Since the beginning of the railroad, whistles, bells, and horns have been used by trains in railway stations and at railroad crossings. But when diesel trains replaced the steam trains, they were fitted with small truck horns. However, these were not suitable. The air horn was then adapted but still sounded like a truck horn. …
It is a picturesque scenic sight watching long trains wind their way around mountains, through tunnels, and over gorges. The technology which allows them to achieve these seemingly impossible feats of traction is fascinating and involves huge engines and clever strategies from the railroad companies. Trains can go uphill over gradients of 4% or less, …
Many people have been through the frustrating process of reaching a train crossing only to find that a train has stopped blocking all passage over the railway. The worst-case scenario is that the train only moves after 20 minutes, making everybody late. Why do trains seemingly stop for nothing? Here are 7 reasons why trains …
Trains are often used to transport things across the country and travel for hundreds of miles at a time. But can a train cover that distance without needing to be refueled, or how far can they go without refueling? It’s estimated that a locomotive train that has a 5000-gallon tank can travel for approximately 1000 …
Trains are amazing machines that have been used for more than a century to transport people and goods around the country. They can pull thousands of tons of cargo in a single train, making them one of the world’s most efficient forms of transport. But how is this possible when trains are so heavy? Here …
The force needed to move a long train is immense and sometimes requires more than one locomotive. An equivalent force must be applied in reverse to stop that same train. Goods trains traveling at 55 mph with 120 fully loaded wagons need over a mile of track to stop, and passenger trains with 8 carriages …
Trains have come a long way since the first steam locomotive was built. They have become longer, heavier, and more comfortable than ever before. Technological advances have allowed the train to become one of the most efficient ways to travel, but how fast does a train go? The fastest passenger train in the United States …
As it is with automobiles, the past 200 years have seen trains undergoing several technological changes to their design, including the fuels that drive them. But what do trains use as a fuel source, and how has modern innovation affected rail transport? The majority of modern locomotives are powered by petroleum diesel or electrical current. …
Names such as the Trans-Siberian, Orient Express, Flying Scotsman, Blue Train, Eurostar, Ghan, and the Rock Island Rockets conjure images of adventurous train journeys to distant destinations. Most trains run on steel wheels which give trains their characteristic “cluck-cluck” sound for which they’re so famous. Some trains, however, don’t have wheels at all! Train locomotives …
