On Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:22:39 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:33:05 -0400, wrote:

Diesel/Electric has been used on trains for a very long time. There
must be some advantages. I guess one would be full power available at
low speeds, and another would be the elimination of need for a
transmission.

Correct on both points, those are the only real advantages, much more
applicable to trains than boats.

Ahem. Perhaps neither of you are aware of the progress being made in
seawater batteries.
Seawater is usually not available to power trains, but vessels at sea
are a different matter.
This link may discuss "state of the art" or there might be more recent
news on this exciting front in the battle for free locomotion.

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/...-on-sea-water/

--Vic