The α (alpha) Coefficient of a locomotive is defined as In other words, it gives a measure of the average forces applied to the locomotive’s machinery as compared to the maximum forces that it is designed to withstand. It could therefore be said to be a measure of “mechanical efficiency”, being the amount of use […]
The celebrated Argentinean steam locomotive engineer Livio Dante Porta devised a classification for steam locomotive development as summarized below: First Generation Steam (FGS) – practically all past locomotives; Second Generation Steam (SGS) – new designs incorporating the best proven modern steam locomotive technology; Third Generation Steam (TGS) – totally new formats requiring considerable research and […]