[ale] OT geek motorcycle?

[Jeff Hubbs]

Actually, there's a different and more fundamental reason why
diesel-electric locomotives are, well, diesel-electric.  Locomotives
have to produce very high torques at no or nearly no RPM.  The
non-starter for diesel drive is the torque converter you'd need - it'd
have to be at least as big as the engine!

On Tue, 2004-04-20 at 09:07, Brian MacLeod wrote:
> Yes, they save a lot on maintenance on transmissions and stuff, but one
> of the larger reasons diesel locomotives drive generators which drive
> electric motors is because it allows the engineers a hell of a lot more
> control when they use more than one loco.  It's much easier with
> electricity to regulate your speed/power then trying to get a bunch of
> diesel engines "synchronized."
> 
> bnm
>  
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On 
> > Behalf Of Kevin Krumwiede
> > Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 11:53 PM
> > To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
> > Subject: Re: [ale] OT geek motorcycle?
> > 
> > On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 17:10:29 -0400
> > Danny Cox <danscox at mindspring.com> wrote:
> > 
> > > 	The main problem with electrics, as always is the throttle, or
> > > 	more
> > > precisely, the lack thereof.  The mini-bike had an on/off 
> > switch.  If 
> > > you use a rheostat, you lose the energy as heat, and the batteries 
> > > wear down as if you were full throttle all the time.
> > 
> > I wonder how diesel locomotives do it.  Their engines drive 
> > generators; electric motors drive the wheels.  Massive 
> > transmissions and drive shafts are less efficient and harder 
> > to maintain, I guess.
> > 
> > IIRC, an electric motor's torque varies with current, and its 
> > speed varies with voltage.  So, what about using a 
> > transformer tapped for various voltages?  It'd be like an 
> > electric transmission.
> > 
> > Krum
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> > 
> > 
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