the design, speed, steam-diesel-electricity....pleasse a detailed answer....
thankyou....I'l l give you full marks if it is really good... FAST....
thankyou...please help....
thankyou
2007-11-03 23:34:27 · 6 answers · asked by flower353 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Rail
Steam power was the only motive force powerful enough and cheap enough to run trains in the infancy of locomotion. It had drawbacks with heavy pollution, hot cinders that could ignite fires, boilers that could explode and frequent water stops. When the diesel engine was invented, it was found to be less polluting and more efficient as steam locomotives had to stop to refill with water every several miles and wood for fuel was becoming more scarce and expensive. It took a while for the diesel engine to be adapted for rail use as early engines were not very efficient and there were issues of adapting them to power the multiple wheels of a train. The diesel-electric engines were another step forward in efficiency and reliability and are the primary motive force used today. Streamlining the design of the engine and train cars also made them more efficient and modern looking which encouraged more people to use them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_locomotive
2007-11-04 00:15:58 · answer #1 · answered by paul h 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have to agree with Paul H and Rango. Steam was the best and only option for one hundred years, but they were very labor intensive. When diesel engines became reliable - coupled to an electric on-board generator (system was perfected in WW II submarines), the diesel engines took over. Diesels weren't necessarily more powerful than steam. But, two or three diesels could replace one steam engine and still be cheaper to keep and operate over the steam.
2007-11-04 11:40:18 · answer #2 · answered by Derail 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Profit
trains and everythign else changes to the most efficient method of operation, no matter whether it is trains, or airplanes or building birdhouses.
Efficiency is the key to being competitive and profitable.
Steam locomotives were very expensive to maintain and operate, railroads had to change to be competitive.
Air brakes have cintinually upgraded to be more efficient and allow longer trains to operate safely.
Radio communication has iimproved so that phone lines along the trackside are no longer necessary and even cabooses are not as necessary as they were 20 years ago.
A railroad that doesnt change will not stay in business.
2007-11-04 09:15:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
As more people use the rail transport system the demand for faster, cleaner, better and more 'useful' trains is required.
Most companies will run their 'newest/best' trains on a highly used used route.
Take chiltern railways for example. They run many routes like aylesbury to marlybone via amersham or via high wycombe. London marylebone to birmingham ect.
They make more revenue on the birmingham run so they use their newer trains to save the company money in fuel however because the trains are bigger they fit more passengers in.
Its all about cost effectivness.
Hope this helps.
2007-11-04 07:17:26 · answer #4 · answered by Leeuth 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
we have diesel electrics by us to thet they can run on 2 different types of tracks without having to switch trains.
2007-11-04 14:58:05 · answer #5 · answered by Nick Name 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
trains have changed to disel and eletric because there safer for the environment
2007-11-04 06:42:43 · answer #6 · answered by staples_92 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋