Railway Engine: Who Invented, Types, Applications

A railway engine is a specific type of rail transport device that offers the motive power for a train. It is a self-propelled engine that pushes or draws trains along railway tracks.

Inventor and engineer George Stephenson, known as the Father of Railways, was the principal inventor of the railroad locomotive. In the year 1825, he built Locomotion No. 1 for the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

The ignition of the fuel pushes pistons that are connected to an electric generator. The resulting electricity can power the motors connected to the train’s wheels or locomotive.

Diesel fuel is mainly used in railway engines. However, diesel-hydraulic locomotives are also diesel locomotives that use hydraulic transmission.

In a railway engine, DC motors are used because they have good speed control and high torque and can offer seamless yet precise performance.

Generally, two railway engines are used in a railway locomotive because extra power can be used for carrying heavy loads or for locomotives going up steep grades.

Different Types of Railway Engines

There are usually three types of railway engines, such as:

Electric railway engine.

Mechanical railway engine.

Hydraulic railway engine.

The Following Are Some Examples Of Railway Engines

Steam Engine:

A steam engine or a steam locomotive whose main power source is a steam engine. The most common form of a steam locomotive contains a boiler to generate the steam that the engine will use.

The steam engine remained by far the most common kind of engine until after World War II.

Internal Combustion Engine:

This type of railway engine is an internal combustion engine connected to the vehicle’s driving wheels.

These engines keep the engine running at a constant speed whether the locomotive is moving or stationary. There are different types of internal combustion engines, according to their fuel.

Such as, benzene locomotives use benzene as fuel, whereas kerosene locomotives use kerosene as the primary fuel, and petrol locomotives require petrol or gasoline as their fuel.

Petrol-Electric Locomotives:

These types of railway engines use electric transmission to provide the engine’s power output that can drive the wheels.

Diesel Engine:

Diesel railway engines are powered by diesel.

Diesel-Electric Railway Engine:

These types of railway engines are mainly used in diesel locomotives that use electric transmission.

Diesel-Mechanical Engine:

This type of railway engine uses mechanical transmission to power the vehicle’s wheels.

Diesel-Hydraulic Engine:

These engines use hydraulic transmissions to move the vehicle’s wheels.

Electric Engine:

This type of electric engine is powered by electricity.

Battery-Electric Engine:

The locomotives powered by this kind of engine can get power from onboard batteries.

Applications Of Railway Engine

There is no doubt that a railway engine is the heart of a railway locomotive, as it gives power to the train’s wheels to move at a good speed. There are many applications of a railway engine, such as:

Cost-Effective Mode of Transport: A railway engine gives power to railway locomotives, and hence, almost everyone around the world can enjoy a cost-effect method of transport with ease.

Faster Transport: With the help of a railway engine, people can move from one place to another really fast.

Carrying Heavy Goods: A railway engine can give power to those large locomotives that can carry heavy goods from one place to another.

Cost-Efficient: With the advent of a railway engine, people can enjoy an energy-efficient mode of transport.

Therefore, these are some vital factors regarding a railway engine that can greatly help you.