I’ve been watching some promotional films on Youtube about the Turbo trains from the early seventies. I’ve read alittle about them in the past, but haven’t taken too much interest in them otherwise. So what reason was it that they were not continued ?
Basic problem is Turbines and turbos run best at full speed, like Pennsy’s Steam turbine, low speed performance and idling time did them in.
That’s my understanding.
John
Edit;disregard the above, read the Wiki.
JC
Thanks John
John Caughey said:
Basic problem is Turbines and turbos run best at full speed, like Pennsy’s Steam turbine, low speed performance and idling time did them in.
That’s my understanding.
John
IIRC the turbines were also extremely fuel thirsty, this during the fuel crisis era.
A lot of people believe that through numerous trials, and failures, aircraft technology, applied to railroading, seldom works up to expectations. If the “Turbo Train” that is being referred to, is the CN/ViaRail one; dependability and maintenance, finally killed it…at least that is the general feeling. There is more on this subject, that can be found, with research on the web.
The Turbo Train, in Canada, was put in service between Montreal, and Toronto, and for a shorter period of time, between Montreal and Ottawa.
When they first started testing the Turbo, I had a ride on it. There was no interior finishing in it, and was loaded with concrete blocks to simulate a load. It was doing brake tests just West of Brockville Ontario. At the time it had the “Red Nose” colour scheme. This caused many of the CN employees to call it :“The Rudolf”…riding on the concrete blocks was more comfortable than riding in "Sleeper Class, on the latest "New equipment that Via Rail has in service on the Eastern Service today. The equipment that they use now is/was originally built for service in Britain, through the Tunnel, and rides very rough.
Via is still using the GREAT “Budd” equipment on the Canadian, and some Easter Service. They also use it on some corridor trains. In spite of its age, it is still the BEST equipment ever built in North America, and has survived the test of time that NOTHING else will ever beat.
Amtrak had their try at using the Canadian Turbo, and also their European built one, which seemed to last a bit longer, but was designed with much less aircraft influence. One of the Amtrack sets was in regular service between New York, and Montreal for quite a while.
Fred
NB…Rapido Trains, has produced a VERY detailed model of the Canadian Turbo train, in HO scale…very much worth looking at if you are a collector of model railroad equipment. It is available in all colour schemes, CN, VIA Rail, and Amtrak
BTW; the Canadian Turbo Trains were built by “United Aircraft Technology” and the European, Amtrak ones were built by “Rohr”…my spelling may not be correct on those names…
Fred
Wikipedia has a nice article about them here
I recall seeing one along the Hudson River as a teenager…Cool looking machines
Interesting article, Eric. I see the same aurgument for mothballing the Turboliners, over and over. They just couldn’t find anything better, for lack of a better word, than conventional equipment.