The Cost Savings of Steam Today.

[NW Mailing List]

Ed,
Why don't we take a look at the man's work before we pick it apart?  The diesel-electric locomotive is a very efficient machine but so is a steam turbine.  It's about the best steady-state machine out there.  Granted there are lots of questions to be answered, especially emissions and fuel processing but let's hear the plan. 
Rick Huddle
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List<mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 
  To: NW Mailing List<mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 8:32 PM
  Subject: Re: The Cost Savings of Steam Today.


  I don't think so.  "The dollar value of coal that would accomplish the same amount of "work" is only $3.0 billion, according to calculations."  Whose calculations, based on what thermal efficiency?  Is the assumption to be that today's steam locomotive would have a thermal efficiency equal to that of an equal dbhp of diesel power?

  That's a lot of assuming, and I don't think it'd fly.

  EdKing
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: NW Mailing List<mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 
    To: NW Mailing List<mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 
    Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 7:11 PM
    Subject: RE: The Cost Savings of Steam Today.


    John - good for you and I would also like to see the paper.  
     
    How do you address the emissions issue?  When we look at those old photos of J's and A's and Y-6B's there is a whole lot of smoke that was certainly OK in the 50's but today would possibly be looked at more critically by some.
     
    Anything that reduces our dependance on foreign oil would be a big plus in my book.
     
    Thanks very much for your email!
     
    Ed Svitil




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      Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:49:33 -0500
      To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
      Subject: The Cost Savings of Steam Today.
      From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org

      Group:

      I have just finished a 2+ year project comparing the economics of the diesel locomotive and the modern steam locomotive.  The following is an excerpt from my paper:

      "A coal-fueled locomotive could achieve a 64.2% average cost savings over the
      current petroleum diesel-fueled locomotive. This comparison is based on ton-miles per
      dollar of fuel consumed in calendar year 2006. US Class I railroads burned 4.2 billion
      gallons of diesel fuel in 2006, costing $8.1 billion. The dollar value of coal that would 
      accomplish the same amount of "work" is only $3.0 billion, according to calculations.
      This is a cost savings of $5.1 billion in the single year of 2006. That is an incredible
      cost savings over the use of diesel fuel, which is largely imported, compared to coal, 
      which is mined locally in the US. Those 4.2 billion gallons of diesel fuel comprise 6.6%
      of the nation's diesel fuel use. That quantity of diesel fuel could be replaced by 72.3
      million tons of coal, equivalent to only 6.2% of the 1.16 billion ton yearly production
      of coal."

      This modern steam locomotive would be powered by coal and be environmentally responsible, low maintenance and conform to the needs of railroads today. 

      If anyone is interested in reading the paper (it is a 100+ page PDF).  I can ask the moderator to post it for the group.

      I hope you find this interesting,

      John Rhodes



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