Talk:Steam turbine locomotive

Comment on efficiency

There is nothing inherent in turbines which makes condensers essential; it is merely simpler to make a turbine which will blow down to a vacuum than it is a reciprocating engine (there isn't space for triple expansion on a locomotive). The purpose of the condenser is to minimise the minimum cycle temperature to about 30 Centigrade, as opposed to 100 Centigrade corresponding to exhausting to atmosphere.

The reasons for the condenser are traced to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which shows that maximum efficiency is achieved by maximising the ratio of the highest to lowest temperatures of the cycle. A reciprocating engine and turbine operating between the same temperature source and sink should have similar thermal efficiency.

Loss of efficiency arises because turbine performance is very sensitive to speed, whilst positive displacement engines work well over a wide speed range, and hence are inherently better suited to wheeled transport. Gordon Vigurs 11:36, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

Why don't you incorporate this into the main article? I think it would make a good addition to the text. --DV8 2XL 11:45, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

I think the article is fine as it stands. It is a reasonable comment that the poor mechanical efficiency when running away from the optimum operating point needs to be offset by raising the thermal efficiency by using a condenser. I am being a bit pedantic. Gordon Vigurs 07:06, 31 May 2006 (UTC)

Electric Transmission

Section on "Norfolk and Western"

This section has no inline references. I don't know if there are ways to improve this with the source articles cited. If an additional source would be useful, I remember there was a short article on the Jawn Henry locomotive in Model Railroader magazine in the late 1970s. Unfortunately I don't have any of these articles available to me at the moment or I'd add the information myself. The authors so far deserve honors for their work, and best wishes to any who can further improve. Hersbruck (talk) 17:58, 19 January 2013 (UTC)

Refers to "as seen above" photo, but none can be found?

"It was later rebuilt as a direct-drive turbine locomotive as seen above." I was not able to find the referenced photo. Action: clarify, remove "as seen above," or restore photo? --Tim McNerney (talk) 14:17, 1 November 2023 (UTC)

It's not immediately obvious, but it was referring to text (and not an image). I'm going to make the connection clearer. Hellbus (talk) 20:45, 1 November 2023 (UTC)