On Tuesday, 3 June 2014 14:20:24 UTC+2, Clark F Morris  wrote:   
   > On Tue, 3 Jun 2014 01:58:12 -0700 (PDT), rcp27g@gmail.com wrote:   
      
   > > If an E unit is your baseline (2400 hp in 140 tons), then you don't need   
   > > to go very far to do an awful lot better.  The British HST power cars from   
   > > the 1970s had approximately the same installed power in half the weight   
   > > (2250 hp in 70 tons).  The Class 67 from the late 1990s manages 3200 hp in   
   > > 90 tons.  In both cases, these are designed for 125 mph.  The Class 68   
   > > Eurolight being deliverd today in the UK has 3800 hp in 85 tons (though   
   > > only rated for 100 mph).  These are all 4 axle locomotives.   
   >    
   > The advantage of the E unit is that it exists TODAY   
      
   The last one rolled off the production line over 50 years ago.  Today, they   
   are museum pieces.   
      
   >, has passenger   
   > gearing, is easier on the tracks than other US locomotives and can be   
   > run in the US without special permission.  For new service, I would   
   > like any of the above mentioned locomotives but they would get heavier   
   > (see the new Siemens locomotives for Midwest high speed) due to the   
   > FRA.  I didn't realize it was 140 tons.  The 6 axles are the saving   
   > grace for the purpose of lower forces on the curves an the ride was   
   > said to be excellent.     
      
   I'm sure compared with the steam locomotives they were replacing, they were   
   great and easy on the track and all that, but the world has come along way   
   since then.  If you want to run a serious day-in-day-out service, you really   
   want to be using equipment    
   that is younger than half a century (of which much is likely to have been   
   spent with questionable maintenance).  Bear in mind the E-units achieved their   
   "high" power output with two prime movers, while modern locomotives producing   
   50% more output at half    
   the weight do so with a single engine, singificantly reducing running costs.   
      
   Robin   
      
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