Driving wheel
On a
On diesel and electric locomotives, the driving wheels may be directly driven by the traction motors. Coupling rods are not usually used, and it is quite common for each axle to have its own motor. Jackshaft drive and coupling rods were used in the past[5][6] (e.g. in the Swiss Crocodile locomotive[7]) but their use is now confined to shunter locomotives.
On an articulated locomotive or a duplex locomotive, driving wheels are grouped into sets which are linked together within the set.
Diameter
Driving wheels are generally larger than
The driving wheels on express passenger locomotives have come down in diameter over the years, e.g. from 8 ft 1 in (2,464 mm) on the
Flangeless wheels
Some long wheelbase locomotives (four or more coupled axles) were equipped with blind drivers. These were driving wheels without the usual flanges, which allowed them to negotiate tighter curves without binding.[9]
Some three-driving-axle locomotives also had flangeless wheels on the middle axle, such as the NZR WH class.
Balancing
On locomotives with
Whyte notation
In the
The number of driving wheels on locomotives varied quite a bit. Some early locomotives had as few as two driving wheels (one axle). The largest number of total driving wheels was 24 (twelve axles) on the
Other uses of the term driving wheel
The term driving wheel is sometimes used to denote the
In popular culture
Many American roots artists, such as The Byrds, Tom Rush, The Black Crowes and the Canadian band Cowboy Junkies have performed a song written by David Wiffen called "Driving Wheel", with the lyrics "I feel like some old engine/ That's lost my driving wheel."[17]
These lyrics are a reference to the traditional blues song "Broke Down Engine Blues" by Blind Willie McTell, 1931.[18] It was later directly covered by Bob Dylan and Johnny Winter.
Many versions of the American folk song "
See also
- AAR wheel arrangement
- Boxpok
- Drive axle
- Sprocket wheel
- UIC classification
- Whyte notation
References
- ^ Fowler, George L. (1909). Locomotive Dictionary (1909 ed.). New York: The Railroad Age Gazette. p. 37 – via Google Books.
- ^ Forney, Matthias N. (1879). Catechism of the Locomotive. New York: The Railroad Gazette. p. 177 – via Google Books.
- ISBN 0-07-059120-2– via Google Books.
- ISBN 978-0-7546-4854-3– via Google Books.
- ^ Ransome-Wallis 2001, pp. 175–176.
- ISBN 978-94-017-5765-2– via Google Books.
- ISBN 978-3-8356-3132-8– via Google Books.
- ^ Richey, Albert S.; Greenough, William C. (1915). Electric Railway Handbook (first ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company. p. 586 – via Internet Archive.
locomotive driving wheel ratio.
- ^ Roesch, F.P. (August 1916). McNamee, John F. (ed.). "Questions and Answers: Distance Traveled by Driving Wheels in Curving". Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen's Magazine. 61 (2). Columbus, Ohio: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen: 136 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Another Balancing Scheme". Locomotive Engineering. XI (9). New York: Angus Sinclair Co.: 414 September 1898 – via Google Books.
- ^ Herr, E.M.; Bush, S.P.; Lewis, W.H.; Quereau, C.H. (September 3, 1904). "The Rule of Equipoise: In Counter-Balancing Locomotive Driving Wheels". International Railway Journal. XII (1). Philadelphia and Chicago: 18 – via Google Books.
- ^ Ransome-Wallis 2001, p. 505.
- ISBN 978-1-4742-3725-3– via Google Books.
- ISBN 9781446356838– via Google Books.
- ISBN 978-1-84884-317-2– via Google Books.
- ISBN 978-1-4296-3370-3– via Google Books.
- ^ "Lyrics: Driving Wheel". MusixMatch. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- ^ "Broke Down Engine Blues". Genius. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- ^ "Lead Belly - In the Pines". Song Meanings. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- Ransome-Wallis, P., ed. (2001) [1959]. Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Railway Locomotives. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications. ISBN 0-486-41247-4– via Google Books.