Just a neat little film about some really "strange" trains! Grab a cuppa, sit back, enjoy and
watch to the end!
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The Fontaine Fiasco:almost beyond words. |
Most of the locomotives in the Museum of Retrotech have had
some degree of success, or at least been a brave try that yielded
useful knowledge. The Fontaine concept, however, appears to be devoid of
any redeeming features.
The monstrosity shown above was built in 1881 at the Grant Locomotive
Works, of Paterson, New Jersey. It was designed by Eugene Fontaine, of
Detroit. The engine was built with the driving wheels ABOVE the boiler,
their tread pressing on and transmitting motion to the carrying wheels
by frictional contact. The designer claimed this would increase the
speed of the engine for the same boiler pressure, though why he should
have thought so is a bit of a mystery; it would appear that all that has
been introduced is another place for slipping to occur. The likeliest
explanation is that he was trying to gear up the real driving wheels so
they turned faster than the "air-wheels". Slightly larger driving wheels
would surely have been an easier way to the same end.
This picture (an engraving apparently taken from the photograph above,
as was normal before photos could be printed) lends support to this
theory. Some helpful soul has dotted-in the hidden parts of the wheels,
showing that they do indeed step up the speed of the rail wheels, by a
modest ratio of 1.4 to 1, if my measurements from the diagram are
accurate. It does not seem worth the bother.
This locomotive with two wheels up in the air really was built and put
in service. The engine was tried on all kinds of trains, but proved
inferior in every respect to the ordinary engines of the same capacity.
After many modifications- none of which helped much- it was rebuilt as
an ordinary eight wheel engine.
Most of the locomotives in the Museum of Retrotech have had some degree of success, or at least been a brave try that yielded useful knowledge. The Fontaine concept, however, appears to be devoid of any redeeming features.
Source info: http://www.aqpl43.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/fontaine/fontaine.htm
Great video. I see they even worked in Big Boy for you at about the 11 minute mark.
ReplyDeleteReminded me of a book I have on the Worlds Worse Aircraft.
Terry
Fla.
Some of those old ones were really great - would have loved to have seen them in person!
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