Saturday, November 29, 2008

Diesel Trains and Locomotive Trains - History

By Ernest Butler

Diesel trains have been an invention that revolutionized the rail transport scene making available several wonderful options for transporting cargo as well as people. The efforts of Rudolph Diesel is what provided the present day diesel trains which are a great gift to mankind. The first diesel locomotive designed by Rudolph Diesel used diesel oil for running the internal combustion engine.

Diesel trains were found to be much superior compared to the steam trains that it quickly replaced. Diesel trains were much faster, cheaper and caused less pollution that traditional steam trains. It was even easier to start the diesel engines that pulled the trains as compared to steam trains which took time for the steam to be produced out of the burning of the coal. The diesel trains can even be run easily in places where there is no electricity. As a result of the several advantages offered by diesel trains, they came to be an important mode of transport and continue to be so till date.

The diesel trains are powered by the diesel engine which in turn powers the wheels and other machinery making the train run. The diesel train has different types of transmission depending on how the diesel engine powers the train. The diesel mechanical transmission uses a mechanical transmission to power the wheels.

On the other hand, the diesel electric trains run on the principle that the diesel engine generates electricity which is stored in batteries and is used to run the train The diesel hydraulics uses the hydraulic power and that is the way the power created by the diesel engine is transmitted to the wheels that run the train.

Whichever method of transmission it may use, the diesel train is a superior mode of transport that efficiently uses the diesel engine to run the train. The diesel trains have improved over the years and have adapted to the need of the times and cater to it efficiently. The hybrid diesel electric model which is an improvised version of the traditional diesel train has several advantages over the traditional diesel train. Thus, due to the improvements in the diesel trains that have been taking place on a regular basis it is definitely going to continue to be an important part of the railway network. - 15485

About the Author: