Interestingly, the October 2012 issue of Wired Magazine has an article about 3463. In part it appears to quote from the group's press release. There are some interesting tidbits though:



The rest of the article is of similar flavor.

It stands to reason that the article was not written for railway/steam enthusiasts.

is there a link to the article?

Does anybody here know how they will do that?

They don't, either. But, it's likely worth a Gov.t grant to study the question.

There's no hocus-pocus involved in properly balancing drivers. I imagine they'll first design light weight rods and reciprocating parts, then calculate the amount of driver balance weight required for the new arrangement, and adjust the amount of balance material in the drivers to suit.

Of course somebody writing an article for a high-tech gizmo magazine is going to try to make this process sound as high-tech/geeky as possible, technical correctness not withstanding.

I understand the need for balance. I was just wondering how a certain approach to balancing can build momentum in the wheels. I have never heard of a balancing objective to build momentum. I wonder what they mean.

Consider it from the perspective of a flywheel UPS battery. The better everything is balanced, the better it can build and exploit momentum. Smooth is good........also probably the reporter only gave a rough approximation of the actual meaning.

And, no, there's nothing mysterious about how it will be designed. Proven engineering is being adapted from old school steam locomotive design into the world of computer aided design including advancements in materials and reciprocating weight balancing science. Don't make the mistake of underestimating the combined technical breadth and brain power of the people involved.

dave

I have no idea how technically competent they are, but can only judge by what they say. In another part of their information release, they said that diesel locomotives cannot develop their full horsepower at the highest speeds.
They said this:

“…passenger rail providers are forced to rely on diesel-electric passenger locomotives, which develop maximum horsepower at low speed. Combined with inefficiencies of traction motors encountered at high revolution, these diesel trains exhibit sluggish acceleration above 25 miles per hour, hampering their ability to reach full potential at 110 or 125 mph.

By comparison, the modern steam locomotive develops and maintains maximum horsepower above 40 mph, enabling higher speed acceleration than alternatives available today.”


Either directly or by implication, they are saying that diesel locomotive cannot develop their full horsepower at the highest speeds.

Does anyone here agree that steam locomotives can out-accelerate diesel locomotives because diesels cannot deliver their full horsepower at the highest speeds, whereas steam locomotives can?

Research "Counter EMF."

dave