What is the purpose of the locomotive?
Locomotive, any of various self-propelled vehicles used for hauling railroad cars on tracks.
What is a locomotive move?
adjective. of or relating to locomotion. moving or able to move, as by self-propulsion.
What does locomotive industry mean?
1. A self-propelled vehicle, usually electric, diesel, or steam-powered, for pulling or pushing freight or passenger cars on railroad tracks. 2. A driving or pulling force; an impetus: “The US could no longer serve as the locomotive for the world economy” (George Soros).
How does the locomotive work?
When heated, water turns to an invisible vapor known as steam. The volume of water expands as it turns to steam inside the boiler, creating a high pressure. The expansion of steam pushes the pistons that connect to the driving wheels that operate the locomotive.
What was the first locomotive?
The first full-scale working railway steam locomotive, was the 3 ft (914 mm) gauge Coalbrookdale Locomotive, built by Trevithick in 1802. It was constructed for the Coalbrookdale ironworks in Shropshire in the United Kingdom though no record of it working there has survived.
How much horsepower does a modern locomotive have?
“The locomotive’s diesel-electric power plant is 3,000 horsepower (a typical automobile is about 130 horsepower). The train’s power plant is as big as a school bus.”.
How do diesel locomotives work?
Diesel Locomotives use electricity to drive forward motion despite the name ‘diesel’. A large diesel engine turns a shaft that drives a generator which makes electricity. This electrical energy powers large electric motors at the wheels called ‘traction motors’. Some locomotives use DC generators and others use AC.
What is a diesel locomotive?
A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotive have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels. Early internal combusition locomotives and railcars used kerosene and gasoline as their fuel.