Ponderings over the pond: Steam, its everywhere!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

LS said...: Great picture! Only in France do the train get to yield to the bikers - everywhere else the bikers (and cars) have to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN. What happens if the steam train can't stop? I wonder if there are differences in the ratio of runaway trains between steam trains and diesel and electric trains. Are steam trains more likely to not stop when they are supposed to? You can't really turn the engine off instantaneously.; July 10, 2007 at 12:31 PM
PP said...: The motive power really has little to do with it, all have the same air brake systems. However, in fact a steam loco has another option to add to stopping power. The engine can be reversed while moving and under power without any damage, allowing the wheels to be turning in the opposite direction helping it slow. You could not do this with diesel or electric.; July 10, 2007 at 12:54 PM
O.K. said...: There was fairly recently an incident in the tour where the peloton was held up at a train crossing, while a breakaway extended their lead (if I remember correctly that is). So the bicycle right-of-way isn't universal even in the Tour de France.; July 10, 2007 at 5:46 PM
O.K. said...: It was the other way around, two riders in a breakaway were held up by a crossing freight train for three and a half minute in 2001. But since the cycling sport is like it is the chasing peloton had to stop too, so they could not take advantage of the other's bad luck. :); July 10, 2007 at 11:47 PM

Ponderings over the pond