How Do Steam Locomotives Work - Steam Engines Explained
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- čas přidán 13. 09. 2017
- This was probably one of the hardest things to animate, especially the rods and cranks. With more time I would've been able to fully and properly animate them - but, alas. Time was my enemy.
The video explains how steam locomotives use a fuel (usually coal) to start a fire and get water boiling, in order to create steam, which drives the reciprocating piston. Much like a piston in your car, although there there's one tiny "explosion" that happens when the piston is on the top of the stroke (along with a few other pistons).
In reciprocating steam engines, pistons get pushed and pushed, meaning: They get pushed by pressurised steam from both sides, alternating (obviously). Using this back-and-forth motion, using a smart connection to the drive wheel - offsetting it from the center - you can get that wheel to move. And thus, move the train (and whatever it's pulling).
There are different types of steam engine, the most popular one (and the one used in most steam locomotives) is the reciprocating piston engine. A piston moves left and right, pushed by (super)heated steam. This directly drives the wheels.
A few things were skipped in the animation, such as the steam whistle or how the safety valve works. I also left out the superheater, because of time constraints. Basically, what a superheater does, is run the steam entering the main steam pipe and rerouting it passed the firetubes, thus further heating the steam. This to make absolutely sure the water in the steam is too hot to condens in the pistons.
Of course there is more to the story of locomotives and trains than just how they work, the whole idea of moving cargo by train is interesting. As is the rules of the road - or rail, rather - that apply.
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Sources:
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Very rarely such a complex mechanism is explained so simply, making amateurs to understand easily.
I already knew all of this stuff, but it was still really cool and informative to people who don't like trains!
Who cares
@@andribartolozzi ikr
It's not complex
It’s not complex at all
There's a new fuel that's just now being used for steam locomotives. It's called torrefied biomass, or "brown coal" which burns hotter and more evenly than coal, and is much, much cleaner. It makes no smoke or soot. They tested this on small steam locomotives at the Milwaukee County Zoo and proved to be successful. A group is now restoring a full sized steam locomotive called Santa Fe 3463. It'll be converted to this new fuel and will run performance tests to see how much more successful steam locomotives could have been. While steam locomotives look slow and clunky, they were very reliable, powerful, and fast machines. What really killed them was maintenace costs. However, because they haven't had a chance to fully develop in their revenue years, it was later believed and proven, that steam locomotives can be just as cheap in labor as diesels.
Amazing!!
@KvAT torrefied biomass is organic waste (think sawdust or wood chips) that has been heated to make it chemically similar to coal, and then compressed in to briquettes. Its carbon neutral and burns like coal
@@danc101 Carbon neutral, after all that work is done turning it into torrefied biomass?
@@tomr6955 factories that produce such fuels are typically powered by wood waste making them carbon neutral. If they're not using carbon neutral energy then I agree it rather defeats the point of it.
There are several other problems besides the fuel inefficiency, maintenance, and pollution:
- much more work-intensive to operate (although modern automation might reduce that somewhat)
- it takes a long time to prepare. Big steam locomotives had to start their fires at least 10 hours before their scheduled start if they were cold. This costs both fuel and labor, and causes inflexibility in the scheduling.
- the piston drive leads to significantly more wear and tear on the tracks
- you need different locomotives for different tasks, high-speed passenger locomotives have big wheels so they can go fast, but they have less tractive force. To pull heavy cargo, you need smaller wheels and can't go as fast.
- even if you have cheap bio-fuel, it might be more efficient to liquefy it and use it in internal combustion engines, as they are more efficient than external combustion engines.
- they need a lot of water, which requires its own infrastructure
I'm not saying that modern biofuel-burning steam locomotives aren't viable in some niche roles, but steam locomotives have many disadvantages even if you disregard the smoke and soot.
Many of the early "boiler explosions" were actually caused by inattentive firemen allowing the firebox crown sheet to become uncovered and exposing to excessive boiler heat.
Oh cool I didn't read up on reasons for these explosions and assumed it was down to pressures. Thanks!
What is the crown sheet?
@@bobbyhill4715 The firebox is a hollow cavity that kind of "sticks up" into the part of the boiler that actually holds water. If you look in the animation at about 1:19, you can see that the section of the boiler directly above the firebox only has a little water on top of it since it is so much higher than the rest of the boiler. That metal sheet needs the water there to sort of "wick away" the heat, otherwise it will get way too hot and become unable to contain the pressure from within the boiler, resulting in an explosion.
The reason an inattentive fireman might cause such an explosion is because the locomotive "consumes" the water in the boiler. The steam that exits the boiler to be used in the cylinders doesn't get put back, it just vents to the atmosphere. So by means of a steam-powered pump or a magical little device called a "water injector", water is pressurized and forced into the boiler to replenish the lost water. Turning the water injector on and off when necessary would have been the fireman's job, so a distracted or incompetent fireman might allow the water level to drop below the top of the crown sheet, resulting in the crown sheet buckling and the boiler bursting.
@@IntoTheOrdinary also many of the early accidents involving boiler explosions is due to wear and tear plus bad maintenance. One locomotive in the 1840s exploded about a mile from Rugby Station in the UK, it's boiler skin was so badly corroded it was no thicker than an egg shell
i love trains
As a lifelong railroad nut, I can appreciate a video such as this, and would certainly be interested in a more in-depth video about steam locomotives.
Thanks for giving the answer to the question that haunted me for decades: why does the exhaust smoke made a puffing sound, it could even escape on its own. Well, the excess steam from the piston is responsible. You made my day. SALUTE!
Glad to help! :)
The boiler/ fire box is running at negative pressure (slight vacuum) therefore the only way gases/ steam could go is through the chimney.
What the video didn't explain was that venting the used steam into the smoke box and out of the chimney creates a partial vacuum (Venturi effect), which draws more air through the coals, making them burn much hotter. It's called a blastpipe. It was an important development which improved the power and efficiency of locomotives.
As someone who has been learning this stuff all their life I can say that this video does a really good job at explaining these things to those who are new to this. Good job!
Often wondered, but often been very confused about the whole setup until seeing this video. A clear and concise account of the basics of how a steam engine works. I really appreciate this video, thanks.
I watched at least 6 different videos on this process (all of which left me scratching my head) before I came across this one. Here, the process was explained in a clearcut, easy to understand way. Thank you, sir. Well done.
Most likely my favorite video explaining how steam locomotives work. I mean, I already knew how they work, but I still like to watch videos like this sometimes. It’s just such a high quality video with an easy explanation. Well done!
This was very-well explained as it got all the basics for the functioning locomotive, though it is fine to leave the details of how the rods are also used to reverse by a set of special mechanisms and how the water is transported by the injector and how they work it's good to include it for a future film/video
This is a probably the best explanation that I've seen on the subject.
This is amazing! I've always wished to understand how the locomotive engine works and you explained it in such a simple way I feel like I can make one myself. Thank you, now I love trains even more.
The way you explain so simply such complex things is really commendable. Well done!
Just returned from visiting a huge train museum. I left confused. There was no one available to explain what I was looking at. Your great art and explanation answered my amateur questions and will prompt me to build on the knowledge that you provided.
Thanks
We often don't stop to think that things , we laugh at , or have become synonymous with obsolete technology " my old steam powered computer..." are not still completely understood by most of us . I have had a childhood fascination for steam engines. Wish you had made this video longer.
These are very complex machines, and you explained it in a very clean and simple manner, great job
Great explanation! I’m searching for references to draw one and this makes it easier to understand. Thank you!
Two words... Great Job. It is amazing to see such complex system explained so simply even I, who knows NOTHING about engineering, understands it.
Jahsiah Bowie it’s not complex at all
@@harrythegamingboi7974 Basic principles mostly are not complex at all. Even rocket engine principles are very simple. But the devil is in the details!
Forgot to mention about the whistle - when the blowing mouth of the whistle is opened through a lever-pulley, the high pressure steam finds another way to get the damn out of the boiler. The whistle, as u know, is made up of a material like brass, or a conch, like that, such that when air is heavily blown through it, it vibrates vigorously and produces a loud sound. Since the steam is blown out of the boiler with high pressure, the whistle produces loud noise to Scare and Alarm the people to Get Out of the Track, as the Train is Coming
Fun fact: Some engines actually had two sets of driving wheels! Some of the more notable ones include the Allegheny, Big Boy, and T1!
And the Yellowstone.
Be careful while saying “t1” there was the Reading T1 (4-8-4) and the one your talking about PRR T1 (4-4-4-4)
And that’s just American ones...
The Gaming Train Guy Okay, thanks.
N&W 1218
This is such a good explanation of the reciprocating motion / engine, thank you!
Amazing animation and a very neat explanation of the working...Thank you!
BRILLIANTLY EXPLAINED ... your words and your graphics. You are a genius and very generous to share your knowledge. Thanks in a big way
Very useful - helped me understand and then explain to my 4 year old grandson how a steam train works. As another comment said, it's rare that something that is quite complex is explained so easily and clearly. It is easy to understand the principles involved. Well done!
I writing a novel set in the old west, and this is the best video diagram of how the steam engine works inside. Thanks! It helps me to understand the videos of trains I'm seeing.
This is an awesome video on how steam engines work, I was confused before but this video helped me have a better understanding of how steam engines work
This is why I like trains, this is why I watch Thomas the Tank Engine
how work modern electric train plz do
@@Noah-lc6ou how about how a Deisel engine works I mean seriously Deisel in wild water Rescue said he has a Genarater ? Ok you think vtheres a video about how A Deisel works? Learning is fun I'm fascinated with Trains
@@Noah-lc6ou or do you have ideas of your own about how thay work? This is interesting stuff
@@alicehodges9964 modern trains how work is so interesting and i intresting
Wow I'm learning so much about steam engines 😘😗😗😙😚😚😅😅😆😉
My 2.5 year old loved this explanation! He loves trains and can't wait to learn more about them!
Thanks!! What a beautiful and simple explanation for a complex system!
This was really awesome! You made it so easy to understand, thank you!
Well done bro! Thanks for the hard work making this video
Great job. Thanks for explaining such a clear and easy way
That helped very much. Thank you!
THis was fantastic and incredibly in depth
would love to see a more in-depth video! of course if you had the time, as you said it was quite hard to animate. either way great job!
Please don’t ever stop making these awesome videos!
Incredible. It makes so much more sense now!
Very nice explanation :) The animations were very simple and effective!
Superb Video... Explanation is rock bottom SIMPLE for a child to understand the working of Steam Engine for project work!!! Thank you so much! God Bless you! You are fantastic!😊
yes, your explanation is the best so far
you still did a good job my friend, it was very interesting and enlightening.
you explain it very well in 3 min , good job
thank you for making a video about that I was wondering how they work and now since I saw this video I know how they work❤
Really well described thanks. There must also be some sort of selector mechanism so you can make it all run in reverse when required.
Thank you! Yes there is but I didn't explain that in this animation. The whole assembly was hard enough to animate as is!
Excellent film, the best explanation I have seen so far, well done :)
Awesome video! It's very clear and informative.
Fascinating. Great video.
this video has nice animations and explanations. Lot of thanks.
Thanx for information
You’re welcome!
@@IntoTheOrdinary you do how diesel locomotive works or electric locomotive
I quite like the graphic
Best explanation ever! Thanks so much!
Students loved this video! Thanks. U ate that.
Damn I love these videos. Was always curious but too lazy to research everything by myself XD
It is really a good video for heat engine and thermodynamics !
Well explained. Thanks!
youre killin it
Excellent work !
This was very good, really interesting 😀 subscribed!
Awesome, thank you ^____^
Nice. Simple and clear.
Very well done and kept simple (after all it's a very complicated piece of engineering) but the way you've presented it is brilliant with fact you show how the valve system works is brilliant (as there can be lots of different types of valve gear such as coprotti and Stephensons) and having just a simple connection from the connecting rod makes it easy to view.
Hey thank you! That's one way of looking at it, indeed :D I did try getting the gearing to animate properly. Sadly, I ran out of time as it turned out to be pretty complicated to do, so this was an improvised solution. I'm surprised at how well this video is doing! And I'm thankful for your kind comment :) Cheers! For new videos I am taking way more time ;)
You're welcome mate.
Thanks I really needed to know how the exhaust works in the piston!
easy to understand much information which i needed for my school industrial revolution assessment about steam engines :)
that was a very good explanation, thank you
A great and easy to understand explanation. Thanks
I want to include steam trains in my dnd world (assisted with magic), and this has given me a much clearer idea of where to begin thinking about how steam trains would work in a magical world (and therefore how steam energy could be used in other areas of the world), I just love the Aesthetic of steam trains so much
Great presentation!!! i think we would love more detailed explanation too.
Such a simple concept so well designed and executed. Amazing what can be done with just steam.
They may apear simple, but towards the end of steam engines they were very highly complex, engineered machines with things like superheating etc so when diesel came along they were considered simple hahaha crazy right
fhhsvnggbh I don't mean the train is simple, it's very complex. I only meant heating water to produce steam to turn the wheels is simple in principle. Imagine being in the 1800's telling someone you can build a massive metal Goliath, weighing tons that can transport hundreds of people thousands of miles by boiling water. They'd think your mad.
Short informative video, very educational and simple. Thanks
Great presentation. Hats off!!!
thank you, i dont know how fresh air went in the fire box but now i know
2:04 not all locomotives have 2 cylinders, and im not just talking about the big boy, the challenger, or the 2-8-8-8-2 Erie locomotives.
Some had a 3rd cylinder in the middle of the engine.
Yeah but again this is just a simple explanation of the basics, behind how they work. Besides most engines do have just 2. Especially the smaller branch line and shunting engines which to many are the first thing popping into mind when thinking of a steam engine.
WOW! that's incredibly explained
Great explanation..... Kudos to the team
I would lile to see a video that is more in depth of how steam locomotives work.
Nicely explained :)
Very well done 10/10
Very good! I appreciate this channel. It has a good closed caption.
Thanks.
always good to see engineering achievements. At 1:45, word is 'casualties'.
Thanks. Very good video for me to understand how a steam loco works.
Can't imagine how big of engineering Masterpiece this would have been in the 1700's even today blows our mind.
Fun Fact: Steam trains were first invented in 1804
Interesting video. Nicely done
Thanks. I was looking for it.
This very effective video to understand external combustion engine thank you
Very informative content. Please continue this work of yours.
Complexity -0% Simplicity-100%
❤❤❤❤🙏❤❤❤❤
Tremendous explanation.. Thanks for being my friend
Great visualization.
Simple but concise explanation . .
Excellent Explication
Thank you i was always wondering how that thing works!
Great explanation mate
So baked.....thanks for making this video my friend!
Great explanation. I always wondered what made the smoke "puff" as the engine worked. Thank you.
Well, I could'nt find it. Played it couple of times over. Please enlighten me?
@@chamagical The narrator didn't come right out and say it. However, the puffing is sort of explained from 2:51 to 2:57. The steam from the drive cylinders is exhausted into the smoke box. Each time the cylinder is exhausted it puffs more smoke out the chimney. At very slow speed the interval between puffs is very pronounced. At high speed you can't really tell. Hope this helps.
Loved this btw. The official channel of Thomas uploaded the exact same thing but they also explained how diesels work but with less information. Probably because to prevent kids younger than me for to much confusion but I know more than that XD
Cool demonstration of a steam locomotive
These Legendary engines are amazing to look and feel. If you observe them closely... they make a uniq noise before moving. I still remember those days when i was 11-12 yrs old my grand father used to take me to show the coal engines at a near by railways station. And i also like the coal burning smell (not sure how many of you like that smell ha ha ha... :-)) Those days are gone and our kids will never have that experience.
Very nice video explaining the technology!! amazing!
Excellent video
Nicely explained
very good explanation!
Woah that was awesome
Great information
beautiful video / thank you so much