Page 8 Advertisements Column 1

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18493, 2 March 1922, Page 8

• Great secrecy is. being observed regarding the turbo-electric locomotive, which, a leading British engineering firm is building for trial on a main line British railway. , It can, however, be stated that the principle adopted is similar to the system of electric ship propulsion, which was first patented, in Great Britain. The prime mover is a high speed turbine coupled direct to .an electric generator; this generator supplies current through controllers to motors which drive the ■, wheels through some form of gearing,. The advantage, of this arrangement is that it combines, the great efficiency of the highspeed turbine with the flexibility of electrio speed control. If the trials are successful they will prbhably lead to the conversion of many express steam locomotives to' the electric drive. This turbo-electric locomotive is not to be confounded with a new type of “thermo-electric” locomotive, which another leading British firm is building for experimental purposes.. In this case the prime mover is an internal combustion engine of a novel and economical design, which, can utilise anv kind of crude oil. In countries overseas where there is a deficient water supply along the routes of railways there, is a magnificient-field for an.internal combustion engine locomotive which-proves to be really efficient.