What advantages does a diesel locomotive have over a steam locomotive?

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What advantages does a diesel locomotive have over a steam locomotive?

In addition, the diesel was superior to the steam locomotive because of its smoother acceleration, greater cleanliness, standardized repair parts, and operating flexibility (a number of diesel units could be combined and run by one operator under multiple-unit control).

What is the difference between steam engine and diesel engine?

Firstly the diesel engine has an impressively high thermal efficiency – with modern diesel engines achieving 45\% efficiency compared to a steam engines 10\% giving them to achieve greater distances between refuelling stops.

Which locomotive is better diesel or electric?

Power plant capacity is far greater than any individual locomotive uses, so electric locomotives can have a higher power output than diesel locomotives and they can produce even higher short-term surge power for fast acceleration. Electric locomotives are ideal for commuter rail service with frequent stops.

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Are steam locomotives slow?

Not necessarily speed, but certainly in acceleration and tractive effort. Steam cylinders struggling to turn huge wheels without slipping means a slow start.

How fast can a diesel locomotive go?

This 270,000-pound (122,470-kg) locomotive is designed to tow passenger-train cars at speeds of up to 110 miles per hour (177 kph). The diesel engine makes 3,200 horsepower, and the generator can turn this into almost 4,700 amps of electrical current.

Are train motors AC or DC?

DC motors are used on trains is because of their high torque and good speed control. Compared to AC motors, DC motors can provide industry applications with a fine balance of strong starting torque and controllable speed for seamless yet precise performance.

Are diesel trains faster than steam?

Whenever you are talking about the power of steam locos you must specify the speed, otherwise the statement is meaningless. Diesel Electric locomotives (DEs) develop their rated HP at any speed whereas steam develops it at only one speed.

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How many locomotives does it take to power a train?

There is a limit to the amount of power you can get from a reasonably sized locomotive, even if the limit is pretty high. Long trains usually need more than one locomotive. A “locomotive consist” is a number of locomotives coupled together, all controlled from a single cab by a small crew.

Why do locomotives face the other way?

They’re on those rails so the rail is the only direction of travel they can go in.” Jacobs says it’s actually more efficient to leave locomotives facing whatever direction they are facing because it takes a lot of energy to pick a train up and turn it around so that it would face the other way.

Does the direction of a diesel locomotive affect efficiency and safety?

But that’s not the case according to Union Pacific spokesperson Justin Jacobs. According to Jacobs, Union Pacific diesel locomotives are bi-directional, meaning they create just as much power traveling in reverse as they do traveling forward. Thus, the direction of the locomotive makes no difference to efficiency or safety.

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What is a locomotive consist?

A “locomotive consist” is a number of locomotives coupled together, all controlled from a single cab by a small crew. In railroad parlance, individual locomotive are called units, and operating several units in tandem with one set of controls is called MU (for “multiple unit”) operation. Locomotives come in different configurations.