Steam locomotive nomenclature



         


Steam locomotive nomenclature is a listing of the components found on a Steam Locomotive.



Fig. 1: Steam Locomotive



Fig. 2: Steam Locomotive and Tender


The following components appear on the illustrations shown above.

  1. Boiler — A water container that is brought to a boil by hot gases passed through long tubes, thereby producing steam.
  2. Fire box — A box to contain the fire that is used to heat the boiler.
  3. Smoke box — The drum which draws through hot gases by means of a partial vacuum produced by released steam, further heating the boiler.
  4. Steam chest — An area that is used to collect steam for release into the cylinder by valves.
  5. Cylinder — A hollow device that converts steam energy into mechanical energy.
  6. Cross head — A block which holds the axle connecting the piston rod to the main rod.
  7. Guides — These guide the piston rod in and out of the cylinder. Also known as slide bars.
  8. Piston rod — A rod that connects the piston in the cylinder to the cross-head axle.
  9. Valve stem — A rod attached to the valve for moving it during engine operation.
  10. Link
  11. Reverse lever — A lever within the cab that controls the direction of travel and the timing of the valve. Also called a "johnson bar".
  12. Reach rod — This rod links the reversing actuator with the valve gear.
  13. Tumbling shaft
  14. Rocker arm
  15. Eccentric rod
  16. Frame
  17. Equalizing bars
  18. Springs
  19. Pedestal
  20. Injector
  21. Boiler check
  22. Steam drum — An expansion where water is separated from the heated steam.
  23. Filling funnel — A funnel for adding water.
  24. Sand box — A container for holding sand used to improve traction.
  25. Cab — A compartment for controlling the engine and feeding the fire box.
  26. Air pump
  27. Foot board
  28. Hand rail
  29. Pilot truck — Wheels at the front that helped guide the locomotive.
  30. Trailing truck
  31. Drivers — The wheels that deliver locomotive power to the rails.
  32. Main rod — A steel arm that converts the horizontal motion of the piston into a rotation motion of the Driver. Also called the connecting rod.
  33. Side rods
  34. Tender — A container that holds combustible fuel for the fire box.






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