246: Chapter 246 Steam Trains Without Steering Wheels

At this time, the intake port is open for the longest duration, and the distance the steam pushes the Piston to do work is also the longest.

The ratio of the distance the Piston is pushed by steam during the time the intake port is open to the total distance of its unidirectional movement is called the cylinder's Cutoff ratio.

The longer the intake port is open, the higher the Cutoff ratio, the greater the corresponding cylinder pressure, and the more work the Piston does per unit of time, allowing the steam train to obtain sufficient starting power.

Generally, when the Radius rod of a Steam Locomotive is at its maximum deflection angle, the Cutoff ratio is about seventy percent, equivalent to a car being in first gear.

After reaching a certain speed, the wheels need to maintain a higher rotational speed with smaller torque.

Thus, the driver reduces the deflection angle of the Radius rod, decreasing the amplitude of the steam chest valve.

In this way, the intake port is exposed for a shorter time, the cylinder Cutoff ratio decreases, and the stroke of the steam pushing the Piston to do work accounts for a lower proportion of the total stroke; that is, the cylinder maintains only a lower average pressure to sustain the Piston's high-speed reciprocating motion.

This is like a car shifting into a high gear.

Therefore, when a Steam Locomotive hauls a passenger train at normal speed, the cylinder's Cutoff ratio is usually reduced to about thirty percent.

Therefore, simply by using the Reversing lever in the cab to control the up-and-down movement of the Radius rod, one can control the locomotive's direction and, incidentally, achieve continuously variable transmission.

The parts needed here are just a few iron rods, which is quite simple.

With specific design blueprints, Elder Mo's Team can first build a small Steam Locomotive, and once they have fully mastered the technology, they can simply scale it up.

A steam train consists of two main parts: the Steam Locomotive and the carriages.

In addition to the power system, a Steam Locomotive also has a running gear and a driver's cab.

The running gear generally consists of Bogies, including wheelsets, axle boxes, spring devices, braking devices, and other components. The Bogies allow the locomotive to pass smoothly through curves, bear the locomotive's weight, and ensure the stability and safety of the locomotive's operation.

The driver's cab is where the driver operates the locomotive, equipped with various control equipment, instruments, and signaling devices, such as the driver's controller, brake valves, speedometers, and pressure gauges. The driver uses these devices to control the locomotive's speed, direction, and braking.

The carriages do not present much technical difficulty and are mainly divided into passenger carriages and freight cars.

Passenger carriages are divided into hard seats and soft seats and are equipped with a braking system that works with the locomotive's braking system to achieve deceleration and stopping. Generally, an air braking system is used, which controls the action of the brake cylinder through compressed air, causing the brake shoes to press against the wheel treads to generate braking force.

The coupling devices include couplers and buffers. Couplers are used to connect adjacent vehicles so the train can form a single unit. Buffers are used to absorb the impact forces generated during the train's operation, reducing collisions and vibrations between vehicles.

Freight car bodies come in various types according to different cargo transportation needs, such as Open wagons, Boxcars, Tank cars, and Flatcars.

Open wagons have no roof and are suitable for transporting bulk goods like coal and ore; Boxcars have enclosed compartments for transporting goods that need protection from rain and sun; Tank cars are used for transporting liquids and gases; Flatcars are mainly used for transporting large machinery, steel, and so on.

The running gear is similar to that of passenger carriages, but since freight cars have a larger load capacity, the structure of the running gear is sturdier and can withstand greater loads.

Steam trains do not have steering wheels.

The fact that steam trains can turn without a steering wheel is mainly due to the special structure of the wheels and tracks, as well as the function of the Bogies.

Train wheels are not standard cylinders but are shaped like truncated cones, with a slightly smaller inner diameter and a slightly larger outer diameter.

When traveling in a straight line, the conical surface of the wheels allows the train to stay centered on the tracks.

When the train needs to turn, due to centrifugal force, it shifts slightly toward the outside of the curve. At this time, the part of the outer wheel with the larger rolling radius contacts the rail, while the part of the inner wheel with the smaller rolling radius contacts the rail. This creates a lateral component force toward the inside of the curve during rolling, guiding the train along the bend.

The track is the path the train travels on, consisting of two parallel steel rails.

At curves, the track is specially designed and laid based on factors such as the curve's radius and the train's speed.

The outer rail is slightly higher than the inner rail, creating a certain amount of superelevation. This allows the train to lean inward during a turn, utilizing a component of gravity to balance the centrifugal force and ensuring the train can travel stably along the curve.

At the same time, the sides of the rails exert a certain guiding force on the wheels, constraining their trajectory and preventing the train from derailing.

The train's carriages are connected to the tracks via Bogies. A Bogie is a device that can rotate relative to the carriage, allowing the wheels to automatically adjust their direction when passing through curves to adapt to the track's curvature.

Bogies are typically composed of components such as wheelsets, axle boxes, spring devices, and frames. When a train enters a curve, the Bogie rotates around a center pin under the influence of the track, making the wheels' direction roughly consistent with the tangent of the curve, thus achieving a smooth turn.

To build a railway, the route's alignment must first be confirmed.

To reduce construction difficulty, the railway will mainly be built along the Qin Straight Road.

Fences will be set up along the way to prevent people and horses on the Qin Straight Road from entering the railway.

In the dead of winter, farming is impossible, so the farmers of Great Qin mostly stay huddled at home.

Zhao Fusu intends to spend money to hire this idle labor to build the railway at a wage of eight coins a day.

The construction sites generally provide room and board, plus a wage of eight coins a day; Zhao Fusu believes he can recruit workers.

When the time comes, by arranging sheds for them to live in and using honeycomb coal heating stoves, Great Qin can also see fewer people freeze to death.

The Great Qin National Assembly is mainly controlled by the nobles of the Qin Region.

To raise money, it is naturally the nobles of the Qin Region who will contribute together.

However, a significant amount of their money is deposited in the Great Qin Empire Bank.

To get the highest interest rates, they all make fixed-term deposits for five years.

Speaking of those with plenty of cash on hand right now, it must be the nobles of the Six Kingdoms who originally intended to return to their ancestral lands to rebel.

War is fought with money; they have been preparing funds for many years for their rebellion.

Li Si has set his sights on their wealth.

Since being intimidated by the shelling demonstration last time, the Nobles of the Six Lands have been exceptionally well-behaved and have not mentioned returning to their ancestral lands for ancestor worship again.

Two months have passed since the shelling demonstration, yet they still often dream of being shelled at night, waking up in a cold sweat.

In modern terms, they are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder!

Their hearts are completely devoid of any sense of security.