ACE 3000

Last updated
ACE 3000
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Designer Ross Rowland
American Coal Enterprises
Build dateNever built
Total produced0
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 4-4-4-2
Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Driver dia.54 in (1.372 m)
Boiler pressure300 psi (2.07 MPa)
SuperheaterType "E"
Cylinders Four (Compound)
Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures
Maximum speed70 mph (113 km/h)
Power output3,000 hp (2,240 kW)
Tractive effort:
  Starting70,000 lbf (311.38 kN)
  Continuous100,000 lbf (444.82 kN)
Career
Class ACE 3000
DispositionNever built

The ACE 3000 was a proposed modern 4-4-4-2 coal-burning steam locomotive design for Ross Rowland's ACE 3000 Project and for the American Coal Enterprises, the locomotive was designed by Ross Rowland and was developed by American Coal Enterprises in the late 1970s. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Testing

In 1985, Chesapeake and Ohio 614 was modified to do better performance under the guidance of David Wardale. For several weeks between January and February of 1985, No. 614 (renumbered to 614-T, with the "T" denoting testing) had hauled several coal trains between Huntington, West Virginia and Hinton, West Virginia. [6]

When the 1970s came, the 1970s oil crisis had hit and it was causing problems for the railroads that had dieselized in order to cut costs and operating diesels was getting more expensive. [6]

Design

Development of the modern 4-4-4-2 coal-burning steam locomotive that was classified as the ACE 3000 was done by American Coal Enterprises, which was founded to raise funds to build this steam locomotive using modern technologies that could make steam just as efficient as ever than diesels. [7] [8]

The locomotive was originally designed to be a steam turbine locomotive, but was instead redesigned to utilizing a traditional reciprocating drive as the development of the locomotive had continued. [9]

It was designed using a duplex-drive which meant that it would be a duplex locomotive and was designed to be a cab-forward steam locomotive. [10]

See also

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References

  1. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1982) , p. 1
  2. Johnson (1986) , p. 585
  3. Withuhn, William L. (1981). "New Steam in the 1980s?". Railroad History (145): 6–10. ISSN   0090-7847. JSTOR   43523899.
  4. Withuhn, William L. (1987). "New Steam in the 1980s — What Happened?". Railroad History (156): 6–10. ISSN   0090-7847. JSTOR   43523740.
  5. Thomsen, Dietrick E. (1981). "The Little Engine That Might". Science News. 120 (13): 202–204. doi:10.2307/3966368. ISSN   0036-8423. JSTOR   3966368.
  6. 1 2 "A RAIL RUN IS TESTING STEAM USE". The New York Times. 1985-01-27. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  7. United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources (1984) , p. 96
  8. Whitehouse (1983) , p. 232
  9. Boyd, Jim. The Steam Locomotive A Century of North American Classics. MetroBooks. p. 103. ISBN   1586636138.
  10. Vantuono, William C. (2021-08-10). "BOOK REVIEW: The Steam Locomotive Energy Story". Railway Age.

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