Calculating Tractive Effort for steam locomotives

[ostlandr]

Thanks! Brain was not working late at night.

BUT there is a 4:1 gear reduction between the engine and the drivers.

If my recollection of physics is accurate:

Ignore that. Run the calculations without the gear reduction.
Then divide the speed by 4 and multiply the force (TE) by 4. Power remains unchanged.

[PikkaBird]

HP cylinder area is 0.2025 sq meters (x6)

LP cylinder area is 0.09 sq meters (x6)

Silly question perhaps, but aren't low-pressure cylinders generally larger than high-pressure?

[ostlandr]

D'oh! Reverse that. . .

I eventually figured it out. At the scale I was using for the engine, the horsepower wasn't high enough for a locomotive. Might work to power a steam road vehicle, though.

Interesting design concept, though. Only four moving parts, not counting the valves.

HP cylinder area is 0.2025 sq meters (x6)

LP cylinder area is 0.09 sq meters (x6)

Silly question perhaps, but aren't low-pressure cylinders generally larger than high-pressure?