IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // €is "t^ ^\% k ^ A* t^ <5f :/. C/a m 1.0 I.I 11.25 1^12.8 2.0 U 1 1.6 V] ^ /a / % % > ^ /a o ^'F / ;:.D SONS. tIMITEU. STAMFORD STHF.F.T AM. CIIARIKO CHrsS. THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. SEor. II.— OTHER SELECTED TAPERS. iPaper No. 1995.) " On the Energy of Fuel in Locomotive Engines." By Granville Carlyle Cuningham, M. Inst. C.E. The object of this Paper and of the accompanying Table, is to show, by data obtained from different railway companies, what is the amount of fuel consumed per unit of work done by locomo- tive engines ; how this consumption varies on different lines of railways ; and how the energy of the fuel utilized compares with the full energy, in other words, how much of the energy is used, and how much lost. The consumption of fuel per unit of work, that is, per ton weight moved 1 mile, is perhaps the most certain and reliable scale by which the capacity of a railway for doing work can be measured, and compared on the same scale with another railway. Any estimate based upon cost is misleading, since the price of labour, fuel, and everyt.hing that enters into the working of a railway, varies at diflferent times and in different places. It might thus happen that a line showing a large cost per train-mile, or per car-mile, was more economically and carefully worked, and better able to do the work for which it was constructed, than another showing a smaller cost per car-mile. The comparison plainly depends upon the cost of labour and material in the two localities, and is vitiated by the rise and fall of marlrots. No time comparison of the respective railways, or even of dilferent periods of the same railway, can be made until such vitiating elements have been eliminated, and a basis arrived at which shall be common to each, and unaffected by any adventitious circumstances. In the consumption of fuel per unit of work there exists such a common basis of comparison, and one which demonstrates the capacity for doing work which the railway, possesses? For the consumption of fuel is almost an absolute standard, varying only with the quality of the fuel used, and is not affected by any other uncontrollable circumstance. Thus, if on one line of railway the consumption per ton moved 1 mile is very much greater than on CUNINGIIAM ON ENERGY OF FUEL IN LOCOMOTIVES. [Selected another, it is evident that on the formei' the gradients and curves, and such elements of resistance, must bo more severe than on the hitter ; and that therefore the hitter lino is the Letter able to do its work, and can, other things being equal, do it more cheaply. Of course other circumstances may cause an unusual consumption (»f fuel, such as severity of climate, inducing largo evaporation and loss of heat ; or badly-dosignod engines, resulting in waste of fuel. But even those ai'o matters that can bo controlled, because the first may be obviated by having tlio engine more tlu oughly protected from tho weather, and the second by improvements in the type of engine. Witli similar engines acting under not very dissiniilar climatic inliuonces, it remains that tho consumption of fuel per unit of work may bo taken as a certain index to tho character of tho railway. in preparing tho Table which accompanies this Paper, con- siderable difficulty has been experienced in arriving at the requisite data. The published annual reports seldom give tho information in the direct manner in which it is required ; but all tho figures made use of have been drawn either from tho published reports, or from information obtained directly from the railway officials. On tho Canada Southern Kailway, where tho consumption of fuel is lower than on any of the other lines, tho gradients and curvature ore very light. Tlie main line of this railway extends through the southern part of tho province of Ontario in Canada, from Fort Eric on tho Niagara Eivor, where tho International Bridge gives access to the State of Now York, and opposite to tho city of Buffalo, to Amherstburg on tho Detroit river, separating Ontario from the State of Michigan. Tho Detroit river is crossed by ferry boats, on which tho carriages are taken over to Grosse Isle ; from whence they run into Toledo (wheie connection is made with the Wabash railway system), or into Detroit (whore connection is made with the Michigan Central system), over the Toledo, Canada Southern and Detroit Railway. The distance from Fort Erie to Aiuherstburg is 229 miles, and throughout there is no gradient steeper than 15 feet to the mile (1 in 352), and tho alignment is remarkably free from curves. On the western portion of tho line, the distance from St. Clair junction to Amherstburg, 107 miles, is made up of two straight lengths of 53 and 54 miles, joinetl by a light curve. The same gradient is maintained on the Toledo, Canada Southern and Detroit Railway, and on tho St. Clair branch of tho main lino. Tho only parts of tho system on which stoop gradients exist are the Erie and Niagara, and Michigan Midland lines; bnt on these the traffic is extremely small, and they aggro- Papor8.] CUNINQIIAM ON ENERGY OP FUEL IN LOCOMOTIVES. steep gate only 45*28 miles in extent, as compared with 403*04 miles of the entire system. The locomotives used are of the Baldwin type, with two pairs of driving-wheels coupled, and weighing about 60,000 lbs. on the drivers. The main line of the ]\Iichigan Central Railroad, which extends through the southern part of the State of Michigan from Detroit to Chicago, is 284*07 miles in length, but with branches and leased lines, it comprised 949*59 miles in 1881. The gralients on the main line and branches are considerably steeper than those on the Canada Southern, and in places reach 52 feet to the mile (1 in 100). The locomotives used are similar to those on the Canada Southern, and the fuel is also similar, being bituminous coal from Ohio. The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway extends along the southern shore of Lake Erie from Bufl'alo to Chicago, with branches to Detroit and other places. The total mileage of the system in 1880, including leased lines, was 1,177*67, and of this the length of main lines is 504*49 miles. The gradients of the main line are consideral)ly easier than those of the Michigan Central, and nearly as good as those of the Canada Southern Rail- way. The engines and fuel are similar to those on the lines before-mentioned. The Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad is in the State of Missouri. Its mileage in 1880 was 292 * 35. From the length of trains hauled, the gradients would seem to be steep. In preparing the Table in the Appendix, information has not always been obtainable from the printed reports in the exact form reqiiired. In these cases the method adopted for supplying the particulars has been as follows. The total amount of coal and wood (the latter turned into its equivalent in coal) consumed is noted. When the amount to be apportioned of the freight and passenger services respective!}" is not stated in the printed report, the total amount is divided into two portions in the ratio of the respective engines, mileages, and also in the ratio of 26 to 34, being that in which the consumption of a passenger-engine, as determined by careful observation, stands to the consumption of a freight-engine. This, in the first instance, gives the total amount of coal consumed in each service, including switching or shunting. In order to arrive at the amount consumed in moving freight-trains on the line, the total amount of engine-mileage made in switching or shunting is noted, and this is divided into two portions, in the proportion in which the passenger-train mileage stands to the freight- train mileage, and the switching is thus allotted to the resjjective ser- B 2 6 CUNINOIIAM ON ENERGY OF FUEL IN LOCOMOTIVES. [StlcoUul vicoH. Tlu) coal coiiHumcd in the servico is then caliuiliitod by ttlli)\viiig 70 iiiik'H ])er ton, and tlio (|iiantity thuH olitainod is deduotod from tlio total (juantity a]>|)ortionud to tlio froight sor- vico. Tliiw CHtiniato of 70 niilos nwitcliin^ ])cr ton of coal con- sumed iH taken from the olmcrvatiunH of tlio Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Kuihvay, extending over a numhor of years. It will 1)0 Hcen, therefore, tliat the results obtained are only close approximations to the absolutely true figures of this s\ibjoct; but still they are suHiciently close to Ik) valuable as comparisons. Tlie Table shows that the coal consumed in passenger traftic is loss on the Lake Shore lino than on any of the others, being 12 "H lbs. \)or passenger-carriage mile. 1'aking the average weight of the cars comj)osing tlio paHsenger train at 1(5 tons, this would give a consumption of 0-Blb. per ton hauled 1 mile; at the same time it is interesting to note that there is a consumption of 1 • 1(5 lb. per passenger moved 1 mile. The very largo ccmsumption of fuel per ton moved 1 mile in the passenger service, as com- pared with the freight-service, is undoubtedly duo to the much higher rate of speed of the former, as compared with the latter. Confirmation of this is found on considering the figures applicable to the Hannibal and St. Joseidi lino. There the consumption per ton-mile in the passenger-service is less than that of either the Canada Southern or IMichigan Contral, and only very little greater than that of the Lake Shore lino ; .vhereas the consump- tion per ton-mile in the freight service of the Hannibal and St. Joseph lino is very much greater than any of the others, being more than double that of both the Canada Southern or Lake Shore lines. This apparent anomaly is explained by the fact that the speed of the passenger trains on the Hannibal and St. Joseph line is much less than that on any of the others under con- sideration. The consumption of fuel in freight-service on the Canada Southern and Lake Shore lines is nearly the same, with a small fraction in favour of the former, while on both lines it is less than on the Michigan Central, or Hannibal and St. Joseph. The amount of fuel consumed in moving 1 ton gross weight (including the fuel consumed in shunting) is barely 2f ozs. — a quantity which is surprisingly small. This is on the two first-mentioned lines ; while on the Michigan Central and Hannibal and St. Joseph lines it amounts to 4 ozs. and 6 • 4 ozs. respectively. In the latter part of the Table the amount of coal consumed in the switching or shunting work of the freight service has been deducted, and that consumed in the work of moving freight-trains SilocUiil PaiKJrs.] CUNINQHAM ON ENERGY OF FUEL IN LOCOMOTIVES. tod ll)y inuil Ih ;ht scr- oll con- ro antl yours. y closo nlijoct ; riwons. niflU; iH , Loing wciglit H would lio Bunio ition of iiuption as com- ic much latter, iplicublo umptioii f either ry little :)nsump- bal and others, or Lake 'act that . Joseph ler con- Canada a small ess than The acluding quantity entioned and St. mmed in has been ht-trains on tlio lino of railway only dealt witli, with a view of arriving at tlio (juantity coiiHUiiusd in moving 1 ton weight 1 mile. The rcHult arrived at is as follows: — Canada Southern, 2 "30 ozs. ; Lake Shore, 2*38 07.H. ; Michigan Central, 3 • 52 ozs. ; and Hannibal and St. JoHei»h, .'i'TO ozs. 'J'hough it will surprise most peoj)le who have not paid par- ticular attention to these (questions, to learn that there is sullicient energy in a piece of coal weighing only 2*3 ozs. to move 1 ton weight 1 mile ; yet the investigations would not be complete if it were not ascertained what is the total energy of the fuel ; wliat portion of it is used, and what lost. The units of heat (Fahrenheit) developed in the combustion of 1 lb. of coal ar) 14133,^ and as the mechanical ecjuivalent is 772 foot-pounds per unit, the combustion of 1 lb. of coal is e(]nal t(» 10,910,076 foot-pounds, or 5455*3 foot-tons (American). On the Canada Southern Railway, the average of the wliohj line is equal to a gradient of 5 feet to the mile ; this will make the resistance to haulage equal to 11 lbs. per ton, taking the resistance on the level at 9 lbs. per ton ; therefore as much energy will be expended in hauling 1 ton 1 mile, as in lifting 11 lbs. 1 mile vertically. In other words, h^jling 1 ton 1 mile recpiiies an expenditure of energy equivalent to 5,280 x 11 = 58,080 foot- pounds, or 29*04 foot-tons. But on the Canada Southern Railway, 1 ton is hauled 1 mile 1)\ the combustion of 0* 15 lb. of coal, which quantity of coal therefore does work equivalent to raising 29*04 tons 1 foot. At the name rate 1 lb. of coal would raise 193*6 tons 1 foot vertically. But as shown above, the full energy of 1 lb. of coal is 5,455 * 3 foot- tons; therefore the full energy is to the work effected on the Canada Southern llailway as 100 is to 3*5, and consequently there is a loss of 96*5 per cent, of the energy of the fuel. Though the quantity, 2*3 ozs. of coal, seems extremely small to do the work of hauling 1 ton 1 mile, yet, if all the energy contained in the coal could be utilized and applied to doing work, it would haul 1 ton 28^ miles ; while the quantity, 1 * 80 lb., consumed in moving a passenger 1 mile would, if fully utilized and applied to the trans- portation of freight, convey 1 ton 353 miles. Few passeuf-ers are aware of how much energy is required to make " fast time." The speed of passenger trains on the Canada Southern Railway was from. 35 to 40 miles per hour ; on the Michigan Central and p. 405. A Manual of Rules, Tables, and Data, «&c.," by D. K. Clark, M. lusst. 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'-« S3 3 Ml xija 10 OUNINOnAM ON ENERGY OF FUEL IN LOCOMOTIVES. [Soloctcd Pupcrs. Lako Shoro Huob from 33 to 3G iniloH })or hour; and on the Ilannihal and 8t. Joseph lino about 25 niilow por hour. Tlio Bpood of freight trains on all the linos was botwoon 15 and 20 miles por hour. The position of acting Chief Engineer, which the Author until recently occupied on the Canada Soutliern l{ailway, enabled him to obtain the information in regard to gradients required to make the foregoing investigations; but the like information has not been obtainable for the other railways under consideration, and therefore it is nut possible to say wliether they waste more or loss of the energy of the fuel consumed. A comparison on a similar basis with English railways would be interesting and valuable, but the necessary data do not seem to be available. These figures clearly indicate how much yet remains to be done in economizing the energy developed in the combustion of coal. An engine which wastes OGj^ per cent, of the energy with which it is supplied cannot be called i)erfeot. The Table also shows the cost of the service performed, worked out in a similar manner as the consumption of fuel. LONDON : PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWKS AND SONS, LIMITED^ 8TAUKUUI> bTBEET AND CHAKINO CKOSS.