Do steam trains need water?

A steam engine requires a combustible fuel and a supply of water. On most steam locomotives the fuel and water are carried in a separate car, the tender, behind the locomotive.

How much coal does a steam train use?

Steam locomotives typically burned an average of 2.25 gallons. A diesel locomotive averages 252 gallons of fuel per hour while coal trains typically run on 44 tons of coal and 2,880 gallons of water per hour.

Why do steam locomotives puff black smoke?

A The color of exhaust you see coming out of a steam locomotive’s smoke stack indicates how efficiently it is burning fuel. Darker or blacker smoke is an indication that small fuel particles (coal, wood, fuel oil, etc.) have made it through the firebox unburned and are therefore wasted.

Why does a steam locomotive puff?

The puff, chuff, or cho of a steam locomotive is caused by the last pressure of steam in the cylinders being exhausted into the chimney. The purpose of this is to create draught through the firebox.

How often did steam locomotives stop for water?

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 efficient are steam locomotives?

The efficiency of the steam locomotive has been given as 11 percent and that of the electric locomotive as about 20 percent. Neither value compares favorably with the 28 percent estimated for diesel locomotives, the ratios being 1.82 for electric/steam, 1.4 for diesel/electric, and 2.55 for diesel steam traction.

Why do American steam trains have large funnels?

To reduce the expense of rebuilding trestles, fighting fires, and compensating for burned property, the railroads outfitted their wood-burning locomotives with those large funnels, which trapped the burning embers in a device called a “spark arrestor”.

Why do trains smoke?

Darker or blacker smoke is an indication that small fuel particles (coal, wood, fuel oil, etc.) have made it through the firebox unburned and are therefore wasted. Light or nearly invisible exhaust means that the locomotive fuel is mostly burned and transformed into heat, carbon dioxide, water, and trace elements.

How do you drive a steam locomotive?

What comes out of the chimney on a steam train?

The steam locomotive exhaust system consists of those parts of a steam locomotive which together discharge exhaust steam from the cylinders in order to increase the draught through the fire.

What do you call the chimney on a steam train?

The chimney (smokestack or stack in American and Canadian English) is the part of a steam locomotive through which smoke leaves the boiler. Steam locomotive exhaust systems typically vent cylinder exhaust through the chimney to enhance draught through the boiler.

Is it smoke or steam that comes out of trains?

The answer is both. Most of it is smoke from the fire box but if the loco is firing right it will be steam with some smoke. If the loco is pulling hard like just starting out or pulling a grade it smoke a lot more. If it is going down grade there is all most nothing comes out.

Where does the smoke go in a steam train?

A smokebox is one of the major basic parts of a steam locomotive exhaust system. Smoke and hot gases pass from the firebox through tubes where they pass heat to the surrounding water in the boiler. The smoke then enters the smokebox, and is exhausted to the atmosphere through the chimney (or funnel).

What is the Dome for on a steam engine?

The steam dome is a vessel fitted to the top of the boiler of a steam locomotive. It contains the opening to the main steam pipe and its purpose is to allow this opening to be kept well above the water level in the boiler.

How did steam locomotives lower the cost of transporting?

How did steam locomotives lower the cost of transporting raw materials and finished goods? They cost nothing to run because they ran on steam. They could transport many materials or goods at once. They were uncomplicated and inexpensive to build.

Do steam trains have condensers?

Steam locomotive condensers may be water-cooled or air-cooled.

Why is there no chimney in the case of a locomotive boiler?

In this type of boiler we use the stack, instead of a chimney because as the name suggests it is a locomotive boiler means it is movable so that we don’t need to fit chimney in it, the flow of air over the stack removed the flue gases due to the pressure difference between the grate and the outside.

Why do steam engines have funnels?

You can tell easily what kind of fuel a steam locomotive burns by its smokestack. Wood burners have large funnel-like stacks. This is because wood burns badly, and creates a lot of soot and sparks. The funnel is essentially a cyclone cleaner which traps the soot and extinguishes the sparks.

Do steam engines reuse water?

The spent steam goes into a condenser and then to a feed water pump and back into the boiler. The water or steam in a system is very clean and free of oxygen to minimize corrosion and heat loss and so reuse is economical and done insofar as is possible.

Do steam engines reuse steam?

No, they don’t. There are many articulation systems that were employed by steam locomotives.

How does a steam train piston 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 is the most efficient steam engine?

Portraits of Modern Steam

The four-cylinder “Argentina” is the most efficient steam locomotive ever built.

Can steam be recycled?

Existing steam can be raised to a higher pressure level by means of mechanical steam compression. … Steam recycling leads to greater energy efficiency through sustainable steam generation, especially in times of increasing reliance on fossil fuels in modern industry.

Who invented steam engine condenser?

Artist’s recreation of James Watt inventing the separate condenser for the steam engine, c. 1765. Meanwhile, Watt in 1766 became a land surveyor; for the next eight years he was continuously busy marking out routes for canals in Scotland, work that prevented his making further progress with the steam engine.