jet engines in a train???

[PamBrooker]

I'm probably opening myself up to be proven insane, but i was at work at the peer center today when this train rolled through town. I didnt see the engines unfortunately, but i heard their sounds and it wasnt diesel. It sounded like the type of jet engine they use for electrical generation, but i've never heard of that in a train before. We're all BNSF here with a few UP's and a couple canadians every now and then, so this one has me stumped. has anyone ever heard of such a thing??
Thanks
Pam

[Kali]

It's been tried, the idea gets dragged up again every now and then. UP used to run some huge ones ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_GTELs ) and Bombardier tried to get people interested some years ago too, I wasn't aware of any currently running though. Generally it's reckoned it's a better idea to put the turbines in the powerstation & wire the rails up.

Turbochargers can sound a lot like jet engines, anyone who's been near a British HST before they got re-engined will be aware :). If you want something really fun, the NYC stuck a pair of jet engines on top of a Budd railcar & just went as fast as possible. I can't remember the links for that ( search for M-497 Budd, I guess ).

Edit: here's some pics and basic info, at least, somewhere there's more of a story.

[thecanadianrail]

An SD70 with full throttle and a blown exaust sounds like what you are describing? (dosent happen very often because they are all newer locos but hey, ES44's are throwing pistons so why cant a SD70 get a blown exaust hey?)

[PamBrooker]

found it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pB-PGnF-B0
Hooooollly .. 200 mph on american rails?? Thats suicide.. I bet that engine left a lot of loose spikes laying by the side of the rail..

[PamBrooker]

An SD70 with full throttle and a blown exaust sounds like what you are describing? (dosent happen very often because they are all newer locos but hey, ES44's are throwing pistons so why cant a SD70 get a blown exaust hey?)

bnsf runs a lot of 70s through town. its certainly a possibility..

[Chacal]

found it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pB-PGnF-B0
Hooooollly .. 200 mph on american rails?? Thats suicide.. I bet that engine left a lot of loose spikes laying by the side of the rail..

This was mail-ordered from ACME company, and used in a failed attempt to capture Road-runner.

[PamBrooker]

:::LOL:: I never thought of that, but i think your right..