With fellow photographer and former yardman and road engineer, Brian Jones, "There is an axle between each wheel of the locomotive with an electric “ traction motor “ geared to the axle which is powered by a large main generator that’s powered by a 16 cylinder diesel engine." He also told me that how nimbly a train makes those curves like our rural Arkansas Ozarks is dependent on the number of axles--(don’t ask me to point them out but perhaps they are somewhere under here in this photo for one) two is more nimble than 6 and this train has 4.
According to the Association of America Railroads, the steam locomotive was invented in England in 1797 but wasn’t used for public transportation until steam Locomotion #1 September 27, 1825 in North East England. America would follow in a couple more years. By 1833 380 miles of railroad traverse the US. Just 7 years late those miles have raced to more than 2,800 miles.
We have miles to go before we get to diesel engines.
- Created: February 2023
- Collections: Trains, Planes, and Cars