Chapter 7
I The First 100 Years 1788-1888
II Railways
i Location of the Railway
ii Track
iii Bridging and Tunnelling
iv Dams for Engine Water
v Locomotives and Rolling Stock
vi Signalling and Telecommunications
vii 1900/1988-The New Century
viii The Garratt Locomotive
ix Steam Locomotive Practice
x Motor Railcars
xi Signalling
xii Electric Tramways
xiii Electric Railways - Direct Current
xiv Electric Railways - 25 kV ac
xv Diesel Traction
xvi Alignment and Track
xvii Operations
III Motorised Vehicles
IV Aviation
V Modern Shipping
VI Innovative Small Craft
VII Conclusion
VIII Acknowledgements
IX Contributors
References
Index
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Motor Railcars (continued)
A 6-cylinder Leyland petrol engine was located under the floor (unusual for thetime), driving through a clutch, 4-speed 'crash' gearbox, and reversing (air operated dog clutch) final drive. The result was a fleet of 85 kW 55-seat cars weighing only 14.8 ton, which could run (albeit with a lively ride) at 100 km/h and return 6 mile/gal, at a total operating cost of 16 pence per mile when a steam train cost 28 pence. Few railways have made a more profitable and durable investment in innovation. Victoria built similar cars, but did not run them as successfully, or for so long, favouring the petrol-electric path instead.
People in Bright Sparcs - Macfarlane, Ian B.
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Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering |  |
© 1988 Print Edition page 469, Online Edition 2000
Published by Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/463.html