Dig a large pit, then drive the train into it. Post the results to YouTube.
Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
31–40 of 49 posts
Re: Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
#32> Locomotive engine must be disabled per a state grant funding agreement. What a dumb requirement. It's like the cash-for-clunkers program requiring the engines to be destroyed. The service life of a locomotive is effectively infinite - even after their useful freight days are done, they usually get refitted and sent to the developing world, or converted into a fixed power generator.
They're extremely efficient too! I forgot the marketing line but they can move one ton of freight something like 500mi on a gallon of fuel IIRC. Who knows, maybe even could be run on biodiesel?
Re: Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
#33Dig a large pit, then drive the train into it. Post the results to YouTube.
Somebody call that Sir Monster fella all the kids are so into
Re: Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
#34> Locomotive engine must be disabled per a state grant funding agreement. What a dumb requirement. It's like the cash-for-clunkers program requiring the engines to be destroyed. The service life of a locomotive is effectively infinite - even after their useful freight days are done, they usually get refitted and sent to the developing world, or converted into a fixed power generator.
They're extremely efficient too! I forgot the marketing line but they can move one ton of freight something like 500mi on a gallon of fuel IIRC. Who knows, maybe even could be run on biodiesel?
Yep, plenty of the freight world runs on 1940s and 50s era diesels. These were built in 85. They are some of the most efficient engines out there. Hell if you’re worried about efficient send this to Amtrak to replace their 1941 built sw1’s and you’re ahead. There’s freight companies running even older locos too.
This requirement was clearly made by someone who doesn’t know the freight rail industry at all. Freight trains are so efficient that the fuel costs are low no matter what. The biggest problem is upgrading the 1940s and 50s equipment out there to newer models since there’s little incentive. Here’s a perfect upgrade for those trains rendered useless by politicians.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
#35It's scrap. Needs cut up as close as possible to its current location.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
#36> Locomotive engine must be disabled per a state grant funding agreement. What a dumb requirement. It's like the cash-for-clunkers program requiring the engines to be destroyed. The service life of a locomotive is effectively infinite - even after their useful freight days are done, they usually get refitted and sent to the developing world, or converted into a fixed power generator.
>What a dumb requirement. It's like the cash-for-clunkers program requiring the engines to be destroyed. The whole point of the "cash-for-clunkers" program was to remove as many older, more polluting, and unsafe, cars from the market as possible, to force an upgrade of the fleet, and simultaneously provide incentives to buy new cars. It wasn't dumb in the larger scheme, but yes... on the individual level, it made it…
I wonder how many years a car eligible for that program would need to be driven to equal the environmental impact of building a new car and driving it for the same number of years.
I lack the expertise to offer a useful estimate, but I'm guessing that number is not small.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
#37A Locomotive without the... locomotive is pretty useless beyond spare parts. Seems really wasteful and political to push this agenda. It would make a great emergency generator in the SE right now...
Re: Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
#38Drag it out into the country somehow and shoot guns at it. Everybody needs a shootin’ car, and this is even better.
Re: Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
#39That's an EMD (division of General Motors) F40PH diesel-electric locomotive, not a gasoline locomotive. Gasoline locomotive did exist, but they were much smaller and usually served in mines or industrial railways.
Even with the engine disabled, the electric components and other parts will still be useful to the many railways still running F40 locomotives (like VIA rail in Canada).
Re: Ask HN: What would you do with a 130 ton locomotive?
#40Sell it for scrap and use the money to travel. 130 tons is a hefty millstone indeed.
If I am reading these numbers correctly, one recycling page is claiming that car scrap is worth $100-$200/ton. So I am not sure you are coming out ahead, even if train scrap commands a premium vs cars.
The question was about what I would do with a 130 ton locomotive.
Would I avoid having to deal with a 130 ton locomotive is a different question.
My comment suggests my answer to that question, I hope.