The Cost Savings of Steam Today.

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Thu Jan 10 22:02:32 EST 2008


Yes, we need to see the calculations. Remember that coal has NOT gone up
in price
as fast as petroleum!
Tom Cosgrove

NW Mailing List wrote:

> 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

>

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 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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--
Tom Cosgrove
N2VFK
NREMT-B
SKYWARN Spotter LME002

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