Gas-turbine locomotive facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gas-turbine locomotive |
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UP 18, a gas-turbine–electric locomotive preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum
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| Classification | Vehicle |
| Application | Rail transport |
| Fuel source | Fuel oil LNG CNG Coal (experimental) |
| Powered | Yes |
| Self-propelled | Yes |
A gas-turbine locomotive is a special kind of railway train engine powered by a spinning gas-turbine engine. Unlike traditional trains that use heavy pistons moving up and down, these engines use rushing hot gas to spin blades. Engineers built these machines using hydraulic, direct mechanical, or modern electrical systems to turn the wheels. A few early inventors even designed hybrid models where exhaust from a diesel engine helped spin the turbine.
The world saw the first locomotive to employ a gas turbine engine roll onto tracks in Switzerland in 1941. It was constructed by the clever engineering group Brown, Boveri & Cie, who had created the first industrial gas turbine in 1939. By 1947, railway engineers across France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States designed twelve distinct turbine engines.
During the middle of the twentieth century, these spinning engines looked like the ultimate future for fast transportation. Standard diesel engines carried heavy parts that limited their overall power. A gas turbine instead produced huge amounts of energy from a small, light package. However, they burned massive amounts of fuel, making them expensive to run. In the end, standard diesel and overhead electric locomotives won the race because they saved money.
Contents
Understanding How Gas Turbine Locomotives Work
To understand a turbine engine, imagine a giant pinwheel placed directly in front of a hair dryer. When hot air rushes past the blades, the wheel spins very fast. In a train, compressed air mixes with fuel and burns, creating a roaring stream of hot gas. This wind pushes against metal blades inside the turbine, spinning a central drive shaft at great speed.
Because the shaft spins at tens of thousands of turns every minute, trains need a method to transfer that speed. Some trains use giant gear sets to connect directly to the wheels. Others connect the shaft to an electric generator, creating electric power that runs motors mounted on the train axles. This smart setup provides smooth acceleration without shifting clunky mechanical gears.
Turbines hold a huge advantage over traditional engines because they have far fewer moving parts. They do not shake or vibrate as much as engines with heavy pistons. They can produce thousands of horsepower while taking up very little space inside the locomotive body. However, when the train idles at a station, the turbine still gulps fuel at a surprisingly high rate.
Early Hybrid Locomotives and Diesel Exhaust Power
Long before pure turbine trains ran on main lines, inventors wondered if they could combine diesels with turbines. In these rare hybrid designs, engineers captured hot exhaust gases leaving a diesel motor to spin a small turbine wheel.
Swedish Experiments with Gas Generators
A Swedish company called Götaverken began exploring this clever gas-generator idea way back in 1923. An inventor named Erik Johansson led these experiments at the company for over thirty years. His team built an experimental test engine in 1926 and placed similar machines inside three ships.
By 1933, Götaverken decided to test the concept on real railway tracks by rebuilding an older locomotive. They installed a special crank-piston machine that paired a two-stroke diesel engine with an air compressor. The burning exhaust rushed out of the cylinders and directly blasted into a turbine. That turbine turned the wheels through gears until the locomotive was retired in 1937, after which its engine powered a tugboat.
After World War II, the Swedish State Railways needed a lightweight engine for rural tracks where electrical wires were too expensive. Heavy engines damaged light tracks, so Götaverken partnered with the builders at Motala Verkstad. Together, they built a new locomotive called the T1, which entered regular service in 1955.
French Free-Piston Engines
French engineers also liked the idea of mixing diesel pressure with turbine power. In 1952, the famous automaker Renault constructed a locomotive rated at 1,000 hp (0.75 MW) called Class 040-GA-1. It used a unique system invented by Raúl Pateras Pescara known as a free-piston engine.
This unusual machine had no traditional spinning crankshaft inside it. Instead, pistons bounced back and forth like trampolines, cushioned by trapped air. The hot exhaust gas escaped into a gas turbine, which drove the train wheels through a two-speed gearbox. Renault later built two larger versions between 1959 and 1961 that produced 2,400 hp (1.8 MW) of power.
Soviet Union Freight Tests
Engineers in the Soviet Union also tested this concept for moving heavy cargo. In 1960, the skilled workers at the Luhansk Locomotive Works built an experimental machine named the GT101.
The design called for two huge sections, but workers only finished building one. It held four free-piston gas generators feeding a main turbine that produced 2,200 kW (3,000 hp). Power reached the wheels through a hydraulic transmission system. Although it proved the concept worked, the railway decided not to put it into regular service.
Summary of Hybrid Locomotives
Here are the main experimental hybrid engines built during that era:
- 1933 Götaverken, Sweden, 1-B-1 wheel layout, 300 hp (220 kW)
- 1952 Renault, France, B-B wheel layout, 1,000 hp (750 kW)
- 1954 Götaverken, Sweden, 1-C-1 wheel layout, 1,300 hp (970 kW)
- 1960 Luhansk Locomotive Works, GT101, 2,200 kW (3,000 hp)
Gas-Turbine Electric Locomotives on the Rails
The most successful turbine trains used electricity to send power to their wheels. These machines are called gas-turbine–electric locomotives, or GTELs for short.
In a GTEL, a powerful turboshaft engine spins an electric generator or alternator. This generator makes strong electric currents that travel through heavy cables to electric traction motors on each axle. The whole system functions much like a standard diesel–electric locomotive, but with a compact turbine instead of a giant piston engine.
Because turbines spin so smoothly, they pack tremendous power into a small frame. However, they perform best when running at full speed under heavy loads. If an engine stops frequently or idles, it burns too much fuel. This trait made them great for non-stop long trips, but poor choices for local commuter lines.
Swiss Breakthroughs in Turbine Power
Switzerland took the lead in building the world's very first pure gas-turbine locomotive. Completed in 1941, locomotive Am 4/6 was built by the manufacturing company Brown, Boveri & Cie. It was the first engine to use the modern Brayton cycle thermodynamic system on rails.
The locomotive worked for the Swiss Federal Railways on lines that lacked overhead electric wires. It used an axial-flow compressor to squeeze air before burning it in a combustion chamber. The spinning turbine ran a generator that sent smooth electricity to four traction motors. It showed railway companies across the globe that jet-style power could pull heavy trains.
British Experiments and High-Speed Prototypes
In Great Britain, rail companies were eager to test turbine power on express passenger routes. The famous Great Western Railway ordered two experimental engines, which were delivered to the newly formed British Railways.
The first unit was British Rail 18000, built in Switzerland by Brown Boveri and delivered in 1949. It produced 1,840 kilowatts (2,470 horsepower) and pulled fast passenger trains across England. The second engine, British Rail 18100, was built by Metropolitan-Vickers in 1951. It used an aircraft-style turbine delivering 2.2 MW (3,000 hp), easily reaching speeds of 90 miles per hour (140 km/h).
Years later, British engineers built the famous British Rail APT-E in 1972. This sleek, futuristic machine was the research prototype for the Advanced Passenger Train. It used lightweight turbines built by British Leyland to tilt through curves at incredible speeds. However, when fuel prices soared during the 1970s oil crisis, builders switched future passenger designs to pure electric wires.
The Mighty Turbine Giants of the United States
Nowhere did gas turbines achieve greater fame than on the vast tracks of the American West. The railroad company Union Pacific needed immense power to haul long freight trains over towering mountains.
Working with locomotive builder ALCO-GE, Union Pacific tested a prototype in 1948 with a B-B-B-B wheel arrangement. The test succeeded, leading Union Pacific to buy 55 massive turbine freight locomotives throughout the 1950s. The final version was so huge that people called them "Big Blows" because of their deafening jet-engine roar. These monsters used a heavy C-C wheel setup and produced up to 8,500 horsepower.
These giant engines saved money by burning thick, cheap Bunker C oil. This gooey leftover fuel had to be heated up just so the engine could pump it. At their peak, these roaring engines moved 10 percent of all freight on Union Pacific lines. Eventually, oil refineries learned how to turn that thick residue into valuable plastics. As fuel prices climbed, Union Pacific retired these famous giants by 1969.
Other American builders tried passenger experiments during this golden age. In 1950, Baldwin Locomotive Works and Westinghouse built an experimental unit nicknamed the Blue Goose. It carried two turbines producing 4,000 hp (3,000 kW) and reached speeds of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). It completed test runs for the Pennsylvania Railroad, the MKT Railroad, and the Chicago and North Western Railway, but was dismantled in 1953.
During the 1960s, United Aircraft and Transport Corporation introduced the UAC TurboTrain. This lightweight passenger streamliner carried riders for the Pennsylvania Railroad, Amtrak, and Canada's Via Rail. Amtrak also bought French-designed Turboliner trainsets to zip between cities, though strict rules from the Federal Railroad Administration made American versions heavier.
In New York, the Long Island Rail Road experimented with turbine commuter cars. In 1966, they tested a railcar called GT-1 powered by Garrett AiResearch engines, built upon a Budd Company Pioneer III frame similar to old RDC designs. Later, in 1977, the railroad tested eight dual-mode cars financed by the USDOT, featuring gear from GE and Garrett with bodies like M1 trainsets. These cars suffered mechanical bugs and were retired.
In 2000, train builder Bombardier created an experimental high-speed engine named the JetTrain. It combined a Pratt & Whitney Canada PW100 turbine with parts from the electric Acela express train. The turbine supplied extra boost once the train left stations, reaching a blistering 156 miles per hour (251 km/h) on test tracks. Although Bombardier toured the train across North America, no rail company bought it.
Russian Heavy Haulers and Modern Gas Turbines
Russian engineers carried out long testing programs with turbine engines starting in 1959. The Kolomna Locomotive Works developed the G1-01 freight locomotive and two GP1 passenger models based on the body of the TEP60 diesel train. These machines each delivered an impressive 2,600 kW (3,500 hp).
In modern years, Russian Railways revisited turbines to run on cleaner alternative fuels. In 2006, they revealed the GEM-10 yard switcher, running entirely on cold liquefied natural gas (LNG). They also built a double-unit machine called TGEM10-0001, which used a specialized fuel car loaded with compressed natural gas (CNG).
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In 2007, Russian engineers unveiled a freight beast named the GT1-001, converted from a VL15 electric body. Carrying an LNG fuel tank, this engine created a massive 8,300 kW (11,100 hp). In September 2011, it set a world record by pulling an enormous 170-car freight train weighing 16,000 metric tons (15,700 long tons; 17,600 short tons). Later, engineers added batteries to create a hybrid locomotive called the GT1h. A second model, GT1h-002, joined operations in the Ural region using parts from the TEM7 diesel and 2ES6 electric train.
Fast Passenger Service in Canada
Canada embraced fast passenger turbines when Canadian National Railways put the UAC TurboTrain into service between Toronto and Montreal in 1968. These sleek trains later ran under the banner of Via Rail, carrying thousands of passengers quickly and smoothly.
The Turbo trains operated reliably until 1982, when newer diesel-powered LRC trains replaced them. Later, Bombardier proposed bringing fast JetTrain models to routes like Quebec City to Windsor, but passenger lines chose other trains instead.
France and the High-Speed Turbotrain Era
France achieved major milestones with turbine trains during the late twentieth century. In fact, the very first test train for the famous TGV, named TGV 001, was powered by spinning gas turbines. It ran at incredible speeds during trials, proving that modern high-speed rail was possible. When oil prices rose steeply, the national rail company chose overhead electric wires instead.
The national railway SNCF operated entire fleets of turbine passenger trains known as the Turbotrain. These included the popular ETG and RTG models, which linked French cities together on tracks without electric cables. Each train featured a sleek power car at both ends. These French trains carried travelers faithfully until their retirement in 2005, with several units sold to continue service in Iran.
Direct Mechanical Drive Locomotives
Instead of turning turbines into electric generators, some engineers built locomotives that used mechanical shafts and gearboxes. A mechanical transmission sends the spinning force of the turbine straight into the axles, similar to a giant sports car.
Military Switchers in the United States
In 1954, the Davenport Locomotive Works built a small 300 hp (220 kW) switching engine for the United States Army. Designed with the help of engineer R. Tom Sawyer, this small workhorse was the first locomotive to use an aircraft-style gas turbine. It ran on two Boeing 502-2E turbines connected to a three-speed transmission.
Czechoslovakian Heavy Freight Prototypes
Engineers in Czechoslovakia built two powerful mechanical-drive turbine locomotives during the late 1950s. Designated TL 659.001 and TL 659.002, they carried a huge 3,200 hp (2.4 MW) main turbine paired with a Tatra 111 diesel helper engine.
The first prototype completed factory assembly in 1958. In May 1959, it proved its immense strength on the mountain tracks between Plzeň, Cheb, and Sokolov by hauling a heavy train weighing 6,486 t (7,150 short tons). Sadly, its engine suffered fire damage the very next day and was scrapped.
The builders used everything they learned to build the second prototype in 1960. It underwent trials for the Czechoslovak State Railways near Kolín and Plzeň. It stayed in service until 1966 before moving to the University of Žilina for engineering classes. These twin machines were the most powerful direct-drive mechanical locomotives ever constructed anywhere in the world.
The British GT3 Demonstrator
Back in Great Britain, the company English Electric built an unusual machine named the British Rail GT3 in 1961. The engineers mounted a modern turbine directly onto a classic steam locomotive chassis. Because it avoided complicated electrical gear, the GT3 ran smoothly and proved reliable. However, standard diesel trains were already cheaper to purchase, so the company ended the test and scrapped the prototype.
Key Mechanical Turbine Locomotives
The most famous mechanical turbine locomotives built were:
- 1952 Davenport Locomotive Works, United States, 300 horsepower
- 1958 Renault, France, 2,000 horsepower
- 1958 Škoda, Czechoslovakia, 3,200 horsepower
- 1959 British Rail GT3, United Kingdom, 2,700 horsepower
Experimental Coal-Burning Gas Turbines
When gas turbines first appeared, oil was expensive in many regions, while coal was cheap and plentiful. Because traditional steam trains burned coal, researchers wondered if a gas turbine could do the same thing.
Powdered Coal Trials in America
In the 1940s, American coal companies teamed up with railroads to create the Locomotive Development Committee. They wanted to build a turbine that burned finely crushed pulverized-coal. If it worked, railroads could keep buying cheap coal while enjoying modern turbine power.
Companies like Alco and Westinghouse built laboratory test equipment between 1946 and 1947. Engineers discovered a huge problem: burning coal creates tiny bits of hard ash. This flying ash acted like sandblasting grit, quickly damaging the delicate turbine blades. Even though fuel costs were very low, repairing damaged turbine blades cost far too much money. By 1959, the committee ended the tests without ever putting a locomotive into commercial service.
Heating Air with Indirect Coal Furnaces
To solve the flying ash problem, inventors tested indirect heating systems. In these clever designs, burning coal heated up a metal pipe chamber, which warmed clean compressed air flowing inside. The coal smoke went out an exhaust pipe, while the hot, clean air spun the turbine blades without causing any damage.
In Great Britain, the North British Locomotive Company worked alongside the Parsons Steam Turbine Company on an indirect locomotive design. Soviet engineers worked on their own 3,000 hp (2,200 kW) system using air heating chambers. In Canada, researchers at McGill University experimented with advanced heat exchangers to manage turbine temperatures safely. While these ideas were brilliant, none ever entered full railway service because modern diesels had become so reliable.
Why Did Railways Move Away from Turbines?
Gas-turbine locomotives were marvels of twentieth-century engineering, but a combination of practical issues led to their retirement.
First, turbines consume vast quantities of fuel while idling. Unlike a car or diesel locomotive that sips fuel slowly at a red light, a turbine must keep spinning at high speeds just to stay lit. This made them terrible for trains that stopped frequently at town stations.
Second, fuel prices changed dramatically over the decades. When heavy residual oil was cheap, running giant turbine trains made financial sense for companies like Union Pacific. But as modern chemistry found new ways to turn that oil into consumer goods, the fuel grew expensive.
Finally, standard diesel engines became much more efficient, reliable, and simpler to fix. Overhead electric wire systems also expanded across Europe and Asia, giving high-speed trains clean, limitless energy without carrying heavy engines on board. Today, a few turbine locomotives rest proudly in railway museums, reminding visitors of an exciting era of roaring power.
See Also
- Turbojet train
- Combined cycle powered railway locomotive
