McKeen railmotor

The railcar of the McKeen Motor Car Company were among the first commercially successful railway motor vehicles with internal combustion engine. The combustion railcars were built in the United States from 1905 to 1917 in different variants in a total of 152 copies, plus some sidecar.

History

In order to improve the efficiency of passenger traffic on the branch lines of the Union Pacific Railroad, commissioned the chairman and owner of the company Edward Henry Harriman 1904 " Superintentent of Motive Power and Machinery " William Riley McKeen with the development of a rail car with a combustion engine. At this time no experience with the construction of such a vehicle in the Union Pacific were available.

The first vehicle UP M-1 was still biaxial. It was launched on March 7, 1905 for its first test ride from Omaha to Valley ( Nebraska). Subsequently other rides. On August 21, 1905, the first regular passenger vehicle between Kearney (Nebraska ) and the distance of 100 kilometers Callaway (Nebraska ) was added.

This first vehicle was followed to 1908 a further seven railcars. This had a second non-driven bogie and were much longer. Due to the success in the performed tests with the vehicles, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Southern Pacific Railroad ordered a larger number of railcars. As a result, the McKeen Motor Car Company was founded with a share capital of $ 1 million on July 1, 1908. President of the company was William McKeen. The company hired by the Union Pacific plant near Omaha.

Railcars were delivered to more than 41 railway companies in the United States.

1910, the export of railcars. This year, two vehicles were sent to the Victorian Railways in Australia. Two years later, followed by six railcars for the Australian Queensland Government Railways. Other exports were made to Canada, Cuba, Mexico and Spain.

It was found, however, that the mechanical power transmission was constructive not mature and was a disadvantage compared to the benzene electric railcars from General Electric.

So groundbreaking was the McKeen cars in some respects, they prepared in operation some problems. The few enhancements does not solve the teething problems.

Lack compressors and because of only one drive axle - wheel arrangement (A1 ) '2 ' - drove the car to very poor. The lack of reverse gears any more difficult maneuvering. The marine engines and marine engines based on proprietary developments kept the inevitable hard knocks in land vehicles not stand. So most railcars were inoperable after a few years. Some operators they outfitted them with new engines and new transmissions or diesel-electric drives, others used later as a non-driving passenger cars.

The orders went further and further behind, 1917, the last vehicle was manufactured. The Union Pacific Railroad, therefore, decided to liquidate the McKeen Motor Car Company.

From existing parts and engines from scrapped vehicles, the workshops of the Union Pacific built in 1923, two vehicles (M -26 and M-27 ) and 1927 again two ( M -29 and M -30).

Stock list

Design features

The six-cylinder engine was firmly connected to the front bogie and drive only the front wheel, the wheels were slightly larger than the other. The starter was operated with compressed air. The engines of the first seven cars were marine engines by the Standard Motor Works in Jersey City and had a power of 75 kilowatts.

From the eighth McKeen railcar built self-developed engines with 225 kW. As then used in shipbuilding, the transmission had no reverse gears. Instead, the motor had a sliding cam shaft with two sets of cams. To change the direction of travel of the engine had to be issued and the machinist move the camshaft so that the other set of cams at hand.

The cars themselves were ( without clutch and rail rakes ) in the standard version 16.76 meters (55 feet) long with 54 seats, some 21.36 meters (70 feet) with 75 seats, a couple of postal and other sidecar only 9.45 meters.

The vehicle frame was made ​​of steel and was also made of a steel structure parts.

Most cars had a streamlined shape with a pointed front end and a rounded stern with semi-circular bench. To accompany this boat-shaped form, the window of the passenger compartment were usually round like portholes. Some cars had a mail compartment between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment. With most cars allowed passenger doors on the side lowered center platforms passengers easy entry and exit. The passenger compartment was equipped with wood paneling and elegant seats.

The lighting was done in the standard version first with carbide lamps. A few cars had upgraded from the beginning electric lighting, a large number was over time.

Vehicles received

Three of the more than 150 manufactured vehicles have been preserved:

• A in Alaska aufgefundenes, 1910 delivered to the Yuma Valley Railroad vehicle is located in a heavily damaged unrestored condition.
• The power delivered to the Virginia and Truckee Railroad in 1909 railcar No. 22 was worked operative in the years 2006 to 2010. The McKeen railcar is now owned by the Nevada State Railroad Museum. In October 2012, he was admitted into the National Historical Register.
• The Nevada State Railroad Museum also has the remains of another railcar.