Questions of the day

bigkid posted:

1)Did they ever think of diesel direct drive locomotives rather than diesel-electric?

No, not to my knowledge.

I understand why they went with the diesel-electric mode (multiple unit control, which Frank Sprague developed in the late 1800's, meant that you could control all the engines in a multi unit set, it already was working long before the diesel came about on subways and multi unit trolleys and interurbans). Just wondered if anyone worked on them or actually produced them; I understand why they never made it, of course.

Remember that with a pure mechanical drive from the diesel engine, the real problem was trying start the movement of the vehicle itself, let alone pulling anything. Think "clutch issues".  

2)Did anyone ever work on, or at least propose, a steam-electric kind of engine?

Yes, the UP, C&O, and N&W all experimented with steam electric locomotives.

Not sure that it is even possible, I don't know if you can have a demand regulator that you can with a diesel or gas engine where it revs the engine in response to more demand; the other issue might be the need to have a fireman in all the engines, either to feed the fire or simple as a safety in case something goes wrong there. Obviously, if they did it wouldn't be very practical, especially once the diesel engine had been perfected, but just curious. 

I believe that there were some small industrial diesel-mechanical locomotives built.  The problem is that a mechanical drive for a road-capable diesel locomotive couldn't be made robust enough to handle the loads.  The closest thing to a diesel-mechanical drive is the diesel-hydraulic system tried by D&RGW and SP in the 1960's.

Stuart

Stuart posted:

The closest thing to a diesel-mechanical drive is the diesel-hydraulic system tried by D&RGW and SP in the 1960's.

Or the Budd RDC.

Not qualified to answer but I think there are some chain drive diesel powered switchers in the UK.  Mostly 4 wheeled/single truck types.

Diesel Mechanical

This says it all:

Edjt: I think the problem wasn't with the performance but the gear changing while everything was in motion... And having something robust enough to get it in motion. 

Uh, check out the 1941 Locomotive Cyclopedia, beginning on page 1047: Davenport 35 ton gas mechanical; also diesel mechanical;  assorted Vulcan diesel geared mining and industrial locos, four speed, gear drive!  Both companies also offered diesel electrics, too, as did GE and Atlas.  GE offers some tiny ones, and storage battery, with a fairly large 50 ton storage battery plant switcher shown.  Also very tiny Westinghouse battery mining loco shown, Atlas electric for Climax molydemum mine outside Leadville, Colorado, and many more.  Who was Atlas?

Are we forgetting the Krauss-Maffei diesel hydraulics? 

Tinplate Art posted:

Are we forgetting the Krauss-Maffei diesel hydraulics? 

I'm sure both the D&RGW and the Southern Pacific would like to forget them.

TRUE! 😁

Tinplate Art posted:

Are we forgetting the Krauss-Maffei diesel hydraulics? 

No but I bet many reading this thread forgot about the EMD Diesel Hydraulic switchers!

Tinplate Art posted:

Are we forgetting the Krauss-Maffei diesel hydraulics? 

Did you miss my post yesterday?

Stuart

WRT OP's question 2 (all three of these pics are Public Domain):.

UP Steam Turbine Electric built by GE:

C&O Coal Turbine Electric by Baldwin:

N&W Jawn Henry Coal Turbine Electric by Baldwin: