[SEL] Check out Working Cog Railway Steam Locomotive - eBay (item 110442499633 end

[Rick Rowlands]

I don't believe that the locomotive and coach actually make contact during 
the descent.  My understanding is that the brakeman controls the car and 
maintains a small distance between the coach and the locomotive.  The 
coach's brakes are doing all its work during the descent.  The locomotive 
uses a system whereas the cylinders become air compressors and that 
resistance is enough to control the speed of the locomotive.  If the coach's 
brakes should fail the locomotive would have the ability to stop the 
movement.  It may not sound as if that were possible but its worked for over 
a hundred years that way.

Rick

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <curt at rustyiron.com>
To: "The SEL email discussion list" <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 12:41 PM
Subject: Re: [SEL] Check out Working Cog Railway Steam Locomotive - eBay 
(item 110442499633 end


> Shock!
>
> Missy, Devin, and I rode this cog railway many years ago and it is one of
> those special memories one never forgets.
> The inclined boiler makes the locomotive useless anywhere except on a very
> steep grade, such as Mt. Washington for which it was designed.
>
> I'm not sure I buy into the "green" reason for the switch to diesel. I'm
> wondering if it is a combination of economics, wildfire risk, and safety.
> I'll have to admit to a modicum of concern coming back down the mountain
> as the horrid sounding brakes were applied to supplement the steams
> engine's reversing efforts that weren't quite doing the job. While that is
> all part of the thrill of the ride, I couldn't help but think, if anything
> ever happens to the steamer, there isn't enough brake to make a difference
> to the inevitability of gravity.
>
> Besides, if they were really "green" they would take the ObamaOpt and use
> wind power to power the train up the mountain :-)  There's plenty enough
> wind on top of that mountain!!!
>
> If this is inevitable, I wonder why they don't go electric? Regen on the
> way back down allows power to be placed back on the grid. The more I think
> about this, the less sense this switch from steam to diesel makes.
>
> Saddened that one of the great destinations of the country for the
> mechanically inclined is changing.
> Curt Holland
> Gastonia, NC
>
>
>
>
>
>> The beginning of the end.  Anyone have a mountain in need of a
>> locomotive?
>>
>>
>> It breaks my heart.....
>> Steve
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _Working  Cog Railway Steam Locomotive - eBay (item 110442499633 end time
>> Oct-15-09  12:31:44 PDT)_
>> (http://cgi.ebay.com/Working-Cog-Railway-Steam-Locomotive_W0QQitemZ110442499633QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item19
>> b6e2ce31)
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>
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