(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

Steam power

G

gtractorfan

Well-known Member
Did anyone know back in the day of railroad steam a turbine powered engine was experimented with, wheels gear driven without the big cylinders? For farm shows wouldn't it be neat if someone built a farm size steam boiler and turbine mounted on rubber tracks like the big Cats or Quadtracks and see what it could do in a field!
a85406.jpg
 
Now thats interesting !!
I wonder what the efficiency was compared to a piston engine ? Also how the turbine was connected to the drive wheels ? A steam turbine has such different low rpm torque charcateristics compared to a piston engine

Most steam locomotives and quite a few steam shovels has a tiny steam turbine (Pelton wheel) powered generator to provide lights.
 
Seems like a great idea in ships, still a great idea on solid ground, but on wheels... it never panned out- really, in my book, it couldn't compeat with wired electric locomotives or the fine tuning diesels got in WW2 ships, so by 1946 the diesel was perfected and here to stay.... coal and labor had to be nearly free to beat that....
a model would take a truck of stinky coal to get an ear pearcing 120 volts... and at barely walking speed???
 
Don't know about locomotives, but the shipping industry has done it for years, and continues to do it. Up until not too many years ago the majority of US navy ships were steam powered, from the smallest frigate to the largest carrier. Even now the nuclear powered ships are still steam powered. The only difference in them and the older ones is that where boilers used to be utilized to make the steam, now they use the nuclear reaction. Beyond that the steam still goes through an HP and LP turbine, which power a set of reduction gears, which in turn power the shaft. Beyond that much of the auxillary equipment was also steam powered like the main lube oil pump, main feed pumps, main condensate pumps, etc. Then there are also the main, steam driven, turbine generators that provide power for the ship. All in all steam has done alot over the years in the shipping industry, so it is a very proven technology. If it didn't get used in the trains, via turbine drives, it's because it must not have been feasible to do for some reason.
 
Those are photos of the Pennsylvania RR's #6200 turbine locomotive that ran for a few years after WWII.

It was powerful indeed - 6,000 HP at high speed speed. However it lacked the low speed lugging power of a reciprocating (traditional) steam locomotive. Also it had a prodigious thirst for both coal and water - notice the enormous 8 axle tender to carry water and fuel. This and high maintenance costs doomed the unit to the scrap yard by about 1950.

Unfortunately steam turbine technology would suffer from the same disadvantages in a large farm tractor. In addition there would be operator licensing requirements and routine inspection issues (on account of the boiler being a fired pressure vessel), EPA air emissions requirements, etc. all resulting in even higher operating costs.

Bottom line is a modern steam tractor would be neat to see. But the economics simply are not there!
 
Navy and even the cruise ships are going all electric. Little to no shafts and fewer gear sets.
Just a generator and motors at the loads. Works great on locomotives and heavy off road trucks. Rumour has it there are electric dozers in the works.
 
Big problem on a train is size and weigh, notice they use an open steam cycle that uses up the water, no room for a condensor. That means boilers get crudded up with minerals, and the turbine gets crudded up. Turbines have tight clearances and lots of corrosion problems if the water isn't just right.

Also the starting torque with a turbine is terrible requiring very expensive gear reduction boxes. Ships its not a problem with water acting like a torque convertor and vari pitch props.
 
Some of the turbines are used in ships similar to locomotive drive lines- the turbine generates electricity and the ship or locomotive uses electric motors to convert the electricity to mechanical energy. Turbine/generator can be made in a smaller lighter package than the big reciprocating engines it's easier to hook several generators into the circuit providing system redundancy and electric motors with their instantaneous torque and the ability to uses different sets of windings in the motor to vary torque and rpms are easier than big gear boxes rated for the torque it takes to move a ship.
 
That top engine is a UP BIG BOY largest steam engine ever built. When I was 12 an lived in Greenriver, WY my dad took me down to the round house and let me climb up into the cab of one. WOW was it big. I got to blow the whistle too.
You never ever forget that. I'm going to put that on my grave stone. Hey how many people today can say they did that.
Walt
PS I have one on my HO train set.
 
Well then go look at your trains again. Thet picture is not a Schenectady made UP bigboy 4-8-8-4. The picture is a B&O made experimental coal fired steam turbine.
 
Is that the pennsy one? I thought B&O's? Also thought the PRR had streamlined turbines? Like the N&W's?
All coal roads would have loved to keep burning thier own rock as long as possible eh? I think D&H was first anthracite road to go all diesel.... might be wrong on this point too....
 
Yes, I know that the steam plants on Navy ships since at least WW2 have been steam turbines. I would imagine that earlier than that they were common enough in ships and railroads and stationary power plants.
 

The top picture is of a 6-8-6 what a beautiful engine it was..

That is one I don't have..!!
I build the old metal engine kits in Winter, install Decoders and sound..

Ron..
 

Large steam Locos under heavy load could consume over 100,000 lbs of water per hour..and that all became 250 to 300 lb Steam Pressure..
Imagine carrying that around, for fuel..Plus Coal or Heavy Oil..

Ron..
 
If you look closely at the caption next to the picture it says that engine was built for Pennsy.R.R. by a consortium of Baldwin and Westinghouse, was successful as an experiment but not commercially. It would have been interesting to hear the sound.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

jd2cyl1943
Here's the story of my JD Bs restoration up to this poi
2
Replies
26
Views
2K
jd2cyl1943
jd2cyl1943
jd2cyl1943
The story of my Bs restoration up to this point.
Replies
6
Views
919
jd2cyl1943
jd2cyl1943
Gambles
IH H oil filter-part deux (boring and long)
Replies
3
Views
303
Gambles
Gambles
I
Operator's manuals
Replies
3
Views
503
IowaTJ
I
B
The basic evolution of the Tractor part 1
Replies
3
Views
1K
GreenEnvy
G
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top