AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

INSTITUTED 1852


TRANSACTIONS

Paper No. 1172


LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE ON GRADES OF
VARIOUS LENGTHS.

BY BEVERLY S. RANDOLPH, M. AM. SOC. C. E.

WITH DISCUSSION BY MESSRS. C. D. PURDON, JOHN C. TRAUTWINE, JR.,
AND BEVERLY S. RANDOLPH.




In the location of new railways and the improvement of lines already in
operation, it is now well recognized that large economies can be
effected by the careful study of train resistance due to grades and
alignment, distributing this resistance so as to secure a minimum cost
of operation with the means available for construction.

While engaged in such studies some years ago, the attention of the
writer was attracted by the fact that the usual method of calculating
the traction of a locomotive--by assuming from 20 to 25% of the weight