TRAIN WORLD
TRAIN
DEVELOPMENTS
Railroads had existing for over 287
year starting with Tomas Newcomen and the fist steam
engine, to the korean TGV running between Seoul and Pusan.
Trains have getting bigger, faster, and sleeker than
before. Here are trains that were made in the past and
trains that are made today.
Locomotion
George and Robert Stephenson designed Locomotion to
pull passenger carriages. It was first used on September
27, 1825, and was a part of the first public railroad
that carried passengers using a steam engine – the
Stockton & Darlington Railway, England. The driver
stood on a platform at the side of the engine. The
coaches Locomotion pulled were extremely small.
Locomotion
Steam, 1825
4 driving wheels
12 mph
Lord of the Isles
To improve stability and make the journey more comfy
for passengers, the British engineer Daniel Gooch
designed a broad-gauge 4-2-2 locomotive. The wide
carriages traveled on a 7 – foot gauge track.
Lord of the Isles
Steam, 1852
2 driving wheels
70 mph
Dominion of New Zealand
Streamlined designs were introduced in the 1930’s
to improve aerodynamics, making train look sleek and fast.
However, the streamlined covers had to be removed for the
maintenance work. This Class A4 4-6-2 locomotive, Dominion
of New Zealand, is identical to Mallard, which
set the world record for steam in 1938 at 126 mph.
Dominion of New Zealand
Steam, 1930’s
6 driving wheels
90 mph
Big Boy
Big Boy became the largest locomotive in the world in
1941 and kept the record until 1996.
Big Boy
Steam, 1941
16 driving wheels
70 mph.
TGV Atlantique
The current world rail speed record was set on May 18,
1990, by a specially modified French TGV Atlantique
electric train. The TGV accelerated to 319 mph on the new
high lines from Le Mans to Tours. TGVs in daily service
on new high-speed lines in France regularly reach speeds
of up to 186 mph.
TGV Atlantique
Electric 1980’s
8 driving wheels (each end)
186 mph average (record speed at 319 mph)
Transrapid 06
Trains for the future are being designed without
wheels, making them even faster. Prototypes of these
"maglev" trains have been built already in
Germany and Japan. Maglev trains use the principle of
magnetic levitation, almost eliminating friction.
Magnetic forces able to propel the train at great speed.
These high-speed trains will be ideal for long distance
travel.
Transrapid 06
2045?.
No wheels
496 mph
Created: 6-20-99
Modified: 07/21/99
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