Do electric trains have engines?

Electric Locomotives do not have a conventional “engine” in them as we have seen in a diesel locomotive, but use the electricity collected from the outside source to power traction motors which turn the wheels.

How do electric train engines work?

Electric rail engines are generally of two types, one is whose traction motor runs with AC and another is whose traction motor runs with DC. Pantograph collects electricity from overhead wires. Pantograph is made of carbon strip and it contacts with the overhead wires to collect electricity.

Do electric trains use fuel?

What do trains use for fuel? Trains use diesel, electric, and steam power for fuel. Upon the genesis of the railroad, steam was utilized, as it was the standard for many industries.

Do electric trains have transmissions?

The distinguishing design features of electric locomotives are: The type of electrical power used, AC or DC. The method of storing (batteries, ultracapacitors) or collecting (transmission) electrical power. The means used to couple the traction motors to the driving wheels (drivers).

Which type of motor is used in electric train?

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.

The Fascinating Engineering behind Electric Trains!

Are electric trains AC or DC?

Most electrification systems use overhead wires, but third rail is an option up to 1,500 V. Third rail systems almost exclusively use DC distribution.

How is a train powered?

Many trains operate solely on electrical power. They get the electricity from a third rail, or electrical line, which is present along the track. Transformers transfer the voltage from the lines, and the electrical current enables the motors on the wheels to move.

Do electric trains smoke?

The train is electric train. They didn't require any fuel for there working process. So, they don't release smoke. They just works on the electric power provided to them by wires above the railway lines.

Does electric locomotive have gears?

Trains have transmission gears, the answer is no. Locomotives are equipped either with Diesel-electric system or OHE in both cases electricity (in Diesel ooxo the Diesel engine is coupled to an alternator ) which in turn drives the traction motor.

How many gears does an electric train have?

Extending the Gear Train

A gear train can include more than two gears. Gears in between the drive gear and the driven gear are called passive gears. For example, the picture below shows a gear train with three gears. The 24-tooth gear in the middle is a passive gear.

How do electric trains get power?

The electric locomotive draws power from the over head equipment (OHE) with the help of Pantograph and converts this electrical energy to mechanical energy, in controlled manner, through Traction Motors which drive the axles.

Are modern trains electric or diesel?

No modern train uses a diesel engine to power their wheels directly. They're used as generators to power electric motors. So the only difference boils down to where the electricity comes from. And even in the most train-friendly countries like France and Japan, huge sections of the network are not electrified.

How many miles per gallon does a train get?

Thanks in part to these technologies, today U.S. freight railroads can, on average, move one ton of freight nearly 500 miles per gallon of fuel, making rail an environmentally friendly way to move freight over land.

Why do diesel trains have electric motors?

Diesel–electric powerplants became popular because they greatly simplified the way motive power was transmitted to the wheels and because they were both more efficient and had greatly reduced maintenance requirements.

Why train engines are not turned off?

Trains, being large and heavy, need the optimal brake line pressure for its efficient stopping. For obvious reasons, loco pilots never compromise on brake line pressure. Another reason for not turning off diesel train engines, lies in the engine itself.

What fuel do trains use?

Diesel fuel is stored in a fuel tank and delivered to the engine by an electric fuel pump. Diesel fuel has become the preferred fuel for railroad locomotive use due to its lower volatility, lower cost, and common availability.

How much fuel does a train use per hour?

Using an average of 3.5 gallons of fuel burned per hour idling per locomotive – some easy math shows an annual consumption of over 20 million gallons of excess idle, which is over 4% of the total annual fuel consumption for that particular Class I railroad – do we have your attention yet?

Are train tracks electrified?

Trains are powered by electricity carried through overhead lines or a conductor rail, sometimes called the third rail. The third rail has 750 volts passing through it. That's enough to kill or seriously injure you if you step on it.

How many miles per gallon does a diesel locomotive get?

208,712,027,000 ton-miles / 423,998,863 gallons = 492 ton-miles per gallon. In other words, CSX trains, on average, can move a ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a gallon of fuel, based on our 2018 revenue ton miles and 2018 fuel use. The fuel efficiency for a freight truck can be estimated in a similar way.

When an electric train is going north which way is the smoke going?

The answer to the riddle is there is no smoke. This is because the train is an electric train.

Do bullet trains smoke?

Smoking. Smoking is not allowed on most shinkansen trains. Prominent exception are the Tokaido Shinkansen and some trains along the Sanyo Shinkansen on which smoking is allowed in small smoking rooms that are well ventilated to keep the trains free of smoke.

Why does smoke come out of train?

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 much horsepower is a train?

In most trains, the power ranges anywhere between 5000 to 7000 horsepower.

How much horsepower is a train engine?

A modern locomotive can have anywhere from 1000 to 18,000 horsepower, depending on the power source, model, and year of production. The average power of a train engine can vary greatly, but almost all options offer a level of strength and durability that would be unthinkable a few decades ago.

How much does it cost to run an electric train?

By way of comparison, an electric train which consumes 30 kWh per train-mile at 12¢ per kWh would have a fuel cost of only $3.60 per train-mile and many trains average less. With the proviso about equipment maintenance kept in mind, the total marginal cost of running a Metrolink train is $33.05 per mile.