Geared steam locomotive
Transmission locomotives were steam locomotives, in which power was transferred from the steam engine to Treibradsatz with a gear transmission.
History
Field and forest paths traveled frequently on tracks with tight turns and steep inclines, with often only temporary and poorly laid tracks. To cope with these conditions, locomotives were needed, which were driven on all axes and also should be as small and agile.
These requirements of geared locomotives, in which all axes are driven by gear drive. They were used mainly for timber production, where many early wooden planks rails were used. The shape of the wheel was similar to the wheels of motor vehicles. Later on normal tracks were applied in standard and narrow gauge. Of the four American types Shay, Climax, Heisler and Baldwin originated 1880-1945 after all, about 4,000 copies and so documented by the large demand for such locomotives as well as its operational suitability, despite the complicated overall structure. This very successful machines encouraged in countries with similar conditions of comparable construction types; a particularly striking example of this is New Zealand. Here are the types Davidson, Johnston and Price emerged.
Types
Type Shay
The Shay locomotive was the most popular gear locomotive. Its inventor was Ephraim Shay, who in the United States operated a small sawmill in Michigan and was looking for his forest tracks with its uneven track a suitable machine. In the winter of 1873/74 he realized his idea, and in the next few years he improved it again and again until they met the requirements. As a neighbor also wanted to have such a locomotive Shay referred him to the Lima Machine Works, which also took on the job and in 1880 surrendered the first copy. It resembled a four-axle flat car with vertical vertical boiler, on the right side which also perpendicular steam engine was mounted, the drive axes lying outside the bogie drive shafts and bevel gears. In order for the entire propulsion system was easily accessible.
1881 left Shay all rights to Lima Machine Works; so should arise one of the major locomotive builders in the U.S.. Pretty soon developed Lima also designs with lying, in order to achieve a uniform weight distribution shifted to the left tank. In 1884, a Shay locomotive for the first time a third motor bogie. This was followed by models with three-cylinder steam engines that ran quieter and smoother. In 1900 appeared with the 150 t- type for the first time a locomotive with four motor bogies, two of which carried the tender. In the Chesapeake & Ohio and Western Maryland Railway they stood as a shift locomotives in use.
1945 made Lima the last Shay locomotive with the wheel arrangement B'B'B ' for the Western Maryland Railway; 147 t and almost 20 meters long, she worked on a railway siding to a coal mine.
Shay locomotives are on some museum railways today are still in service.
Type Climax
George Gibert was the inventor of another type of gear trains. In 1888 he turned to the Climax Manufacturing Comp. in Corry, Pennsylvania, who took over the production of Climax locomotives. Here too, there was a vertical boiler on a flat car, the steam engine was in front of the boiler center of the car, via drive shafts and bevel gears, the axles were driven. The next step lies boilers were used, and in 1891 were the most slanted upward cylinder to the frame sides. The pivot shaft assembly remained in Lokmitte.
The scale of the built Climax locomotives with their two bogies ranged from ten ton truck to a powerful 100 - ton machine. 1897 left the first Climax with three powered bogies the work. From 1923 had improved versions also superheater, cast steel bogies and air brake system. 1928 was the last such locomotive, 1100 -built specimens speak for the probation also of this type.
Type Heisler
Charles Heisler developed the eponymous gear type of locomotive. The cylinders were doing a V-shape in front of the firebox, the drive was carried out drive shafts on the outer bogie axles, connecting rods made the link to the interior ago. The boiler could also remain in the vehicle center, which accounted required in the Climax main gear on the crankshaft.
The first Heisler locomotive was built in 1891, 1900 also covers machines with three powered bogies appeared. Thanks to its robust and simple design Heisler locomotives had a good reputation. A total of about 850 units, the last left in 1945 Heisler Locomotive Works created.