The Pennsylvania Railroad 's class P5 comprised 92 mixed-traffic electric locomotives constructed 1931–1935 by the PRR, Westinghouse and General Electric . Although the original intention was that they work mainly passenger trains, the success of the GG1 locomotives meant that the P5 class were mostly used on freight. A single survivor, prototype #4700, is at the National Museum of Transportation in St Louis, Missouri .
97-662: They had an AAR wheel arrangement of 2-C-2 , or 2′Co2′ in the UIC classification system — three pairs of driven wheels rigidly mounted to the locomotive , with a two-axle unpowered truck at each end. This is an equivalent to a 4-6-4 in the Whyte notation . The PRR did not have any 4-6-4 steam locomotives, so the P5s were the only 4-6-4 type locomotives owned by the PRR. The first P5s were built with box cabs . A grade crossing accident in which
194-603: A Modified appearance in January 1945 after being wrecked in February 1944, differed from previous Modifieds in having an all-welded carbody, the type of construction famously utilized in the production run of the GG1. In October 1937, P5a #4702 was rebuilt with motors in its trucks to become the only locomotive in subclass P5b . Each truck axle was given a 375-horsepower (280 kW) motor, adding 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) to give
291-480: A conventional diesel or electric locomotive would be unsuitable. An example is maintenance trains on electrified lines when the electricity supply is turned off. Another use is in industrial facilities where a combustion-powered locomotive (i.e., steam- or diesel-powered ) could cause a safety issue due to the risks of fire, explosion or fumes in a confined space. Battery locomotives are preferred for mines where gas could be ignited by trolley-powered units arcing at
388-463: A diesel–electric locomotive ( E 2 original number Юэ 001/Yu-e 001) started operations. It had been designed by a team led by Yury Lomonosov and built 1923–1924 by Maschinenfabrik Esslingen in Germany. It had 5 driving axles (1'E1'). After several test rides, it hauled trains for almost three decades from 1925 to 1954. An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered only by electricity. Electricity
485-423: A ground and polished journal that is integral to the axle. The other side of the housing has a tongue-shaped protuberance that engages a matching slot in the truck (bogie) bolster, its purpose being to act as a torque reaction device, as well as a support. Power transfer from motor to axle is effected by spur gearing , in which a pinion on the motor shaft engages a bull gear on the axle. Both gears are enclosed in
582-410: A high ride quality and less electrical equipment; but EMUs have less axle weight, which reduces maintenance costs, and EMUs also have higher acceleration and higher seating capacity. Also some trains, including TGV PSE , TGV TMST and TGV V150 , use both non-passenger power cars and additional passenger motor cars. Locomotives occasionally work in a specific role, such as: The wheel arrangement of
679-550: A higher power-to-weight ratio than DC motors and, because of the absence of a commutator , were simpler to manufacture and maintain. However, they were much larger than the DC motors of the time and could not be mounted in underfloor bogies : they could only be carried within locomotive bodies. In 1894, Hungarian engineer Kálmán Kandó developed a new type 3-phase asynchronous electric drive motors and generators for electric locomotives. Kandó's early 1894 designs were first applied in
776-718: A hinge. Examples include the Milwaukee Road EF-1 "Boxcab" electrics. "B+B-B+B" means there are four trucks under the unit. Within each truck, there are two powered axles, and pairs of them are connected by span bolsters . One example would be the General Electric U50 , built from 1963 to 1965. The 4500 horsepower (3.4 MW) turbine locomotives built by GE for Union Pacific also used this arrangement. The EFVM railway of Brazil uses narrow gauge GE "BB" locomotives with this arrangement, both with "standard" and wide cabs. A GE Dash 9-40BBW , for instance,
873-498: A larger locomotive named Galvani , exhibited at the Royal Scottish Society of Arts Exhibition in 1841. The seven-ton vehicle had two direct-drive reluctance motors , with fixed electromagnets acting on iron bars attached to a wooden cylinder on each axle, and simple commutators . It hauled a load of six tons at four miles per hour (6 kilometers per hour) for a distance of one and a half miles (2.4 kilometres). It
970-410: A liquid-tight housing containing lubricating oil. The type of service in which the locomotive is used dictates the gear ratio employed. Numerically high ratios are commonly found on freight units, whereas numerically low ratios are typical of passenger engines. Electricity is typically generated in large and relatively efficient generating stations , transmitted to the railway network and distributed to
1067-646: A locomotive assembly plant today, while final assembly for the Westinghouse order was subcontracted to the Baldwin Locomotive Works . A fatal grade crossing accident on the New York Division confirmed traincrews' concerns about safety when the crew were killed after colliding with a truck loaded with apples. A redesign was undertaken, giving the locomotives a central cab, raised higher, with narrower-topped, streamlined "noses" to
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#17327723228461164-486: A locomotive describes how many wheels it has; common methods include the AAR wheel arrangement , UIC classification , and Whyte notation systems. In the second half of the twentieth century remote control locomotives started to enter service in switching operations, being remotely controlled by an operator outside of the locomotive cab. The main benefit is one operator can control the loading of grain, coal, gravel, etc. into
1261-404: A number of important innovations including the use of high-pressure steam which reduced the weight of the engine and increased its efficiency. In 1812, Matthew Murray 's twin-cylinder rack locomotive Salamanca first ran on the edge-railed rack-and-pinion Middleton Railway ; this is generally regarded as the first commercially successful locomotive. Another well-known early locomotive
1358-410: A pair of high-powered B-B locomotives on a common frame as far as traction and power was concerned). In fact, a usual consist of a D-D unit included a leading C-C unit and a trailing C-C unit, for a total of about 12,600 hp (9.4 MW) (with four total prime-movers). With today's higher horsepower C-C units (about 4,300 hp (3.2 MW) apiece), three such C-C units exceeds the total power of
1455-722: A place', ablative of locus 'place', and the Medieval Latin motivus 'causing motion', and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine , which was first used in 1814 to distinguish between self-propelled and stationary steam engines . Prior to locomotives, the motive force for railways had been generated by various lower-technology methods such as human power, horse power, gravity or stationary engines that drove cable systems. Few such systems are still in existence today. Locomotives may generate their power from fuel (wood, coal, petroleum or natural gas), or they may take power from an outside source of electricity. It
1552-442: A row, "C" to three powered axles in a row, and "D" to four powered axles in a row. "1" refers to one idler axle, and "2" to two idler axles in a row. A dash ("–") separates trucks or wheel assemblies. A plus sign ("+") refers to articulation, either by connecting bogies with span bolsters or by connecting individual locomotives via solid drawbars instead of couplers . "1A-A1" means there are two trucks (or wheel assemblies) under
1649-403: A separate fourth rail for this purpose. The type of electrical power used is either direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC). Various collection methods exist: a trolley pole , which is a long flexible pole that engages the line with a wheel or shoe; a bow collector , which is a frame that holds a long collecting rod against the wire; a pantograph , which is a hinged frame that holds
1746-483: A short three-phase AC tramway in Evian-les-Bains (France), which was constructed between 1896 and 1898. In 1918, Kandó invented and developed the rotary phase converter , enabling electric locomotives to use three-phase motors whilst supplied via a single overhead wire, carrying the simple industrial frequency (50 Hz) single phase AC of the high voltage national networks. In 1896, Oerlikon installed
1843-522: A significantly larger workforce is required to operate and service them. British Rail figures showed that the cost of crewing and fuelling a steam locomotive was about two and a half times larger than the cost of supporting an equivalent diesel locomotive, and the daily mileage they could run was lower. Between about 1950 and 1970, the majority of steam locomotives were retired from commercial service and replaced with electric and diesel–electric locomotives. While North America transitioned from steam during
1940-709: A simplification of the European UIC classification , it is widely used in North America to describe diesel and electric locomotives (including third-rail electric locomotives ). It is not used for steam locomotives , which use the Whyte notation instead (except geared steam locomotives , which are instead classified by their model and their number of trucks). The AAR system (like UIC) counts axles, unlike Whyte, which counts wheels. Letters refer to powered axles, and numbers to unpowered (or idler) axles. "A" refers to one powered axle, "B" to two powered axles in
2037-439: A total power output of 5,250 hp (3,910 kW) and a wheel arrangement of B-C-B or Bo′CoBo′. The main drivers had used double traction motors [ de ] on each axle, but the trucks were a single motor per axle. This modification also meant that locomotive's entire weight was carried on driven wheels. Despite these advantages the experiment was not repeated, however #4702 continued in its modified form. Visually,
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#17327723228462134-490: Is "Four axle". "B-2-B" means there are three trucks. The center truck has two unpowered axles and the truck at each end has two powered axles. The locomotive frame must either articulate or allow for significant side play to be provided to the center truck. Examples of this type were built as light rail vehicles. "B-B-B" means there are three trucks. Each truck has two powered axles. The locomotive frame must either articulate or allow for significant side play to be provided to
2231-408: Is "Six axle". "1-C+C-1" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with one idler axle, and inboard of it are three powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The PRR FF1 and FF2 electric locomotives used this arrangement. "2-C+C-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under
2328-523: Is a guiding truck with two idler axles, and inboard of this, and hinged to it, is a truck with three powered axles. The GE steam turbine-electric locomotives of 1939 were notable examples of this arrangement. "2-C1+2-C1-B" means there are five trucks. Only the first three axles on the four-axle trucks were powered, as were both axles in the last truck; the first and middle trucks had two unpowered axles each. The only examples of this arrangement were three unique coal -fired steam-turbine locomotives built by
2425-584: Is a narrow-gauge adaptation of the SD45 , which required additional axles due to using smaller traction motors. "2-D+D-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are four powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. Examples include the Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2 "Centipede" diesel locomotives and
2522-751: Is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are four powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The Little Joes , Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2 , and Baldwin 4-8+8-4-750/8-DE locomotives used this arrangement. "D-D" means there are two trucks each with four powered axles. Examples include the EMD DD units. D-D locomotives have fallen out of favor as nearly all of these were twin-engined locomotives, which placed too much horsepower in too few axles which made these consists rather inflexible (each locomotive featured two prime movers , making each unit essentially
2619-399: Is a wide cab GE Dash 9-40CW series 4,000 hp (3,000 kW) locomotive with a B+B-B+B wheel arrangement. The EMD SD70ACe-BB produced from 2015 onward also has a B+B-B+B arrangement. "B-B+B-B" means that the locomotive has four trucks. Each truck contains two powered axles. The middle pair of trucks are connected by a span bolster . In most cases, the locomotive is articulated over
2716-456: Is common to classify locomotives by their source of energy. The common ones include: A steam locomotive is a locomotive whose primary power source is a steam engine . The most common form of steam locomotive also contains a boiler to generate the steam used by the engine. The water in the boiler is heated by burning combustible material – usually coal, wood, or oil – to produce steam. The steam moves reciprocating pistons which are connected to
2813-416: Is supplied to moving trains with a (nearly) continuous conductor running along the track that usually takes one of three forms: an overhead line , suspended from poles or towers along the track or from structure or tunnel ceilings; a third rail mounted at track level; or an onboard battery . Both overhead wire and third-rail systems usually use the running rails as the return conductor but some systems use
2910-522: Is that these power cars are integral part of a train and are not adapted for operation with any other types of passenger coaches. On the other hand, many high-speed trains such as the Shinkansen network never use locomotives. Instead of locomotive-like power-cars, they use electric multiple units (EMUs) or diesel multiple units (DMUs) – passenger cars that also have traction motors and power equipment. Using dedicated locomotive-like power cars allows for
3007-551: Is under the back of the unit, and has one idler axle. Examples include the three EMD LWT12 locomotives built by EMD in 1956. Twenty SD70ACe-P4 locomotives were built by EMD with a B1-1B arrangement that has two three axle trucks with each truck having two AC traction motors and one idler axle nearest the fuel tank. The locomotive was designed as an AC traction alternative to the SD70M-2 that uses three DC traction motors on each of two three axle trucks. Only BNSF ordered
Pennsylvania Railroad class P5 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3104-465: Is under the back of the unit, and has two idler axles in a row. Examples include the three lightweight RP-210 locomotives built by Baldwin in 1956 and 1957 for use with Pullman-Standard Train-X equipment. "B-A1A" means there are two trucks. The "B" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two powered axles. The "A1A" truck is under the back of the unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. Examples include some of
3201-600: Is under the front of the unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. The "3" truck is under the back of the unit, and has three idler axles in a row. An example is the Baldwin DR-6-2-10 1,000 hp (750 kW) cab unit, only one of which was built for the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1948. "A1A-A1A" means there are two trucks under the locomotive. Each truck has two powered axles, with an idler axle between them. This spreads
3298-539: Is under the front of the unit, and has three idler axles in a row. The "A1A" truck is under the rear of the unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. An example is the later built FM OP800 800 hp (600 kW) railcar, six of which were built by the St. Louis Car Company exclusively for the Southern Railway in 1939. "A1-1A" means there are two trucks or wheel assemblies under
3395-682: The Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway between 1947 and 1948. This locomotive is sometimes called the M-1. "C-C+C-C" means there are four trucks under the unit. Each truck has three powered axles. The only examples of this type were the 8500 horsepower (6.3 MW) turbine locomotives built by General Electric for Union Pacific . These locomotives consisted of two permanently coupled C-C units. "C+C-C+C" means there are four trucks. Each truck has three powered axles and pairs of them are connected by span bolsters . This arrangement
3492-834: The British Rail Class 28 are the only locomotives to use this wheel arrangement. "C-C" means there are two identical trucks. Each truck has three powered axles. Examples include the EMD SD (Special Duty), GMD GF6C , EMD GM6C , PRR E44 , GE E60 , Virginian EL-C and GE Evolution Series units, except the ES44C4 and ET44C4 which use the A1A-A1A wheel arrangement. This is a currently popular configuration used in low-speed, high-weight applications, such as unit coal trains. General ("manifest") freight trains also use C-C locomotives. See also Co-Co . An American colloquialism of "C-C"
3589-590: The EMD FL9 and Bombardier ALP-45DP There are three main uses of locomotives in rail transport operations : for hauling passenger trains, freight trains, and for switching (UK English: shunting). Freight locomotives are normally designed to deliver high starting tractive effort and high sustained power. This allows them to start and move long, heavy trains, but usually comes at the cost of relatively low maximum speeds. Passenger locomotives usually develop lower starting tractive effort but are able to operate at
3686-877: The FM C-liners (most passenger units) built from 1950 to 1955, and the EMD FL9 . "B-B" means there are two identical trucks. Each truck has two powered axles, a currently popular configuration used in high-speed, low-weight applications such as intermodal trains and high-speed rail , as well as switcher locomotives . Examples include the EMD GP (General Purpose), EMD F-units , EMD SW1500 , Acela Express Power Cars , Siemens Charger , Siemens ACS-64 and GE Genesis units. High speed ("time") freight trains, with guaranteed schedules often use B-B locomotives of 3,800 HP (950 HP per axle), but this application, too, has largely been replaced by higher-powered, 4,500 HP C-C locomotives (750 HP per axle). An American colloquialism of "B-B"
3783-621: The GE " Little Joe " electric locomotives . "B-D+D-B" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two powered axles, and inboard of it are four powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The W-1 class of electric locomotives built by General Electric for the Great Northern Railway used this arrangement. "1B+D+D+B1" means there are four sets of articulated axles under
3880-535: The Great Northern Z-1 electric locomotives (for the Cascade Tunnel electrification) used this arrangement. "2-D-2" means there are three trucks. At either end are trucks with two idler axles; the center truck has four powered axles. The PRR R1 electric locomotive used this arrangement. "2-D+D-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, theare
3977-492: The Southern Railway in 1939. "2-B" means there are two trucks or wheel assemblies. The "2" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two idler axles in a row. The "B" truck is under the rear of the unit, and has two powered axles. Examples include the three lightweight power cars built by ALCO / ACF in 1935 and 1937 for use with the Rebel streamliners. "3-A1A" means there are two trucks or wheel assemblies. The "3" truck
Pennsylvania Railroad class P5 - Misplaced Pages Continue
4074-546: The Texas Mexican Railway . "2-A1A" means there are two trucks or wheel assemblies. The "2" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two idler axles in a row. The "A1A" truck is under the rear of the unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. An example is the FM OP800 800 hp (600 kW) railcar, six of which were built by the St. Louis Car Company exclusively for
4171-553: The Virginian Railway 's EL-2B electric locomotives. Locomotive A locomotive is a rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train . If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit , motor coach , railcar or power car ; the use of these self-propelled vehicles is increasingly common for passenger trains , but rare for freight trains . Traditionally, locomotives pulled trains from
4268-500: The traction motors and axles adapts the power output to the rails for freight or passenger service. Passenger locomotives may include other features, such as head-end power (also referred to as hotel power or electric train supply) or a steam generator . Some locomotives are designed specifically to work steep grade railways , and feature extensive additional braking mechanisms and sometimes rack and pinion. Steam locomotives built for steep rack and pinion railways frequently have
4365-459: The "1" truck is under the front of the unit, and has one idler axle. The remaining 4 axles are rigidly mounted to the frame behind this lead truck (or grouped in a second truck). This is roughly the equivalent of a 2-8-0 Consolidation in the Whyte notation, particularly when built as a 1-truck/4 rigid axle locomotive. The only known examples are a series of diesel boxcab locomotives built and owned by
4462-408: The 1950s, and continental Europe by the 1970s, in other parts of the world, the transition happened later. Steam was a familiar technology that used widely-available fuels and in low-wage economies did not suffer as wide a cost disparity. It continued to be used in many countries until the end of the 20th century. By the end of the 20th century, almost the only steam power remaining in regular use around
4559-648: The 40 km Burgdorf—Thun line , Switzerland. The first implementation of industrial frequency single-phase AC supply for locomotives came from Oerlikon in 1901, using the designs of Hans Behn-Eschenburg and Emil Huber-Stockar ; installation on the Seebach-Wettingen line of the Swiss Federal Railways was completed in 1904. The 15 kV, 50 Hz 345 kW (460 hp), 48 tonne locomotives used transformers and rotary converters to power DC traction motors. Italian railways were
4656-616: The PRR's Altoona Works in 1931. They were essentially the PRR's 2-B-2 O1 design lengthened by adding another pair of driving wheels; while the O1 was an "electric Atlantic" equivalent to the E6s steam locomotive, the P5 was an "electric Pacific" designed to match or better the performance of the PRR's ubiquitous K4s Pacifics . These prototypes had electrical equipment from both Westinghouse and General Electric;
4753-505: The UK, the Class 31 uses this wheel arrangement. "A1A-B+B" means there are three trucks. The first truck has three axles, with the center one unpowered. A pair of two-axle trucks, each with both axles powered, are connected by a span bolster under the rear of the unit. The only example to date of this arrangement was a single experimental EMD SDP45 . "B" means there are two powered axles under
4850-752: The United Kingdom was a petrol–mechanical locomotive built by the Maudslay Motor Company in 1902, for the Deptford Cattle Market in London . It was an 80 hp locomotive using a three-cylinder vertical petrol engine, with a two speed mechanical gearbox. Diesel locomotives are powered by diesel engines . In the early days of diesel propulsion development, various transmission systems were employed with varying degrees of success, with electric transmission proving to be
4947-813: The boiler tilted relative to the locomotive frame , so that the boiler remains roughly level on steep grades. Locomotives are also used on some high-speed trains. Some of them are operated in push-pull formation with trailer control cars at another end of a train, which often have a cabin with the same design as a cabin of locomotive; examples of such trains with conventional locomotives are Railjet and Intercity 225 . Also many high-speed trains, including all TGV , many Talgo (250 / 350 / Avril / XXI), some Korea Train Express , ICE 1 / ICE 2 and Intercity 125 , use dedicated power cars , which do not have places for passengers and technically are special single-ended locomotives. The difference from conventional locomotives
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#17327723228465044-460: The center section would have a 200-ton reactor chamber and steel walls 5 feet thick to prevent releases of radioactivity in case of accidents. He estimated a cost to manufacture atomic locomotives with 7000 h.p. engines at approximately $ 1,200,000 each. Consequently, trains with onboard nuclear generators were generally deemed unfeasible due to prohibitive costs. In 2002, the first 3.6 tonne, 17 kW hydrogen (fuel cell) -powered mining locomotive
5141-505: The center truck. The Russian VL85 and US-American EMD GM10B was a notable example. See also Bo-Bo-Bo . "B+B+B" means there are three articulated sets of two powered axles each under the unit. The locomotive frame must allow for significant side play to be provided to the center axle set, as well as allowing for end play for the end sets. The ten Mexican Railway GE boxcab electrics of 1923 are examples of this wheel arrangement. "2-B+B-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under
5238-438: The center trucks. "B-B+B-B+B-B" means that the locomotive has six trucks. Each truck contains two powered axles. The only known locomotives to have this configuration were the two EMD TR3 locomotives made of three permanently coupled B-B units, which had solid drawbars connecting the units instead of the typical couplers. "C" means there are three powered axles under the unit. They are not articulated relative to other parts of
5335-462: The class P5b could be distinguished from a boxcab P5a by having a lower row of ventilation grilles on the sides of the superstructure, and by having outside brake cylinders on the trucks. AAR wheel arrangement The AAR wheel arrangement system is a method of classifying locomotive (or unit) wheel arrangements that was developed by the Association of American Railroads . Essentially
5432-407: The collecting shoes against the wire in a fixed geometry; or a contact shoe , which is a shoe in contact with the third rail. Of the three, the pantograph method is best suited for high-speed operation. Electric locomotives almost universally use axle-hung traction motors, with one motor for each powered axle. In this arrangement, one side of the motor housing is supported by plain bearings riding on
5529-455: The collection shoes, or where electrical resistance could develop in the supply or return circuits, especially at rail joints, and allow dangerous current leakage into the ground. Battery locomotives in over-the-road service can recharge while absorbing dynamic-braking energy. The first known electric locomotive was built in 1837 by chemist Robert Davidson of Aberdeen , and it was powered by galvanic cells (batteries). Davidson later built
5626-518: The crew were killed led to the substitution of a central cab to give better crash protection, a streamlined steeple type, in later production, a design which was also applied to the GG1. When the GG1s were put in passenger service, the P5s were regeared and used in freight service for many years. The last of the class was withdrawn from service in April 1965. Two prototype locomotives were outshopped from
5723-465: The design was by both companies and the PRR's electrical department, and the equipment from each manufacturer was identical. Orders were placed for 90 production locomotives classified P5a due to minor changes from the prototypes (notably, larger traction motor blowers). Production was split between General Electric and Westinghouse; the GE examples were assembled at GE's Erie, Pennsylvania facility, still
5820-405: The driving wheels by means of connecting rods, with no intervening gearbox. This means the combination of starting tractive effort and maximum speed is greatly influenced by the diameter of the driving wheels. Steam locomotives intended for freight service generally have smaller diameter driving wheels than passenger locomotives. In diesel–electric and electric locomotives the control system between
5917-524: The early 1950s, Lyle Borst of the University of Utah was given funding by various US railroad line and manufacturers to study the feasibility of an electric-drive locomotive, in which an onboard atomic reactor produced the steam to generate the electricity. At that time, atomic power was not fully understood; Borst believed the major stumbling block was the price of uranium. With the Borst atomic locomotive,
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#17327723228466014-520: The first commercial example of the system on the Lugano Tramway . Each 30-tonne locomotive had two 110 kW (150 hp) motors run by three-phase 750 V 40 Hz fed from double overhead lines. Three-phase motors run at constant speed and provide regenerative braking , and are well suited to steeply graded routes, and the first main-line three-phase locomotives were supplied by Brown (by then in partnership with Walter Boveri ) in 1899 on
6111-514: The first in the world to introduce electric traction for the entire length of a main line rather than just a short stretch. The 106 km Valtellina line was opened on 4 September 1902, designed by Kandó and a team from the Ganz works. The electrical system was three-phase at 3 kV 15 Hz. The voltage was significantly higher than used earlier and it required new designs for electric motors and switching devices. The three-phase two-wire system
6208-473: The front. However, push-pull operation has become common, where the train may have a locomotive (or locomotives) at the front, at the rear, or at each end. Most recently railroads have begun adopting DPU or distributed power. The front may have one or two locomotives followed by a mid-train locomotive that is controlled remotely from the lead unit. The word locomotive originates from the Latin loco 'from
6305-400: The high speeds required to maintain passenger schedules. Mixed-traffic locomotives (US English: general purpose or road switcher locomotives) meant for both passenger and freight trains do not develop as much starting tractive effort as a freight locomotive but are able to haul heavier trains than a passenger locomotive. Most steam locomotives have reciprocating engines, with pistons coupled to
6402-399: The locomotive to enable the crew to see forward. The final 28 locomotives were built to this design, which was not given a separate class designation since it was mechanically and electrically identical; they were called class P5a (modified) , and colloquially Modifieds . Documentation published in 2010 disproved the decades long belief that the modified P5's new shell design came first and
6499-441: The locomotive's main wheels, known as the " driving wheels ". Both fuel and water supplies are carried with the locomotive, either on the locomotive itself, in bunkers and tanks , (this arrangement is known as a " tank locomotive ") or pulled behind the locomotive, in tenders , (this arrangement is known as a " tender locomotive "). The first full-scale working railway steam locomotive was built by Richard Trevithick in 1802. It
6596-458: The locomotive. This arrangement is only used on very small locomotives (e.g. the PRR B1 ). This arrangement is sometimes referred to as 0-6-0 , the Whyte notation equivalent. "C-B" means there are two trucks. The "C" truck is under the front of the unit, and has three powered axles. The "B" truck is under the rear of the unit, and has two powered axles. The Japanese DE10 , DE11 , and DE15 and
6693-675: The locomotives were retired shortly afterward. All four locomotives were donated to museums, but one was scrapped. The others can be seen at the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad , Iowa, and at the Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista, California. The Toronto Transit Commission previously operated a battery electric locomotive built by Nippon Sharyo in 1968 and retired in 2009. London Underground regularly operates battery–electric locomotives for general maintenance work. In
6790-477: The model in 2014. The other locomotive with this wheel arrangement is the EMD SD70MACH , which is an SD70MAC rebuilt by Progress Rail for Metra and used for passenger service. In 2020, Metra approved of the purchase of 15 of these locomotives with options to purchase up to 27 more. "B-2" means there are two trucks. The "B" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two powered axles. The "2" truck
6887-494: The most popular. In 1914, Hermann Lemp , a General Electric electrical engineer, developed and patented a reliable direct current electrical control system (subsequent improvements were also patented by Lemp). Lemp's design used a single lever to control both engine and generator in a coordinated fashion, and was the prototype for all diesel–electric locomotive control. In 1917–18, GE produced three experimental diesel–electric locomotives using Lemp's control design. In 1924,
6984-688: The power supply of choice for subways, abetted by the Sprague's invention of multiple-unit train control in 1897. The first use of electrification on a main line was on a four-mile stretch of the Baltimore Belt Line of the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) in 1895 connecting the main portion of the B&O to the new line to New York through a series of tunnels around the edges of Baltimore's downtown. Three Bo+Bo units were initially used, at
7081-425: The south end of the electrified section; they coupled onto the locomotive and train and pulled it through the tunnels. DC was used on earlier systems. These systems were gradually replaced by AC. Today, almost all main-line railways use AC systems. DC systems are confined mostly to urban transit such as metro systems, light rail and trams, where power requirement is less. The first practical AC electric locomotive
7178-509: The span bolster. The Union Pacific 's M-10002 diesel streamliner and New York Central 's T-Motor third-rail electric locomotives are examples of this type. This arrangement also includes locomotives made of two permanently coupled B-B units, such as some EMD FT units which had a solid drawbar connecting two units instead of the typical couplers. "B-B-B-B" means there are four trucks. Each truck has two powered axles. The locomotive frame must allow for significant side play to be provided to
7275-464: The trains. Some electric railways have their own dedicated generating stations and transmission lines but most purchase power from an electric utility . The railway usually provides its own distribution lines, switches and transformers . Electric locomotives usually cost 20% less than diesel locomotives, their maintenance costs are 25–35% lower, and cost up to 50% less to run. The earliest systems were DC systems. The first electric passenger train
7372-462: The unit. At each end, there is one unpowered axle and two powered axles, hinged to a set of four powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The "Bi-Polar" electric locomotives used by the Milwaukee Road used this arrangement. "(B+B-B+B)+(B+B-B+B)" means there are 2 units, each with 4 trucks in a B+B-B+B wheel arrangement. An example was
7469-595: The unit. Each truck has one powered axle and one idler axle, with the idler axles to the outside. Examples include Budd RDC diesel multiple unit ( DMU ) cars. "1B-1B" means there are two trucks with a leading idler axle in front of two powered axles. This arrangement was used to upgrade the B-B arrangement of two EMC 1800 hp B-B locomotives owned by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1938, for greater stability at speed. "1-D" means there are two trucks or groups of axles;
7566-608: The unit. Each truck has one powered axle and one idler axle, with the powered axles to the outside. "A1A-2" means there are two trucks. The "A1A" truck is under the front of the unit, and has one powered axle, one idler axle, and one more powered axle. The "2" truck is under the back of the unit, and has two idler axles in a row. An example is the Silver Charger power car for the General Pershing Zephyr . "A1A-3" means there are two trucks. The "A1A" truck
7663-466: The unit. These axles are not articulated relative to other parts of the locomotive. This arrangement is only used on very small locomotives, such as the EMD Model 40 . It is also used on speeders . This arrangement is sometimes referred to as 0-4-0 , the Whyte notation equivalent. "B-1" means there are two trucks. The "B" truck is under the front of the unit, and has two powered axles. The "1" truck
7760-420: The unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are three powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The Pennsylvania Railroad 's GG1 and Companhia Paulista 's electric locomotives were notable examples of this arrangement. "2+C-C+2" means there are two sets of axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there
7857-570: The unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are two powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by a hinge. The PRR DD1 and DD2 electric locomotives used this arrangement. "2-B+B+B+B-2" means there are two sets of articulated axles under the unit. Within each of these sets, there is a truck with two idler axles, and inboard of it are two powered axles, hinged to yet another set of two powered axles. Two of these articulated sets are placed back to back and connected by
7954-499: The usual D-D consist by 300 hp (220 kW) (with one fewer prime-mover than a usual D-D consist, thereby significantly improving reliability and dramatically reducing maintenance). Although the D-D arrangement is associated with twin-prime-mover locomotives of high power, this does not mean a D-D with a single high-power prime mover may be built in the future, nor does it exclude two-truck, eight-axle electric locomotive. The EMD DDM45
8051-540: The weight of the locomotive more evenly over the track and counteracts the tendency of trucks to oscillate at high speeds, which is a problem with two axle trucks. The idler wheels may be smaller than the powered wheels. Examples of locomotives with this wheel arrangement include the EMD E-units and ALCO PAs , which were high speed passenger locomotives, and the dual service FM Erie-built . BNSF took delivery of ES44C4 locomotives with this type of truck in 2009. In
8148-433: The world was on heritage railways . Internal combustion locomotives use an internal combustion engine , connected to the driving wheels by a transmission. They typically keep the engine running at a near-constant speed whether the locomotive is stationary or moving. Internal combustion locomotives are categorised by their fuel type and sub-categorised by their transmission type. The first internal combustion rail vehicle
8245-705: Was Puffing Billy , built 1813–14 by engineer William Hedley for the Wylam Colliery near Newcastle upon Tyne . This locomotive is the oldest preserved, and is on static display in the Science Museum, London. George Stephenson built Locomotion No. 1 for the Stockton & Darlington Railway in the north-east of England, which was the first public steam railway in the world. In 1829, his son Robert built The Rocket in Newcastle upon Tyne. Rocket
8342-502: Was a kerosene -powered draisine built by Gottlieb Daimler in 1887, but this was not technically a locomotive as it carried a payload. The earliest gasoline locomotive in the western United States was built by the Best Manufacturing Company in 1891 for San Jose and Alum Rock Railroad . It was only a limited success and was returned to Best in 1892. The first commercially successful petrol locomotive in
8439-789: Was constructed for the Coalbrookdale ironworks in Shropshire in England though no record of it working there has survived. On 21 February 1804, the first recorded steam-hauled railway journey took place as another of Trevithick's locomotives hauled a train from the Penydarren ironworks, in Merthyr Tydfil , to Abercynon in South Wales. Accompanied by Andrew Vivian , it ran with mixed success. The design incorporated
8536-671: Was demonstrated in Val-d'Or , Quebec . In 2007 the educational mini-hydrail in Kaohsiung , Taiwan went into service. The Railpower GG20B finally is another example of a fuel cell–electric locomotive. There are many different types of hybrid or dual-mode locomotives using two or more types of motive power. The most common hybrids are electro-diesel locomotives powered either from an electricity supply or else by an onboard diesel engine . These are used to provide continuous journeys along routes that are only partly electrified. Examples include
8633-471: Was designed by Charles Brown , then working for Oerlikon , Zürich. In 1891, Brown had demonstrated long-distance power transmission, using three-phase AC , between a hydro-electric plant at Lauffen am Neckar and Frankfurt am Main West, a distance of 280 km. Using experience he had gained while working for Jean Heilmann on steam–electric locomotive designs, Brown observed that three-phase motors had
8730-602: Was entered into, and won, the Rainhill Trials . This success led to the company emerging as the pre-eminent early builder of steam locomotives used on railways in the UK, US and much of Europe. The Liverpool & Manchester Railway , built by Stephenson, opened a year later making exclusive use of steam power for passenger and goods trains . The steam locomotive remained by far the most common type of locomotive until after World War II . Steam locomotives are less efficient than modern diesel and electric locomotives, and
8827-426: Was presented by Werner von Siemens at Berlin in 1879. The locomotive was driven by a 2.2 kW, series-wound motor, and the train, consisting of the locomotive and three cars, reached a speed of 13 km/h. During four months, the train carried 90,000 passengers on a 300-metre-long (984 feet) circular track. The electricity (150 V DC) was supplied through a third insulated rail between the tracks. A contact roller
8924-943: Was tested on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway in September of the following year, but the limited power from batteries prevented its general use. Another example was at the Kennecott Copper Mine , Latouche, Alaska , where in 1917 the underground haulage ways were widened to enable working by two battery locomotives of 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 tons. In 1928, Kennecott Copper ordered four 700-series electric locomotives with on-board batteries. These locomotives weighed 85 tons and operated on 750-volt overhead trolley wire with considerable further range whilst running on batteries. The locomotives provided several decades of service using Nickel–iron battery (Edison) technology. The batteries were replaced with lead-acid batteries , and
9021-650: Was the first in the world in regular service powered from an overhead line. Five years later, in the U.S. electric trolleys were pioneered in 1888 on the Richmond Union Passenger Railway , using equipment designed by Frank J. Sprague . The first electrically worked underground line was the City & South London Railway , prompted by a clause in its enabling act prohibiting use of steam power. It opened in 1890, using electric locomotives built by Mather & Platt . Electricity quickly became
9118-545: Was then applied to the GG1 , R1 , and eventually the DD2 . Instead, it was revealed that the GG1 project, under the direction of industrial designer Donald R. Dohner, was the first to receive the center cab design, and that soon afterward it was applied to the R1 and P5. The Modified units (along with the R1 and prototype GG1) were built with riveted carbodies. However, unit #4770, rebuilt to
9215-546: Was used on several railways in Northern Italy and became known as "the Italian system". Kandó was invited in 1905 to undertake the management of Società Italiana Westinghouse and led the development of several Italian electric locomotives. A battery–electric locomotive (or battery locomotive) is an electric locomotive powered by onboard batteries ; a kind of battery electric vehicle . Such locomotives are used where
9312-679: Was used on the Jawn Henry coal -fired steam-turbine locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Norfolk & Western Railway in May, 1954. "1-D-1" means there are three trucks under the unit. At either end are trucks with one idler axle; the center truck has four powered axles. The original 1904–1909 New York Central S-Motor third-rail electric locomotives (for the Grand Central Terminal electrification) and
9409-638: Was used to collect the electricity. The world's first electric tram line opened in Lichterfelde near Berlin, Germany, in 1881. It was built by Werner von Siemens (see Gross-Lichterfelde Tramway and Berlin Straßenbahn ). The Volk's Electric Railway opened in 1883 in Brighton, and is the oldest surviving electric railway. Also in 1883, Mödling and Hinterbrühl Tram opened near Vienna in Austria. It
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