There is still time to bid steam on the New Bedford / Fall River service extension on the MBTA. Estimated $2.2 billion dollar project. An unparalleled opportunity to have the largest operation of modern, fuel-efficient, non-polluting steam locomotives in the world. (Provided of course that the claims for modern high-tech steam are true).

And what an opportunity for photography, more than 100 textile mills in New Bedford to provide an appropriate industrial background. Unfortunately almost all of them are empty.

PC

Many of us "old fogeys" were around when those American Coal Enterprises proposals were being made. I seriously wonder what would have happened if said locomotives had been built in the late 1980s or early 1990s--more than likely, a recent or current Federal administration would have targeted them for extinction under "clean coal" initiatives.

The highlight of those proposals, of course, was the use of Rowland's C&O 614 (renumbered "614T") for "test runs" to "gather data" on the ex-C&O Huntington-Hinton line in January 1985. David Wardale, a South African Railways consultant for the American Coal Enterprises team, alleged later in his book "The Red Devil and Other Tales," that the January 1985 trips were basically a sham, with no real useful data actually collected and operated for publicity as much as any excuse. (Add those allegations to the reasons some people are reluctant to genuflect before the mere mention of Rowland, as other steam enthusiasts seem wont to do.)

Mr. Wardale was hired to work on the ACE-3000 project by Bill Benson upon the recommendation of the lead design engineer Mr. Dante Porta. Unfortunatly there developed a personality issue and Mr. Wardale was terminated during the Jan. '85 test runs using C&O 614 and he returned to England.

The primary objectives of the ACE-3000 test runs was for the Foster-Wheeler engineers to obtain certain data readings from the locomotive using coals ranging from very high quality Eastern 13,000btu/lb. fuel to very low quality Western lignite with a 6,000-8,000 btu/lb. rating. The F-W engineers also recorded extensive data on the interaction between the 614's frame and boiler to make final design calculations for the ACES-3000 engine.

In a joint effort between ACE and the AAR a section of track near Charleston W.Va. was equipped with sensors to record the dynamic augment produced by the 614 and the diesels then running on other unit coal trains so that Mr. Porta and his team could make final design decisions for the new engine to ensure that it was properly counter balanced and thus be no more demanding on the track structure than the diesels.

Dante Porta and the F-W engineers pronounced the month long tests a huge success and highly worthwhile. My Wardale's minority opinion was IMHO largely that of a disgruntled ex-employee.


Too bad that the world price of oil collapsed just as the prototype was to be built as who knows where it would have led us??

Ross Rowland