Model Railroad – Electric Engine
Here’s one of my favorite photos that I took of my friends model railroad setup. I like the way the period housing and car looks in the background with the focus primarily on the electric engine. These types of engines were in use at the time as an alternative to steam engines.
I even remember riding on the electric trolley cars in San Francisco as a child. I don’t think there are many electric train engines in use today, at least in my country around where I live. Diesel train engines and long haul trucks became more widely used.
With modern technology it seems like electric train engines could be made very low polluting and recover kinetic energy on the downhill through breaking. Trains in general are much more efficient in moving heavy loads and cost less to maintain the tracks as opposed to heavy trucks. Perhaps electric train engines might make a comeback someday, especially for shorter passenger trips.
Tim the electric engine – click for viewing full screen
The little bits of dirt clinging to the tracks and top of the model make the engine look very realistic. I could imagine it being on display somewhere like some of the older steam engines that you can find occasionally.
There is a bit of a back story with “Tim” the engine that my friend explained to me. The model engine was originally put together by his brother but was not completed before he passed away. My friend inherited the engine and put some finishing touches on it and painted it.
I think it is very nice to be reminded of how much things in the past have been a part of everything that we experience today. I hope Tim the engine will continue to remind future generations of their link to the past.
Thanks for reading! I always value your support and comments. The pictures were taken by me with my Galaxy S9+. Text and graphics copyright 11/02/2018 lightsplasher & litesplasher.
In a way, all trains are electric. Big diesel trains drive a generator. that generator powers the electric motors on the axles. It is a very efficient way to deliver power to the wheels without a gearbox. The benefit to having multiple electric motors is dynamic braking. Each electric motor produces power from the trains inertia. When you want to slow down, one motor is switched electrically to another motor except the polarity is reversed. This way both motors are trying to create electrical power, but they are fighting each other. The result is that the train uses its own inertial to slow itself down.
The engineering challenge with all electric trains like the model in the picture is that the overhead cable must deliver all the power to the train which is a bunch. There are two ways to deal with that much power. Giant cables and giant contacts with low voltage or small cables and very high voltage. Either way, the total energy that can be delivered has limits without burning up the sliding contact which is why all electric trains must pull a lighter load.
Very good point. Somehow I never thought of this as being and "electric train engine" but your right.
A lot of new technologies have been announced that seem like they could help out the train industry. Tesla was even working on a battery operated self driving long haul semi-truck. I wonder if something like that could be adapted to run on train tracks? I've heard that people are planning on ways to build charging technologies into roadways for electric vehicles so they would charge as they drove. I wonder if this could work better than the cables.
Room temperature superconductors could solve a lot of these issues with electrical technologies and could have us using floating low friction trains. It sounded like someone was close to figuring this out a while ago but I've heard nothing recently about it. (Maybe the funding was cut for more important things? LOL) It does seem possible that someday this might be developed. I've heard that our brains function as a type of superconductor but I'm not sure if that is correct or not.
It is a sweet looking engine! Cool that they both seemed to be into model railroads. Where I grew up the still had cement arches over the train tracks from the days gone by where the cable would have been.
I believe most modern trains are electro-diesel. Much like some cruise ships I believe. In many ways I think the future is electric. BTW I was in Detroit and behind a Tesla. It was a sweet looking ride. Have a good weekend my friend.
Tesla and some other electric cars have been on my wish list for some time. I don't know if I will ever be able to afford anything but one can wish right? Have a nice weekend too my friend.
I've always found model trains fascinating, although I've never had one. One of my uncles use to have a large setup in an outbuilding that most people would have used for storage or a garage. It had a platform around the three walls that the door was not on and was quite the elaborate set up. I didn't get to see it but a few times, but as a child, it was certainly something to behold.
Loved the sentimental part of this story. Such a little thing, holding such a big fond memory.
I'm really the same way about model trains. My grandfather and dad were really into them too and wanted to setup something but never got the chance. It does take a fair amount of space and some time to devote to doing it. My garage is too cluttered with items to have the space for it. Maybe at some point I can get around to cleaning it up and make way for something new to come in. Thanks for commenting.
Oh, you know how I love these model trains. The emotional part of me thinks fondly of my dad and my childhood every time I see one. I can remember painstakingly gluing the landscape pieces so it would have a realistic look to it. We took pictures of real bushes to emulate.
Nostalgia. I hope that the engine will continue doing its job reminding people too.
As far as electric trains go, there are many, especially in the Northeast corridor of the United States. See here.
Thank you for showing off the model trains again. Always a wonderful sight!
Tip!
Thank you, they sure are nostalgic. I noticed the references to electric trains seem historical in nature and the ones I looked at were no longer in operation. I guess it is more cost effective to operate diesel electric type engines.
To be the hope of all our earth's minimal pollution.
but the vehicle is increasingly sold out,
hopefully in the future there will be a lot of new innovations in terms of transportation, factories and others.
Thank you @lightsplasher for sharing a very interesting story.
hope you are always healthy and your day is fun.
I think we will see a lot of good innovations that reduce pollution soon. We are seeing a lot of effects of pollution right now so I'm sure the tide will turn and things will change to reduce the pollution.
Thank you for your support my friend.
Excellent review and photo, it is very surprising to see this engine, even in this size it looks like a real one! Thanks @lightsplasher
apparently the technological tools of ancient times were no less sophisticated than the technological tools that we now feel. my amazing friend @lightsplasher has a very amazing post that I really like.
Good story, friend @lightplasher I am very happy to read it,
Hopefully you are always good friends.
This is great information and valuable post.very beautiful post .
thanks @lightsplasher
Have a great day
Hi @lightsplasher!
Your post was upvoted by @steem-ua, new Steem dApp, using UserAuthority for algorithmic post curation!
Your UA account score is currently 4.481 which ranks you at #1973 across all Steem accounts.
Your rank has improved 3 places in the last three days (old rank 1976).
In our last Algorithmic Curation Round, consisting of 219 contributions, your post is ranked at #42.
Evaluation of your UA score:
Feel free to join our @steem-ua Discord server