Steam locomotive

Drawing of an early steam locomotive (about 1830)

A steam locomotive is a steam powered railway locomotive. It was used a lot between about 1830 and 1970. Afterwards, diesel and electric locomotives were used more often. The first steam locomotive was made by Richard Trevithick for a railway used for moving iron at an Ironworks in Wales. A steam locomotive works by burning a fuel like coal in a special space called a firebox. This produces hot gases that rise and go through tubes in a boiler - a large space with water in it. This heats the water, producing steam. The steam is then taken through another tube to a cylinder. The steam then pushes the piston which in turn pushes a metal rod that is connected to the wheels, making the locomotive move. The steam then rises out through the chimney.

Steam locomotives are still today used in many developing countries where the railways have not yet been electrified.

Steam Locomotive Media

LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard is officially the fastest steam locomotive, reaching 126 mph (203 km/h) on 3 July 1938.
LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman was the first steam locomotive to officially reach 100 mph (160 km/h), on 30 November 1934.
41 018 climbing the Schiefe Ebene with 01 1066 as pusher locomotive (video 34.4 MB)
Trevithick's 1802 Coalbrookdale locomotive
The Salamanca locomotive
The Locomotion at Darlington Railway Centre and Museum
Please note that in the book of Brosius he names this one as "John Bull" however this is not the John Bull locomotive, even though J. Brosius claims that it is, but it is the Stourbridge Lion
A 1848 scale model of the La Gironde in a museum at Le Creusot
Photo of the Adler made in the early 1850s
First locomotive in Russia. 1834
Steam locomotive 2-8-2 at train station

Other websites

This short article about transport can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by adding to it.