London Banter - View Single Post - TV Alert: Building The London Underground

[email protected] · July 18th 12, 05:48 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article ,
(Mortimer) wrote:

Wasn't the better traction caused by the multiple driving wheels
distributed along the train rather than the use of electricity as
opposed to steam? Wouldn't an electric loco (with the same number of
driving wheels as a steam loco) have the same traction problems?
Wouldn't a diesel multiple unit (or a "steam multiple unit", if such
things existed) be as good as an EMU?

Not on the C&SLR. That used two-axle locos from 1890 until closed for tunnel
enlargement and integration into what became the Northern Line in the early
1920s. The only major enhancement was suspending the motors which were
initially mounted directly on the axles.

The Central London had much larger bogie locomotives on opening in 1900. The
much larger unsprung mass caused vibration problems, hence the rapid switch
to distributed power.

--
Colin Rosenstiel