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Probably the best way to present this story is to extract it verbatim from the AI&SE paper presented that spring in Buffalo, where the purpose was to interest the steel companies in diesel-electrics to replace steam in their plant work. What I shall copy represents about 20% of the complete paper:

To appreciate the ability of the diesel-electric to do switching successfully, it must be understood why a given diesel can do as much work as a steam locomotive of double its rated horsepower. Switching work, whether it be railroad or industrial, inherently seldom can utilize much horsepower. Many observations confirm the fact that in freight switching (into which general class industrial falls as contrasted with passenger switching) the maximum speed attained infrequently exceeds eight mph for ordinary loaded moves and 10 mph in kicking moves. Moreover, the average number of cars handled per loaded move is small and the average distance move is short. For example, during an extended observation period on a large eastern railroad, the average number of cars per loaded move in a freight switching assignment handled by a six-wheel steam switcher was 4.1, the average distance per loaded move about 500 feet, and the average speed 4.2 mph.

This composite picture of freight switching is the concentrated result of several types of moves:

1) Light moves.
2) Spotting moves.
3) Pushing moves.
4) Loaded moves.
5) Kicking moves.

COMPARISON OF DIESE-ELECTRIC AND STEAM LOCOMOTIVES

Let the comparative performance of a 110-ton 750-hp diesel-electric and a modern 90-ton 1500-hp six-wheel steam switcher in these various moves be considered.

For the light moves, either locomotive can get from place to place as fast as yard limitations will permit. Likewise for a spotting move or a pushing or bunching move, where the requirement is tractive effort and not speed, the diesel-electric locomotive will perform the operation as fast as the steam unit. Also, for an average loaded move or a kicking move involving only a few cars, the diesel-electric and the steam locomotive both possess weight and horsepower in excess of what is necessary to make the move as required, the only difference being that the diesel-electric will work at a higher percentage of its capacity.

This leaves only heavily loaded and kicking moves for consideration. Here both types of locomotives may be called upon to do their best and here only, as far as straight switching is concerned, is the diesel-electric forced to extend itself to equal the steam performance. The diesel-elec-