RE: [ihc] no IH content, but fun--

["John M. Adams" <jma@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Greg Hermann [mailto:bearbvd@domain.elided]
> Sent: Monday, October 25, 2004 10:28 PM
> To: Steven Stegmann; jma@domain.elided; ihc@domain.elided
> Subject: RE: [ihc] no IH content, but fun--
>
>
> But the MOST interesting UP thing I ever saw was, I _THINK_
> (never was able
> to chase down the details) was what appeared to be a combined cycle gas
> turbine unit !!! Think it had to be a gas turbine electric top
> cycle with a
> RECIP STEAM bottoming cycle !!!!!! This was in '92, saw it taking a long
> freight down 'the ramp' in western Nebraska. My guess would be a big two
> shaft turbine--fan jet sort of affair--taking power off the shaft to make
> power for traction motors on the tender, and on the leading and trailing
> trucks, using the fan to pull air over a steam condenser (yep, it appeared
> to be a closed steam cycle, only a wisp of dark exhaust smoke
> from it), and
> then take the turbine exhaust through a fire tube boiler (with perhaps a
> bit of afterburn using the excess O2 in the exhaust stream--to run the
> pretty convention steam drivers !!!
>

Could that have been an experimental / prototype unit? From what I see on
the various train forums (steam lovers in particular), the combined cycle
tech for locos is *just now* being reintroduced (with gas instead of oil -
which faded out in the 70s). I didn't think anyone was running them yet, but
you're talking about 12 years ago!

Got any pictures!? ;)

John A.

IH / RR content: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullRecord.asp?id=11949
(OK, sorta... but cool picture!)