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The most unusual trains and their footprint in history

The most unusual trains and their footprint in history
Until the moment when, by the second half of the 30th century, aviation won a significant part of the world passenger traffic, the railway was one of the dominant modes of transport on the planet. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that in the 50-XNUMXs of the last century, many countries developed and built trains using the most unusual technologies. Some of them turned out to be successful and went into the series. But there were also those who are difficult to call otherwise than “strange”.


Schienenzeppelin


Translated from German as "Rail Zeppelin". Everything about this train was strange: both the design and the way it was set in motion. In the latter case, this refers to the pushing propeller, which is very unusual for such a vehicle. In Germany, "Zeppelins" were called airships, but here, apparently, they made an exception.

Самые необычные поезда и их след в историиA frame on which a push screw has already been installed. Photo: YouTube.com


In 1931, a frame was made and sheathed with sheets of metal. Outwardly, it turned out to be quite attractive: the train resembled the transport of the future, painted at that time in science fiction literature. The tests passed with a bang: the concept lived up to expectations. The locomotive managed to develop 230 km / h.

The experimental Schienenzeppelin is approaching the station, the people are standing at a distance - dangerous! Photo: YouTube.com


The matter did not reach serial production: according to experts, the propeller located at the back “got in the way”. Firstly, it could be dangerous for people nearby, and secondly, it was impossible to pick up wagons to such a locomotive. Although all this is debatable: the mover can be closed with gratings, and a special elongated hitch can be used to form the composition. However, the project was closed.

Union Pacific M-10000


The first American train to have an internal combustion engine installed. This was a serious achievement, and accordingly the designers did their best: the train looked very unusual and did not at all resemble a steam locomotive.

A strange "locomotive" without a pipe. Photo: YouTube.com


The train went on its first trip in 1934 and at first served as a kind of advertisement for technical achievements. His arrival at a major station became a sensation for the local media. During the tour, the composition was visited by a million people, including Franklin Roosevelt.

Today the Union Pacific M-10000 stands in the museum. Photo: YouTube.com


Subsequently, the train was used by the Internal Revenue Service and ran between Kansas and Salina. For the unusual design, the composition was called the "little zipper", "iron worm". The Union Pacific M-10000 operated until 1941, when its single 600 hp engine wore out. With. Putting a new one was considered inappropriate.

Black Beetle M-497


The idea to transfer aviation technology to the rails haunted the designers. And as a result, a certain hybrid was born in the form of the "Black Beetle" - a locomotive under the symbol M-497. To create it, they took a Budd RDC diesel engine and put on it a couple of engines installed on the Convair B-36 bomber.

"Black Beetle" with engines from a bomber. Photo: YouTube.com


What they wanted, they got it. The train really showed speed indicators that were unique for that time - 296 km / h. We looked and ... were satisfied. The Black Beetle M-497 was not modernized, adjusted to the "urgent needs", considering the project economically inexpedient. But why did they build it then? No one has given an answer to the question.

Supertrains


The super-comfort of this train today will not surprise anyone. According to contemporaries, the equipment was reminiscent of a cruise liner. Inside there were shopping centers, a swimming pool, a sanatorium, a dance hall, bars, a cinema and a restaurant. But the main thing is that a nuclear reactor was used as a mover!

Supertrain never waited for real passengers. Photo: YouTube.com


Seems like a good idea for the time. Indeed, in many countries of the world, projects of nuclear trains were developed. However, for security reasons and because of the high cost, they were abandoned. As for the Supertrain, it's just a TV project that used "dream train" mockups to film the series. In total, 3 "prototypes" were built, with a total cost (according to rumors) of up to 5 million dollars. Broadcasting company NBC well invested in the project, which turned out to be unprofitable. The series, even with an abundance of "stars", no one wanted to watch, and one of the trains (on conventional traction) crashed. As a result, the TV people almost “flyed out the pipe”.

super chief


The train set off on its first journey in 1936. His route - from Chicago to Los Angeles had a length of 3584 km. In its own way, the composition was unique. In addition to the appearance of the locomotive, which was unusual for that time, the role of the power plant was played by a diesel-electric unit, and not a coal firebox, as in a steam locomotive. This made it possible to develop a decent speed of up to 160 km / h. The mysteriousness of the train was added by the fact that Hollywood stars traveled on it. Accordingly, the composition had super-comfortable compartments, which are more appropriately called hotel rooms.

Superchief in the 50s. Photo: YouTube.com


The train was liked not only by actors, but also by film directors: the comedy “Three for a Bedroom” was filmed on it, starring Gloria Swanson, J. Warren, F. Clark. The Super Chief "brand" for the train running on the above route was retained until 1974.

Aerotrain


Another interesting hybrid. This time train plus buses. Many hopes were pinned on the air train released "to the light" in 1956. To make the composition admirable, they invited the famous auto designer Chuck Jordan, who created the appearance of this “miracle”.

Aerotrain made from buses. Photo: YouTube.com


But technically there was nothing unusual or new in the locomotive. Its creator, the General Motors auto concern, simply took several of its buses and rearranged them on a railway chassis. A distinctive feature of the Aerotrain, which later played a cruel joke, is the relatively small mass of the train: it was approximately 2 times less than serial locomotives.

Train layouts are still popular today. Photo: YouTube.com


In total, a couple of prototypes were released for testing by railway companies. Alas! The results were more than deplorable: due to weak engines, the train could not climb a steep hill and develop more or less good speed. The locomotive was difficult to operate and maintain. Due to its low mass, passengers assured that they felt inside, like in a truck driving over bumps. Aerotrain has not run over thousands of kilometers: today it can be seen in one of the US museums dedicated to railway transport. And what unusual things did they try to design in the USSR at that time?

SVL (high-speed laboratory car) and Russian Troika


In the Soviet Union in the 70s, the idea of ​​using jet engines on railway locomotives was popular. For the experiments, a standard ER22 motor car was used, on which turbojet engines (these were on the Yak-40 aircraft) AI-25 engines and fairings were installed.

SVL was created only for research. Photo: YouTube.com


They were not going to launch the "turbo train" series. A specific goal was pursued: to find out how the "rail-wheel" system works under high loads and speeds. Subsequently, it was planned, using the results obtained, to make a super-high-speed train "Russian Troika". Looking ahead, it is worth noting that the results obtained were subsequently used in the construction of high-speed railway lines and trains, now successfully running along them.

Today SVL can be seen only as a monument. Photo: YouTube.com


The tests took place in 1971 on the Ozery-Golutvin stretch. Initially, a speed of 187 km / h was reached, which then increased to a limit of 249 km / h. The railway itself did not allow reaching great values. After testing, research, SVL - a high-speed laboratory car was abandoned in the area of ​​\uXNUMXb\uXNUMXbst. Doroshikha. However, later it was found, washed, painted and the front part was placed at the checkpoint of the Tver Carriage Works, where it is located to this day.

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Photos used: https://youtube.com

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