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From: friedman@uiucdcs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.railroad
Subject: Re: how do diesel engine transmissions w - (nf)
Message-ID: <4530@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 15-Dec-83 22:27:57 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.4530
Posted: Thu Dec 15 22:27:57 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Dec-83 08:11:34 EST
Lines: 17

#R:ihuxq:-41700:uiucdcs:20600004:000:829
uiucdcs!friedman    Dec 15 08:16:00 1983

Remember that a "diesel" engine is really a "diesel-electric"; an on-board
diesel generator power for electric motors, which actually move the engine.

Electric engines don't need variable gearing; it is characteristic of them
that they give lots of power when started at relatively low voltages,
and then speeded up gradually by increasing the voltage to the motors.

The techniques of coupling more than one diesel-electric together were
worked out for straight-electrics in the 1890s for rapid transit use, by
Frank Sprague, who was one of the key developers of the electric trolley.
There are a couple of systems (I think he invented one for GE and
another for Westinghouse--how's that for versatility?); both are called
multiple unit (MU).  My understanding is that modern diesel-electrics use
essentially the same methods.