The Holman Horror

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
I didn't know they had crack cocaine way back then.......
Although they must have because somebody was definately on the pipe when they thought that up.

Or maybe it was opium.... :p

I'd like to see someone try and model that thing. :D
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
What was the stated goal of all those rollers (i.e what was the pitch given to suckers, I mean "investors" ;))?

Andrew
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
we now believe that it has been, since its inception, an ostentatious machine designed to allure unwary capitalists into an investment which will be of the same real value as throwing gold coin over Niagara Falls."


Yup! sign1 :twisted: sign1 :twisted:
 

beamish

HO & Steam Engineer
I have put in a request with my mechanical engineers at work. I am asking them to explain the benefits of these locos? I will keep you guys posted on the results.
 

cnw1961

Member
I have put in a request with my mechanical engineers at work. I am asking them to explain the benefits of these locos? I will keep you guys posted on the results.

It will be very interesting to see if a decent engineer can come up with a good explanation for that..........Thing :mrgreen:.
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
During the 19th century there was a lot more "magic" and a lot less science involved in much of what went on. There was also much less regulation of everything. The government didn't bother with swindlers unless they used a gun to steal with. Mark Twain lost his fortune investing in an automatic printing press that was so complicated that it spent more time being repaired than it did actually working. Once the transcontinental railroads were in place, the railroads needed to sell off the land the government had given them as an incentive to build. Much of the land they had was good farm land, but some of it was desert. They sold off parcels of desert property by telling the gullible that it didn't rain there because there were no crops to water. That if an enterprising farmer just planted a crop, the rain would come! Any body who can come up with an idea and draw a picture or have a picture drawn can get a patent. Once they have a patent, all they have to do is form a corporation and sell stock in a company to make the product. Once they have gotten the money from the gullible, the swindlers take the money, the company declares bankruptcy, and the investors are left holding worthless paper.
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
During the 19th century there was a lot more "magic" and a lot less science involved in much of what went on. There was also much less regulation of everything. The government didn't bother with swindlers unless they used a gun to steal with. Mark Twain lost his fortune investing in an automatic printing press that was so complicated that it spent more time being repaired than it did actually working. Once the transcontinental railroads were in place, the railroads needed to sell off the land the government had given them as an incentive to build. Much of the land they had was good farm land, but some of it was desert. They sold off parcels of desert property by telling the gullible that it didn't rain there because there were no crops to water. That if an enterprising farmer just planted a crop, the rain would come! Any body who can come up with an idea and draw a picture or have a picture drawn can get a patent. Once they have a patent, all they have to do is form a corporation and sell stock in a company to make the product. Once they have gotten the money from the gullible, the swindlers take the money, the company declares bankruptcy, and the investors are left holding worthless paper.

You mean like modern government does today! If we build this zillion dollar Bridge To Nowhere, people and businesses will come! :mrgreen:
 

beamish

HO & Steam Engineer
I have put in a request with my mechanical engineers at work. I am asking them to explain the benefits of these locos? I will keep you guys posted on the results.


SO the response i got back was simple. The engineer says that the mechanical idea would be that it should go faster, but he didn't think that would even work. He said it sounds like a far fetched prototype that some sucker would go for.

In summary he says SCAM!
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
SO the response i got back was simple. The engineer says that the mechanical idea would be that it should go faster, but he didn't think that would even work. He said it sounds like a far fetched prototype that some sucker would go for.

In summary he says SCAM!

Sure it was, but it was actually built in 1887 by the Holman Company and run several times in order to promote sale of stock. Building a locomotive that actually runs just to swindle people is a pretty elaborate scheme!

And - it led to this fictional locomotive drawn up and presented in the Railway Gazette of December, 1931. The specs are quite funny.

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/fictional/fictional.htm
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
The one difference is that our government is expected to waste money. They don't try to entice me to buy stock in the government boondogles however.
 

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
MM- This is a pretty facinating website you posted.
I've been going through some of the strange locomotives and just been spellbound by the ingenuity that went into some and amazing supidity that went into others. :D
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
strasser%202a.jpg
Left: Imaginary rack locomotive
Apparently capable of climbing 34 degree gradients
By Sigi Strasser, artist of Vienna.
<H6>Picture in Vienna Technology Museum. Author's photo. </H6>



strasser%203a.jpg
Left: Another imaginary rack locomotive
This one is apparenly intended to work on level track as well.
Of course there have to be some compromises...
The text is readable (just about) on my original photograph. One day I may get round to translating it.
By Sigi Strasser, artist of Vienna.
<H6>Picture in Vienna Technology Museum. Author's photo. </H6>



strasser%204a.jpg
Left: The grappling-hook locomotive
For really severe gradients
By Sigi Strasser, artist of Vienna.
<H6>Picture in Vienna Technology Museum. Author's photo. </H6>


clear1.gif



Or do you mean one of these?
 
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