[Bryan Smith]

I want a question about Chesapeake & Ohio class M-1 Steam-Turbo-Electric? it a steam turbine. But no i NOT planning to building another largest locomotive yet.

After the Second World War the C&O and the N&W wanted to use further coal as fuel for locomotives. The C&O received 1947 and 1948 three locomotives of the type M-1. Coal fired steam turbines with an electrical power transmission. Built by Baldwin Locomotive Works and Westinghouse Electric. In the front part of the locomotive were the air compressors and the coal supply. After the cab were the fire-tube boiler and in the tail are the steam turbine and the four generators. The drive is made by eight electric motors.
After three years the M-1 were scrapped.

prototype about C&O M-1
Weight: 617 tons
Length over clutches with tender 155' feet long
Trucks: (2-C1)-(2-C1-B) it only 8-electric traction motor

My question is WHY C&O M-1 is 3 year old then scrapped. what cause is fail this M-1 loco? You think inside cab is TOO hot in the cab for summer time? Why 5 dummy wheel and 8 traction motor?. you think expensively in maintenance repair? I dont understand why out of service?

 

[Rich Florence]

RE: Question About Chesapeake & Ohio class M-1 Steam-Turbo-Electric.

The M-1's ran from Charlottesville to Cincinnati, but mostly from Clifton Forge to Cincinnati.

They were troublesome but the advent of the diesel mostly spelled their demise.

 

[ralphbrades]

RE: Question About Chesapeake & Ohio class M-1 Steam-Turbo-Electric.

For the answer to your questions -try here:

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/locoloco.htm

regards

ralph

 

[Mike O]

RE: Question About Chesapeake & Ohio class M-1 Steam-Turbo-Electric.

Bryan,

The M-1 never performed as well as the engineers that designed it hoped. It also suffered from reliability problems. It was just too expensive to operate. The engine was originally designed to pull the Chessie, a new stainless steel streamliner. That train fell victim the sharp drop in passenger traffic after WWII. C&O also placed a huge order with Pullman for new passenger cars to be delivered in 1950 that were of a different design of the Chessie cars. Because of the same drop in traffic many of these cars were sold, some before they were delivered to C&O.

The C&O Historical Society has a good bit of information regarding the initial testing, and subsequent performance of these engines.

http://www.cohs.org

Mike