The Compression-Ignition Engine and Its Applicability to British Railway Traction

The author considers that, while the internal combustion engine is not universally applicable to British railway traction, there is a wide field which can be more economically covered by the oil engine than by other means. Electric transmission is, in spite of high first cost, the most readily adaptable for use in conjunction with the oil engine, and possesses a balance of advantages over all other known systems. The oil-electric locomotive offers a long list of important advantages for railway operation not possessed by other systems. These advantages are, however, offset by high first cost for powers of 1,000 b.h.p. and over. A comparison is drawn between the first cost of steam and oil-electric locomotives for the various duties called for in the service of a British railway. This shows that, while the first cost of the oil-electric main line express passenger locomotive is three times that of the existing steam locomotive, the first costs of branch passenger, medium goods, and shunting steam and oil-electric engines are comparable. This is owing to the cost per brake horse-power required diminishing with increase of size in the case of the steam locomotive, whereas it remains constant in the case of the oil-electric. Owing to the high rate of acceleration necessary the use of the oil-electric system is considered unsuitable as a substitute for dependent electrification of suburban lines. The railway oil engine is a specialized requirement. It must be of the high-speed type running at speeds of up to 1,500 r.p.m., in order to reduce first cost and for other reasons. Details are given of various types of British compression-ignition engines which are considered suitable for British railway work. The author deduces that an engine of twelve-cylinder “V” type and an engine with six cylinders in line, both incorporating the same design and size of cylinder, would fill all the requirements which can be economically met by the oil engine on a British railway. He selects the single sleeve-valve engine design as having the greatest balance of advantages in its favour for railway purposes. Attention is drawn to the importance of simplifying the installation of the compression-ignition engine and various suggestions are put forward to this end. In conclusion the author stresses the importance of the railway companies giving a lead to the internal combustion engine industry as to the railway requirements in size and type of engine, and states that it is the purpose of his paper to assist those concerned in arriving at this immediately important decision.