NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Railway locomotive

A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train, and has no payload capacity of its own; its sole purpose is to provide power. Many trains feature self-propelled payload-carrying vehicles; these are not normally considered locomotives, and may be referred to as multiple units or railcars; the use of these self-propelled vehicles is increasingly common for passenger trains, but very rare for freight (see German CargoSprinter). Vehicles which provide the motive power to haul an unpowered train, but are not generally considered locomotives because they have payload space or are rarely detached from their trains, are known as power cars. Railway tracks. ... Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... Background Each transport system represents a contribution to a countrys infrastructure, and as such must make economic sense or eventually close. ... Passengers bustle around the typical grand edifice of Londons Broad Street Station in 1865. ... This article is about trains in rail transport. ... A railroad car (or, more briefly, car), also known as an item of rolling stock in British parlance, is a vehicle on a railroad or railway that is not a locomotive - one that provides another purpose than purely haulage, although some types of car are powered. ... Rail transport has a long history, including systems with man or horse power and rails of wood or stone. ... Rail terminology is a form of technical terminology. ... Bold text This page provides an index of articles on rail transport by country in the Wikipedia. ... Model railroading (US) or Railway modelling (UK) is a scale modelism hobby in which rail transport systems are modeled at a reduced scale. ... Great Western Railway No. ... Great Western Railway No. ... Bristol Temple Meads railway station, the original terminus at Bristol. ... In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a railroad steam locomotive that has a two-axle leading truck followed by three driving axles. ... Great Western Railway No. ... The original station (left) closed in 1965. ... Vehicles are non-living means of transport. ... This article is about trains in rail transport. ... A multiple unit is a passenger train whose carriages have their own motors, either diesel (DMUs) or electric (EMUs), and do not need to be hauled by a locomotive. ... Not to be confused with Railroad car A railcar is a self-propelled rail vehicle designed to transport passengers. ... This article is about trains in rail transport. ... Cargo is a term used to denotes goods or produce being transported generally for commercial gain, usually on a ship, plane, train or lorry. ...

Traditionally, locomotives haul their trains. Increasingly common these days in passenger service is push-pull operation, where the locomotives push the trains in one direction, controlled from a control cab at the opposite end of the train. Push-pull can also refer to a type of electronic amplifier. ...

Benefits of locomotives

There are many reasons why the motive power for trains has been traditionally isolated in a locomotive, rather than self-propelled vehicles. These include:

Download high resolution version (480x640, 46 KB)The steam locomotive SL Yamaguchi-go is one of a very few working engines of this type in Japan. ... Download high resolution version (480x640, 46 KB)The steam locomotive SL Yamaguchi-go is one of a very few working engines of this type in Japan. ... An attractive old street in Tsuwano Tsuwano (津和野町; Tsuwano-cho) is a town located in Kanoashi District, Shimane prefecture, Japan. ...

Classification by motive power

Locomotives may generate mechanical work from fuel, or they may take power from an outside source. It is common to classify locomotives by their means of providing motive work: the common ones include: Work (abbreviated W) is the energy transferred in applying force over a distance. ... Mechanical power In physics, power (symbol: P) is the amount of work W done per unit of time t. ...

Steam

The first railway locomotives (19th century) were powered by steam engines, first by burning wood, later coal or oil. Because of the steam engine, some people took to informally calling the steam locomotives themselves "steam engines". The steam locomotive remained by far the most common type of locomotive until after World War II. The age of steam correlates highly to the coal era. Steam locomotives tremendously helped the first exploitation of coal mines, and their demise beginning in the 1960s heralded the end of steam locomotives. Steam Locomotive by Séeberger Brother Source BNF Free of rights Alvailable at http://gallica. ... Steam Locomotive by Séeberger Brother Source BNF Free of rights Alvailable at http://gallica. ... Main entrance to the Gare du Nord Gare du Nord is one of the six large terminus stations of the SNCFs main line network in Paris. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A steam engine is a heat engine that makes use of the thermal energy that exists in steam, converting it to mechanical work. ... This article describes the wood that comprises trees and boards. ... Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground either by underground mining, open-pit mining or strip mining. ... Oil is a generic term for organic liquids that are not miscible with water. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Wyoming coal mine Coal mining is the mining of coal. ... Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ...

The first ever steam locomotive was built by Richard Trevithick, and first ran on February 21, 1804, although it would take some years before steam locomotive design became efficient and economically practical. The Fairy Queen, built in 1855; plying between New Delhi and Alwar in India, is the longest running steam locomotive in regular service in the world, but the John Bull, built in 1831, is currently the oldest operable steam locomotive. John Bull is preserved in mostly static display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Richard Trevithick. ... February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1804 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Fairy Queen, built in 1855, is the worlds oldest steam locomotive in regular operation today, plying between New Delhi to Alwar in India (note that the oldest operable steam locomotive in existence currently is the John Bull, which was built in 1831; however, the John Bull is preserved... 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... New Delhi ( नई दिल्ली ) is the capital of India, and is part of the National capital territory of Delhi. ... Alwar or Ulwar was a princely state in India during the time of British rule, in what is now Rajasthan. ... The John Bull, c. ... 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Smithsonian castle, as seen through the garden gate. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

The all-time speed record for steam trains is held by an LNER Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific locomotive of the LNER in England, number 4468 Mallard, which pulling six cars (plus a dynamometer car) reached 126 mph (203 km/h) on a slight downhill gradient down Stoke Bank on July 3, 1938. Aerodynamic passenger locomotives from other countries such as Germany and the United States attained speeds very close to this, and this is generally believed to be close to the practicable upper limit for the direct-coupled steam locomotive. To reach faster speeds and a larger action radius, tender locomotives replaced tank locomotives for long distance activities. Mallard at York Sir Nigel Gresley introduced the famous LNER Class A4 locomotives in 1935 to pull a new train called the Silver Jubilee, between London Kings Cross and Newcastle, in celebration of King George Vs 25th year of reign. ... The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early 20th century. ... The Pennsylvania Railroads class K4s, a well known 4-6-2 type. ... The London and North Eastern Railway or LNER was the second-largest of the Big Four railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain. ... Mallard at York Number 4468 Mallard is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive built in the 1930s by the LNER and designed by Sir Nigel Gresley in England. ... July 3 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... A British tender locomotive Steam locomotives often haul a tender, which is a special railroad car designed to hold the locomotives fuel and water. ... A tank locomotive (occasionally tank engine) is a steam locomotive that carries its own fuel and water with it, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. ...

Before the middle of the 20th century, electric and diesel-electric locomotives began replacing steam locomotives. A very important factor for the end of the steam era is the depletion and consequent closing of coal mines (especially in Europe). By the end of the 1960s-1970s, most western countries had completely replaced steam locomotives in commercial service. Freight locomotives generally were replaced later. Other designs, such as locomotives powered by gas turbines, have been experimented with, but seen little use. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

By the end of the 20th century, almost the only steam power still in regular use in North America and Western European countries was on railroads specifically aimed at tourists and/or railroad enthusiasts, known as railfans or train spotters. Steam locomotives remained in commercial use in parts of Mexico into the late 1970s. Steam locomotives are in regular use in China, where coal is a much more abundant resource than petroleum for diesel fuel. India has switched in last decade from steam-powered trains to electric- and diesel-powered trains. In some mountainous and high altitude rail lines, steam engines remain in use because they are less affected by reduced air pressure than diesel engines. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Railfans practicing their hobby at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. ... Train spotting is a pastime practised largely in the United Kingdom and the United States (and elsewhere) in which enthusiasts spend time at railway depots, train stations or at trackside vantage points noting down serial numbers of passing trains and locomotives. ... Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution... Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground either by underground mining, open-pit mining or strip mining. ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario, 2001 Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and oleum – oil), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish flammable liquid, which exists in the upper strata of some areas of the Earths crust. ...

Download high resolution version (1033x655, 76 KB)British Railways standard class 5 Steam locomotive - 73096 - at Virginia Water railway station England - 280404 Photo taken by Tagishsimon File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1033x655, 76 KB)British Railways standard class 5 Steam locomotive - 73096 - at Virginia Water railway station England - 280404 Photo taken by Tagishsimon File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system, from the nationalisation of the Big Four British railway companies in 1948 until its privatisation in stages between 1994 and 1997. ... A standard five in preservation British Railways Standard Class 5MT 4-6-0 was one of the standard classes of steam locomotives built by British Railways in the 1950s. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early 20th century. ... A geared steam locomotive is a type of steam locomotive which uses reduction gearing in the drivetrain, as opposed to the common directly-driven design. ... A steam engine is a heat engine that makes use of the thermal energy that exists in steam, converting it to mechanical work. ... A steam dummy or dummy engine, in the United States of America, was a steam engine enclosed in a wooden box structure made to resemble a railroad passenger coach. ... North America Early 20th Century Early 20th Century locomotive production in the USA included units made for both domestic and export markets. ... Steam locomotive nomenclature is a listing of the components found on a Steam Locomotive. ... In the Science Museum, London Stephensons Rocket was an early steam locomotive, built by George and Robert Stephenson in 1829. ...

Diesel-mechanical

Diesel locomotives differ in the form of transmission used to convey the power from a diesel engine (or engines) to the wheels. The most simple form of transmission is by means of a gearbox, in the same way as on road vehicles. Diesel trains or locomotives which use this are called diesel-mechanical. The diesel engine is a type of internal combustion engine; more specifically, it is a compression ignition engine, in which the fuel is ignited by being suddenly exposed to the high temperature and pressure of a compressed gas containing oxygen (usually atmospheric air), rather than a separate source of ignition... A gearbox is an assembly of gears allowing the rotational speed of an input shaft to be changed to a different speed. ...

It has however, been found impractical to build a gearbox which can cope with a power output of more than 400 horsepower (300 kW) without breaking, despite a number of attempts to do so. Therefore this type of transmission is only suitable for low powered shunting locomotives, or lightweight multiple units or railcars. The horsepower (hp) is the name of several non-metric units of power. ... A switcher (the general United States usage; common British terminology is shunter, while the Pennsylvania Railroad used shifter) is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains any great distance but rather for assembling a train ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has... A multiple unit is a passenger train whose carriages have their own motors, either diesel (DMUs) or electric (EMUs), and do not need to be hauled by a locomotive. ... Not to be confused with Railroad car A railcar is a self-propelled rail vehicle designed to transport passengers. ...

Diesel-electric

The most common form of transmission is electric; a locomotive using electric transmission is known as a diesel-electric locomotive. With this system, the diesel engine drives a generator or alternator; the electrical power produced then drives the wheels using electric motors. In effect, such a locomotive is an electric locomotive which carries its own generating station along with it. Union Pacific (UP) Railroad diesels refueling at Dunsmuir, California photographed on April 29, 2004 by Eric Guinther. ... Union Pacific (UP) Railroad diesels refueling at Dunsmuir, California photographed on April 29, 2004 by Eric Guinther. ... Diesel is a product used as a fuel in a diesel engine invented by Rudolf Diesel, and perfected by Charles F. Kettering. ... Generator redirects here. ... An alternator is a generator that produces alternating current by converting mechanical energy to electrical energy. ... Electric motors of various sizes. ...

Early diesel-electrics were switching engines used to move rail cars around in rail yards. The first went into service in 1924. A decade later, the technology first began to be applied to regular rail service as streamliners went into service. Actually, a gasoline-electric system powered the first such train, but diesel-electric systems soon proved to be more cost-effective because of higher efficiency and lower maintenance costs. The fuel for one early high-speed run from Chicago, Illinois to Denver, Colorado only cost US$14.64 (in 1934 dollars). 1924 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A streamliner is a vehicle that incorporates streamlining to produce a shape that provides less resistance to air, and is more pleasing to the eye. ... Petrol (gasoline in the United States and Canada) is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ... Denver is the largest city and capital of the state of Colorado, United States of America. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

In the 1970s, British Rail in the United Kingdom developed a high-speed diesel-electric train called the High Speed Train or HST. This train consists of two Class 43 locomotives (also known as power cars), one at each end, and a number of "Mark 3" carriages (usually 8). A complete HST set was originally designated as a Class 253 or 254 diesel multiple unit (DMU), but due to the frequent exchanges between sets the power cars were reclassified as locomotives and given class number 43. The unpowered carriages were simultaneously reclassifed as individual coaches - the number of a DMU set should identify all its associated carriages as well. Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution... British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system, from the nationalisation of the Big Four British railway companies in 1948 until its privatisation in stages between 1994 and 1997. ... TGV Réseau class, Marseille St-Charles station This page is about high speed rail in general. ... Two distinct types of locomotive have been allocated Class 43. ... British Rails third design of carriages was designated Mark 3. ... Class 253 and Class 254 were the classifications allocated to the production High Speed Train units. ... A diesel multiple unit can be: a multiple unit powered by a diesel engine; one or more of these form a passenger train; a combination of diesel powered locomotives operating under the control of one engine-driver, coupled together consecutively, usually at the head end of the train, which further...

The prototype HST (designated Class 252) holds the world speed record for diesel traction, having reached a speed of 143 mph, although the operating speed of the production HST in service is 125 mph (200km/h), hence the name "Inter-City 125".

A variant of the Intercity 125 (the "XPT") is in service on Australian railways, but with a lower top speed and different carriages.

Dual-mode diesel-electric/third rail locomotives are operated by the Long Island Rail Road between non-electrified territory and New York City because of a local law banning diesel-powered locomotives in city tunnels. For the same reasons, Amtrak operates a fleet of dual-mode locomotives on some lines in the northeast of the United States. Third rail at Bostons South Station A third rail is a method of providing electricity to power a railroad, typically a mass transit system. ... The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a railroad that serves the length of Long Island, New York. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... Amtrak is the trademark name of an intercity passenger train system created on May 1, 1971 in the United States. ...

Diesel-hydraulic

Alternatively, diesel-hydraulic locomotives use hydraulic transmission to convey the power from the diesel engine to the wheels. On this type of locomotive, the power is transmitted to the wheels by means of a device called a torque converter. A torque converter consists of three main parts, two of which rotate, and one which is fixed. All three main parts are sealed in a housing filled with oil. Many diesel-hydraulic multiple units also have a "fluid flywheel" which acts as a "second gear" for running at higher speeds. Hydraulics is a branch of science and engineering concerned with the use of liquids to perform mechanical tasks. ... A torque converter is a hydraulic device prevalent in automatic transmissions and marine propulsion systems, such as diesel powered ships, where two or more engines are driving a common shaft. ...

The inner rotating part of a torque converter is called a centrifugal pump (or impeller), the outer part is called a turbine wheel (or driven wheel), and between them is a fixed guide wheel. All of these parts have specially shaped blades to control the flow of oil.

The centrifugal pump is connected directly to the diesel engine, and the turbine wheel is connected to an axle which drives the wheels. An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. ...

As the diesel engine rotates the centrifugal pump, oil is forced outwards at high pressure. The oil is forced through the blades of the fixed guide wheel and then through the blades of the turbine wheel, which causes it to rotate and thus turn the axle and the wheels. The oil is then pumped around the circuit again and again.

Diesel-hydraulic locomotives are slightly more efficient than diesel-electrics but are mechanically more complicated and more likely to break down. In the US and Canada, they are now greatly outnumbered by diesel-electric locomotives, while they remain dominant in some European countries. The only diesel-electric locomotives of the Deutsche Bundesbahn were the BR 288 (V 188), of which twelve were built in 1939 by the DRG. 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft was the German State Railway Company between 1920 and 1945. ...

Gas turbine

Locomotives powered by gas turbines were developed in many countries in the decades after World War II. These used jet-type engines (similar to the turboshaft engines in a turbine helicopter) driving an output shaft. The normal method of transmitting power to the wheels involved an electrical transmission similar to a diesel-electric locomotive - the turbines running at constant speed driving a generator, feeding to large electric motors driving the wheels. The worlds first commercial, oil-free gas turbine is manufactured by Capstone. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Turboshaft engines are a type of jet engine, differing from the similar turboprop largely in name and use -- turboshaft engines are used in helicopters, the name referring to the way the torque of the engine drives the power shaft at 90 degrees to the engine mounting. ... A number of vehicles use a diesel-electric powerplant for providing locomotion. ...

Gas turbine locomotives are very powerful, but also very noisy (they sounded rather like a jet aircraft). Their efficiency was quite low, but this was initially not a problem; fuel was cheap, and some gas turbines were fuelled with cheap 'Bunker C' heavy oil. This cheap fuel source vanished when improved refinery techniques allowed it to be 'cracked' into lighter petroleum grades. After the oil crisis in the 1970s and the rise in fuel costs, gas turbine locomotives became uneconomic to run, and many were taken out of service. This type of locomotive is now rare. None are in use in the United States. An Energy Crisis is any great shortfall (or price rise) in the supply of energy to an economy. ... Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution...

Electric

Main article: Electric locomotive An Electric Locomotive is a locomotive powered by electric motors which draws current from an overhead wire, a third rail, or an on-board storage device such as a battery or a flywheel energy storage system. ...

The electric locomotive is externally supplied with electric power, either through an overhead pickup or through a third rail. While the cost of electrifying track is rather high, electric trains and locomotives are significantly cheaper to run than diesel ones, and are capable of superior acceleration as well as regenerative braking, making them ideal for passenger service in densely populated areas. Almost all high speed train systems (e.g. ICE, TGV, bullet train) use electric locomotives, because the power needed for such performance is not easily carried on board. Virginian Railway EL3A loco100 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Virginian Railway EL3A loco100 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Virginian Railway (AAR reporting mark VGN) was a Class 1 railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. ... 1926 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... An Electric Locomotive is a locomotive powered by electric motors which draws current from an overhead wire, a third rail, or an on-board storage device such as a battery or a flywheel energy storage system. ... An electric multiple unit pulling into Tile Hill station; Coventry, England. ... Third rail at Bostons South Station A third rail is a method of providing electricity to power a railroad, typically a mass transit system. ... Acceleration is the time rate of change of velocity, and at any point on a v-t graph, it is given by the gradient of the tangent to that point In physics, acceleration (symbol: a) is defined as the rate of change (or time derivative) of velocity. ... Regenerative braking is any technology which allows a vehicle to recapture and store part of the kinetic energy that would ordinarily be lost when braking. ... TGV R seau class, Marseille St-Charles station This page is about high speed rail in general. ... Icicles A natural ice block in Iceland Ice is the solid form of water. ... The TGV is Frances train à grande vitesse; literally high-speed train. Developed by Alsthom and SNCF, and operated by SNCF, the French national railway company, it connects cities in France, especially Paris, and in some other neighbouring countries, such as Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. ... Shinkansen 0 Series at Fukuyama Station, April 2002 Shinkansen 500 Series at Kyoto Station, April 2002 300 (Left) and 700 Series Shinkansen at Tokyo Station The Shinkansen (新幹線) is a network of high speed rail lines in Japan, upon which the famous Bullet Trains run. ...

The world speed record for a wheeled train was set in 1990 by a French TGV which reached a speed of 515.3 km/h (320 mph).

While recently designed electrified railway systems invariably operate on alternating current, many existing direct current systems are still in use—e.g. in South Africa, Spain, and the United Kingdom; Netherlands (1500 V); Belgium, Italy, Poland (3000 V), and the cites of Mumbai and Chicago (who will be switched to AC by 2025). An alternating current (AC) is an electrical current, where the magnitude and direction of the current varies cyclically, as opposed to direct current, where the direction of the current stays constant. ... Direct current (DC or continuous current) is the continuous flow of electricity through a conductor such as a wire from high to low potential. ... Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the most populous Indian city. ... Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ...

See also: Railway electrification system A railway electrification system is a way of supplying electric power to electric locomotives or multiple units. ...

Magnetic levitation

The newest technology in locomotives is magnetic levitation (maglev). These electrically powered trains have a special open motor which floats the train above the rail without the need for wheels. This greatly reduces friction. Very few systems are in service and the cost is very high. The experimental Japanese magnetic levitation train has reached 552 km/h. Download high resolution version (833x526, 54 KB)A Transrapid train in Germany Copyright: Picture taken from the German Wikipedia, see de:Bild:Transrapid. ... Download high resolution version (833x526, 54 KB)A Transrapid train in Germany Copyright: Picture taken from the German Wikipedia, see de:Bild:Transrapid. ... Emsland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... Maglev can also mean general magnetic levitation. ...

The transrapid maglev train connects Shanghai's airport with the city. Transrapid at the Emsland test facility Transrapid is a German monorail system using magnetic levitation. ... Shanghai Pudong International Airport (Exterior) September 2004 Pudong International Airport (Chinese: 浦东国际机场 pinyin: Pǔdōng Guójì Jīcháng) is an airport located in the eastern part of Pudong district of Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China. ...

Classification by use

The three main categories of locomotives are often subdivided in their usage in rail transport operations. There are passenger locomotives, freight locomotives and switcher (or shunter) locomotives. These categories mainly depend on manoeuvrability, traction power and speed. Some locomotives are designed to work in mountain railways. Background Each transport system represents a contribution to a countrys infrastructure, and as such must make economic sense or eventually close. ... A switcher (the general United States usage; common British terminology is shunter, while the Pennsylvania Railroad used shifter) is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains any great distance but rather for assembling a train ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has... A mountain railway is a railway which ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. ...