Hello
The former SLM steam group has formed now a very active and enthusiastic own new company called DLM, Dampflokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik Winterthur. It develops exactly the thing Gauatemala will need in the future, modern efficient, clean, powerful narrow gauge steam locomotives. But there will also be rack locomotibes for Europe, India and the US (Mount Washington for example) and rescue engines for long tunnels, capable of operating long time in a tunnel without polluting the air and with no need for external power. Contacts are already with Alp Transit, the company building a new railway basis tunnel throug the Swiss alps (51 kilometers), but they could also be of use in the channel tunnel in city subway systems and any other big tunnels. Soon there will be a page on
www.dlmag.ch
here is the translation of the article from Neue Zürcher Zeitung from last week:
Title:
SLM gets an innovative Successor
Subtitle
Founding of Dampflokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik AG (Steam Locomotive and Machine Works Ltd.)
Lead:
With support of Sulzer and Hug Engineering AG this week the steam team of the former Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works Ltd. started to work with the new Steam Locomotive and Machine Works Ltd., DLM. DLM gets from Sulzer the whole SLM steam know-how since 1950 exclusively (this means exclusive rights on the design of the current Nilgiri engines), while the historic archives stay with Sulzer and will administrated by Adtranz.
Text:
bd. When in 1998 the engineering department of Schweizerische Lokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik (SLM) where sold to Adtranz, the perspectives of the small but innovative steam group, which has made some spectacular designs during the last 15 years, became bleak. First tries for a management buy out (MBO) failed. Sulzers "No" was basically related to the fulfillment of the contract for new paddle steam engines for lake Geneva, which SLMs successor Sulzer Winpro wanted to fulfill.
Steam instead of Diesel
Since a month now the new boiler and the new engine of the "Montreux" are now in Ouchy, close to Lausanne. The ship has been operated since 1961 with a diesel electric plant and now will be "revaporised". Already in September of last year the steam group made an attempt for an MBO after the announcement of Sulzer to restructure its industrial operations and to lay off about 2000 employees. It took several rounds of negotiations until Sulzer finally accepted on June 23rd a business plan. (...) The traditional Name SLM Sulzer did not want to give to the new company. Roger Waller, General Manager of the new company speaks of a mix between sale and MBO. The majority of capital, which is 650 000 Fr. at the moment (app. 380 000 USD) is held by Hug AG (...) 38 percent comes from Mr. Waller and his employees. They demonstrate their enthusiasm for the project, also looking to the fact, that they quite for a while could resist the temptation of other attractive job offers. As a start Sulzer offers the new company a small interest-free loan. This week DLM has started to work in new offices in Weisslingen and with a shop in Elgg. The team consist of 8 people. With support of CEO Hans Thomas Hug Mr. Waller also manages sales and marketing. Vertical integration of DLM is low, similar to successfull rolling stock supplier Stadler (Bussnang, Altenrhein, Potsdam). Already Sulzer Winpro has ordered the crank shaft for the ship engine as well as other parts in Italy and bought the boiler from an other Swiss company.
No Engineer
For the ship engine of the "Montreux" Sulzer Winpro, which also carries the risk, stays responsible. According to the contract DLM has to fulfill old contracts covered by Winpro according to special conditions. If Sulzer will agree to orders for three more ship engines is not sure yet. If CGN does not order more, it has to pay, if Sulzer does not want make more of them it also has to pay. The first scenario is not very likely, because diesel engines don’t get that old like steam engines and have to be replaced after about 30 years. New engines and gear boxes would cost about a similar sum like steam engines, but do not create any sympathy donations. And CGN can not go without the three other ships and they are protected by the state as monuments of cultural heritage anyway. For two other ships DLM could deliver the same engine like for „Montreux", while for „Helvétie", which needs a three cylinder engine, some engineering is still needed.
The engine of „Montreux" for the first time will be controlled from the command bridge, thus making the engineer obsolete and reducing staff costs to diesel level. Fuel consumption will still be slightly higher, but especially the steamers on Lake Lucerne have proofed, that the additional income created by the „steam attraction" offsets this disadvantage easily. On the testbed, commanded by a CGN Master, the engine has performed a simulated 12 hour scheduled trip on Lake Geneva from Geneva to St. Gingolph and back with all mooring maneuvers and emergency stops caused by little boats and swimming people in it’s way.
DLMs first job now is the modernization of the rack locomotive „Breithorn" of Brig Visp Zermatt Bahn. (...) Now SLM hopes to compile orders for another series of it’s H2/3 rack locomotive, successful in operation on Brienz Rothorn, Schafberg and Rochers-de-Naye. There are several railways in the world which would need new rack engines. The H2/3 would reduce the trip to Mount Washington from 70 to 23 minutes and also the UNESCO honoured Darjeeling Railway in India and Nilgiri have a need for new steam locomotives. Also DLM will design a narrow gauge adhesion locomotive for tourist railways.
Tunnel rescue engines
DLM sees an important market with tunnel rescue engines. In the case of fires in long railway tunnels only fireless steam locomotives would be able to move in and out, because overhead wires would melt, diesel engines would use up all oxygen and batteries are in danger to explode. Roger Waller thinks that the development of the reciprocating steam engine is not at it’s end at all. Especially in third world countries steam locomotives could be fired with cheap bio mass fuel, thus being CO2-neutral.
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 21. Juli 2000
Concerning tunnel rescue engines: In Switzerland construction has started of the new 50 kilometer Gotthard Basistunnel, but also other long railway tunnels in Switzerland and Europe as well as subway systems in big cities soon could require rescue engines. These will be high performance locomotives, able to operate long times under full load without recharging in tunnels. So from them easily standard and narrow gauge locomotives with extremely good performances can be derived, especially capable of running smooth on high speeds and passing long tunnels.
Yours
Andreas
