Cross Mufti

I purchased (what I was told) was a Rivarossi Cross Mufti engine in Rio Grande paint. I've seen this mentioned in print years ago but don't remember the correct spelling. One gent said the Santa Fe also used them. After multiple searches; Kross Mufti, Krause Mufti, I've come up with no info on the net. Can anyone sling me a clue? Thank much, The Keeper (of too much crap!)

Reply to
The Keeper
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On 10/9/2008 11:46 PM The Keeper spake thus:

"Cross Mufti"? You gotta be kidding me. That's too much.

What you got there, good buddy, is a Krauss-Maffei. German company that made the only diesel-hydraulics (direct drive, not diesel-electric) to run on North American roads.

Dunno about Santa Fe; the Espee had them (I've seen what's left of one of theirs, rusting away in the California Railroad Museum boneyard.)

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

Not quite. Alco built a trio of huge twin-engined diesel-hydraulics for S.P.

Yclept the DH-643, they, like the KMs, were not a great success and no follow-on units were ever built.

~Pete

Reply to
Twibil

On 10/10/2008 11:09 AM Twibil spake thus:

Hmm; never heard of those. I was going to ask you if you had any links to pics or history, but found this one on my own:

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Don't know why, but I have an unnatural interest in these beasts. It would be so kewl to see one of these giant dinosaurs roaming the rails sometime ...

Reply to
David Nebenzahl

I don't think I ever saw a DH-643, but the S.P.'s huge U-50s and DD-35s were common sights on the mainline near my home from the late '60s through the mid '70s.

A U-50/DD-35/U-50 lashup was a sight to see *and* hear! Each U-50 had two (count 'em) huge squirrel-cage traction motor blower fans; one at each end of the loco, and they made a whistling roar that was easily louder than the engine's exhaust note.

Must have driven the engineers nuts, as the front fan was located

*directly* behind the cab.

~Pete

Reply to
Twibil

I don't know where you got the idea of "direct drive"??? There was a direct drive German Diesel around 1912 - a 4-4-4 with 3 doub= le =

acting cylinders onto one of the driving axles - it wasn't a success. =3D=

8^) Diesel hydraulics generally have a torque converter, vaguely like those = of =

automatic gearboxes in cars but much more efficient. Generally only shunting locos have multi-speed gearboxes in line with th= e =

torque converter.

Greg.P. NZ

Reply to
Greg.Procter

What would really be too much would be a cross-dresser in military uniform!

Reply to
Steve Caple

I haven't seen anyone yet inform you that it's Krauss-Maffei

Reply to
Steve Caple

Don't you mean a military cross-dresser out of uniform (i.e. in civvies)? Thank you.

Jerry

Reply to
trainjer

When I first saw the subject line, and before I read the message to see that the OP was seeking a diesel, I thought the OP might have been trying for the "Franco-Crosti" design steam loco. Very interesting beasts - see

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-with at least two HO models available. The link has very good info, but fails to mention that the design may be most famous for one of the Italian units being the loco that chased Sinatra in Von Ryan's Express. Geezer

Reply to
Geezer

No, I meant Gen. Peter Pace dressed as a 1950s era BAM ("broad assed Marine" - slang for Women Marines in the day) skirt and cap and wig, with a Madonna cone or '58 Cadillac bumper style bra underneath stuffed with olive drab socks.

Reply to
Steve Caple

automatic gearboxes in cars but much more efficient.<

I remember seeing these and over the years I think the model mags have shown how they worked. I remember one concern was the drive shaft which I think went by the engineer/fireman. If one ever broke there would be a mess but don't ever remember reading about one breaking.

Reply to
Jon Miller

I understand that the driveshaft in one of the S.P.'s KM's did exactly that, but there was nobody in the cab as that particular unit wasn't running in front at the time.

As you may imagine, this did not endear the KMs to potential crewmen.

~Pete

Reply to
Twibil

Argh!

Too much information!

~Pete

Reply to
Twibil

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