, it does appear that the railcars string-lined. Somebody wasn't "READING" the regs! That would actually be a cool scene to model...
The S. Blumberg and Sons scrapyard just received an unscheduled delivery. That curved bridge/viaduct was part of a connection between the Reading and the PRR and led to the nearby RDG Port Richmond facility.
I think it is obvious. Low hanging trip pin snagged on something (probably a guard rail) causing the cars in front to stringline. Happens all the time. You sure this pic wasn't taken on an Ntrak layout? That backdrop looks real fakey.
Regarding the “we don’t need no stinking tractive effort” post from September: (I haven’t figured out how to quote a post on this board yet.) The question posed was about a train in outer space. Re: the picture posted of the locomotive with the jets atop it. Those arejet engines atop the locomotive, and thus need oxygen for combustion. You may not need tractive effort, but you do need some “steenking motive power,” and you won’t have that with jet engines in outer space. Cheers
Drag across what you want to quote. Click on Quote and then use the 'insert quote' in your message or hit the 'Reply' box after dragging across it and it will open a new reply with the quote at the top, Sumner
I’m doing this from my phone (right now.) Simple stuff like dragging the mouse and highlighting text are well -nigh impossible. Maybe when I get home in front of a real PC, I might find some normalcy to the behavior of the pages.
On my phone, no posts have a reply button. The only reply option I get is the general reply box at the bottom, with the “Post Reply” button, which I am about to hit. I find now if I turn my phone sideways, it shows the reply button. But because my phone won’t collapse the keyboard at present, I see precisely one line of text, what with the forum header and ads displayed. Lots of forums “hide” info when the phone is upright, but this is the first one I’ve seen that hides the basic reply functionality buttons.