Atmospheric railway

Train at the theme park in Indonesia

An atmospheric railway is propelled by differences in atmospheric pressure. Pistons are used there. A piston is connected to the vehicle. At the beginning of railways, different systems were in use in England and in France. All systems were only used for a short time: maintenance cost was high, and there were recurring problems with the connection of the piston (tube) to the vehicle. At first, atmospheric railways were used to go downhill. The locomotives of the times didn't have enough power. That way, it speeds up to 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph) were reached. At the end of the 20th century, the airport of Porto Alegre in Brazil uses an atmospheric railways. There is also a theme park in Indonesia with a 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) long circular atmospheric railway.

Atmospheric Railway Media

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  An Aeromovel train in Porto Alegre. The girder under the train forms an air duct. The vehicle is connected to a propulsion plate in the duct which is then driven by air pressure.

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  Arriving at Kingstown on the Dalkey Atmospheric Railway in 1844

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  Illustration from A Treatise on the Adaptation of Atmospheric Pressure to the Purposes of Locomotion on Railways, Samuda

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  Saint Germain piston carriage

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  Jolly-sailor station on the London and Croydon Railway in 1845, showing the pumping station, and the locomotive-less train

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  A section of the SDR's atmospheric railway pipe at Didcot Railway Centre

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  Pumping House at Torquay, Devon

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  Pumping House at Starcross, Devon, UK originally part of Brunel's Atmospheric Railway. Taken by Geotek 1979

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  Croydon Museum, Atmospheric Railway Pipe, 1845–47

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  Aeromovel guideway section and bogie