NNG "new steam" since about 1980

Hi,

I am still very intrigued with ACE (American Coal Enterprises) proposed steamers.

For those who do not know about this and would like more info The Ultimate Steam Page.



These five proposals were in the ACE thought processes. 4-8-2 Safety Cab, 4-8-2 standard cab, 4-8-4+4-8-4, 2-10-2, and a Garratt design by La Porta 2-8-0+0-8-2.

As I recall, there were between 3 and 5 railroads interested in the project. The 4-8-2 standard cab was sketched since on railroad (BN maybe) wanted a standard cab design. Since all the controls and sensors was to have been done by computer, having a cab on the fuel car (tender) was supposed to be easy.

The 4-8-4+4-8-4 reminds me of a Garratt with extra water being in the removable bins in the center.

"The ACE 3000 was to be capable of 3000 (nominal) draw bar horsepower (4000 hp peak)." I would expect the safety cab version was the same drawbar pull.

"ACE 6000 for its estimated horsepower rating, this soon evolved into a cab-forward 2-10-2 (called the Mark 1- with an enclosure to avoid the dreaded appearance of a "classical" steam locomotive"

The "classical" steam locomotive look for the last design put off the railroads - they wanted a modern diesel looking box.

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I seem to recall that the ACE concept was to be a steam-electric but the turbine to electrical and then electrical to traction motor mechanical conversion looses were to great and they went back to steam mechanical.

However I might have incorrectly understood what was going on at the time.

Apparently The National Steam Propulsion Company has an idea with a steam electric starting from a standard diesel C-C chassis and putting the steam part in a new car body.

Another company, North American Locomotive Corporation (NALC), apparently believed that the PRR duplexes (T1 4-4-4-4, Q1 4-6-4-4, Q2 4-4-6-4,for example) were pointing in the right direction.

"Another promising design was touted by Shoemaker & Associates. Mr. Shoemaker, who had been associated with North American Locomotive Company, evidently left to start his own project. It was to be a 9000 horsepower, coal fired steam turbine electric (STE)." This beastie was to have been a C-C-C-C+C-C (6-6-6-6+6-6)

All these locos were to be condensing locos so they could travel farther between water stops.

As for ACE, The coal was to have been packed into coal bins that could have been loaded at a mine and a fork lift was supposed to be the only item needed to remove the empty and replace it with a loaded on. Same for water - pre-filled in bins and swapped out. I seem to recall that if the ashpan was full, it would be removed with the fork lift and replace with an empty one. The bins for water and coal were to be set up with six bins 3 bins to one side and three on the other.

Even today, they are interesting ideas (some 40-odd years later).

I think that if there is a way to reuse the diesel chassis and a new car body and innards that is placed on top of the frame, Conversion to a steam electric would be a viable idea.

FWIW

Doug vV