Hey Choo Choo guys

[Forever_frost]

Random question: I was watching the CSX commercial where they crank the train and lights come on in a computer warehouse. It got me thinking, I keep hearing a train can move x tons y miles on 1 gallon of diesel. If you had that train hooked into a grid, how long could you power a house based on standard fuel load of the train?

[Craizie]

These are "engineers", not intelligent people...

[Ruffdaddy]

This makes me wonder why trains aren't autonomous yet...

There's no reason you need a trained monkey to drive something that only has 1 choice of where it's going.

[Chas_svo]

This makes me wonder why trains aren't autonomous yet...

There's no reason you need a trained monkey to drive something that only has 1 choice of where it's going.

But, but, but...they are harder to "drive" than an airliner. I remember some douche on here saying that...

[War Machine]

These are "engineers", not intelligent people...

lol oh shit

[YALE]

All the trains' respective gensets are rated by their output. It wouldn't be too hard to figure out how many houses they could power if they were hooked into the grid, but they're not. It would take more infrastructure than it would be worth.

[FreightTrain]

At max power one locomotive can produce 1500 amps. On a 120 volt system thats 180,000 watts or 180 kilowatts. In it's simplest form a locomotive is nothing but a large generator.

[Kimmypie]

This makes me wonder why trains aren't autonomous yet...

There's no reason you need a trained monkey to drive something that only has 1 choice of where it's going.

Unions?

[FreightTrain]

This makes me wonder why trains aren't autonomous yet...

There's no reason you need a trained monkey to drive something that only has 1 choice of where it's going.

Just shows how ignorant you are about the nations railroad system. Oh but on dfwmustangs anyone can be an expert on anything. I almost forgot about that.

[Craizie]

I'm fairly certain a computer could do a better job than you.

[Forever_frost]

Interesting. So wouldn't it make more sense to, instead of destroying the trains after their service, hook them into the grid?

FT, are you saying you cannot program a train, to travel down a set distance, reading in front of it with radar and other current tech? I venture it'd be safer due to the fact that the computer doesn't get tired or distracted

[bcoop]

I'm fairly certain a computer could do a better job than you.

Lulz. Hope you don't wind up dead here soon. Threatening a union monkey's job is srs bizness!

[Taylor]

Hr guy from Omaha told me they took several engines to Louisiana after Katrina and powered several towns.

[Taylor]

Some serious haters up in hurra.

[krazy kris]

Think if those computers took a shit out on the main line, then you have a dead train on a main line holding up other trains. That deliver goods to many of the places you shop. Or they go nuts and blow through signals causing a huge derail with hazmat chemicals all over the place.