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NOTE: you probably won't spot these errors unless you are knowlegeble in trains and railroads, but for those who can recognize the errors, they can bring far more laughs than the comic itself .

Aren't the diesel engines on railroad trains used to generate power, which drives electric motors? I'm pretty sure dynamic breaking isn't used. And I'm not sure, but I think diesels aren't usually super/turbo-charged...

darthdavid wrote:Aren't the diesel engines on railroad trains used to generate power, which drives electric motors?

Yep.

I'm pretty sure dynamic breaking isn't used. And I'm not sure, but I think diesels aren't usually super/turbo-charged...

Dynamic (rheostatic) braking is indeed used on most modern diesel-electric locomotives, but it has nothing to do with the prime mover (diesel engine), as is implied in the comic. Also, just about all diesel locomotives built today have turbochargers, but AFAIK, no North American diesel locomotive has ever used a supercharger.

i got it whent hey said the EMD was turbocharged by the Dynamic Braking system. The Dynamic Braking system is a system for reversing the motors and turning them into a generator. This is used to charge batteries ( which was right in the comic) and to slow the train at a gradual rate without using the friction brakes.

This is used to charge batteries ( which was right in the comic) and to slow the train at a gradual rate without using the friction brakes.

Actually, the electricity generated during dynamic braking isn't used to charge the batteries, it's shunted to a resistor array on the roof of the locomotive, where it's dissapated as heat. On electric trains, there is no resistor: the power is instead returned to the third rail or overhead catenary...

On electric trains, there is no resistor: the power is instead returned to the third rail or overhead catenary...

Metrorail in DC uses that system, it actually saves the system alot of money on power cost.

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