>>1769469Surely there has to be better ways of optimising the hill climbing ability. Maybe experimenting with direct drive steam turbines for smooth power delivery?
>>1769470Compounding isn't the only way to gain efficiency. A prime example is the soot that Challenger is producing. If that unburnt fuel had completed combustion before leaving the funnel then fuel use could easily be reduced by 5% or more. Plus there would be less maintenance needed on the tubes, flues and smokebox due to the soot sandblasting every surface.
Porta had a solution where the majority of the air comes in over the top of the firebed. The air coming in over the coal doesn't pick up the small particles as well, leaving a far cleaner exhaust. Pic related, loco on the left with a GPCS firebox and the right with a normal firebox.
Left is a locomotive
>>1769487>>1769488It seems to me that many US designers didn't appreciate the difference that good steam pipe routing and a good blast pipe could make to a locomotive's ability.
An example is on the LNER pacific, where it reduced coal use from 7lbs to 6lbs/mile, whilst simultaneously increasing maximum power.
