Page 130 - Inventions - A Visual Encyclopedia (DK - Smithsonian)

On the tracks

Since the world’s first railroad opened between
Stockton and Darlington in the UK in 1825,

train technology has come a long way. For well
over a century, steam locomotives dominated
Diesel-electric locomotive
the railroads, but in the last 50 years, diesel ■ ■ What? EMD FT
GET MOVING replaced them. ■ ■ Who? General Motors, EMD
and electric locomotives have almost entirely
■ Where and when? US, 1939
■
By the time this powerful locomotive

replacing the steam engines. Unlike electric
First subway began its run, diesel locomotives were
locomotives, which are usually powered by
overhead electric lines, diesel-electric engines
■ ■ What? Metropolitan Railway could be operated on existing tracks with
■ ■ Who? John Fowler no modification. The “F” stood for Fourteen
■ ■ Where and when? UK, 1863
Hundred horsepower, and the “T” for Twin,
The problem of building railroads in because FTs were always sold in pairs.
crowded cities was solved by putting
them underground. The world’s first
was the Metropolitan Railway, which
opened in January 1863 in London. Deep-tube electric railroad
It had gas-lit wooden cars hauled by
steam locomotives, but smoke was a ■ ■ What? City and South London Railway
choking hazard in the confined tunnels. ■ ■ Who? James Henry Greathead WOW!
■ ■ Where and when? UK, 1890
In 2016, an
Electric underground railroads are experimental
now the way people get around in
many of the world’s biggest cities. Japanese maglev
The first one was built in London in train hit a top speed
1890, between the city and Stockwell of 374 mph
(a suburb of London). The tunnels (603 km/h).
were so small and the cars so tiny
that the cars were nicknamed
“padded cells.”

Fastest steam locomotive

■ ■ What? Mallard Steam locomotives reached their peak
■ ■ Who? Sir Nigel Gresley in the 1930s, and the Mallard was cutting-
■ ■ Where and when? UK, 1938 edge technology of the day. On July 3,
1938, Mallard set the world speed
record for a steam locomotive
when it reached 126 mph
(203 km/h) on the line from
London to Edinburgh,
in the UK.

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