How much water does a steam locomotive hold?
A modern coal-and-water station can load a tender with 24 tons of coal and 15,000 gallons of water in as little as four minutes. Many tenders are large enough to carry sufficient coal (or oil) and water to enable the engine to run for hundreds of miles without replenishing the supply.
How long can a steam locomotive run?
During the very early days of steam locomotives, water stops were necessary every 7–10 miles (11-16 km) and consumed much travel time. With the introduction of tenders (a special car containing water and fuel), trains could run 100–150 miles (160–240 km) without a refill.
How many steam locomotives are still in service?
Today, there is still one steam locomotive operating on a Class I railroad in the U.S., the Union Pacific 844. For the most part, though, the U.S. and the rest of the world have converted to electric and diesel.
What still remains to be the fastest steam locomotive in the world?
Seventy five years ago a world record, still unmatched, was achieved by a steam engine called Mallard. For just a couple of minutes the locomotive thundered along at speeds of 126 miles per hour on a stretch of track just south of Grantham.
How far can a locomotive go on a tank of fuel?
CSX trains can move a ton of freight approximately 492 miles on a single gallon of fuel.
What is the slowest steam train in the world?
The Glacier Express
The Glacier Express is known as the slowest express train in the world. As St. Moritz and Zermatt are home to two well-known mountains, the Glacier Express is also said to travel from Matterhorn to Piz Bernina.
How much fuel does a locomotive burn at idle?
Using an average of 3.5 gallons of fuel burned per hour idling per locomotive – some easy math shows an annual consumption of over 20 million gallons of excess idle, which is over 4% of the total annual fuel consumption for that particular Class I railroad – do we have your attention yet?
How many gallons of water does a steam locomotive use?
Today the D&RG narrow gauge steam locomotive from Durango to Silverton, Colorado uses 108 gallons of water per mile, 10,000 Gallons for the 92-mile round trip. Rolling across flat lands would naturally require less water per mile.
How many miles can a locomotive run on a water tower?
The tender could greatly extend a locomotive’s range and by the late steam era (1930s-1940s) a locomotive used in main line service could run anywhere between 75 to 150 miles before needing to refuel, which typically coincided with a train crew’s district/territory.
What happens when a locomotive stops for water?
When the locomotive stops for water, the fireman moves the spout into position over the tender and opens the valve which releases the water into the tank of the tender. At many points on the railroad a water tank or a water column and the coaling station are located side by side so that coal and water can be taken on at the same time.
How does steam get into a steam locomotive?
After the steam is used in the cylinders, it enters the smokebox via the blast pipe. As the exhaust steam blasts upward toward the stack, it provides draft for the fire by drawing the gases through the flues and into the smokebox. (Fresh air enters the locomotive through open spaces at the base of the firebox.)