What is train?

What Does train Mean

The French term train came to our language as a train. The concept mentions a means of transport made up of a series of wagons that, pulled by a locomotive , move on tracks (composed, in turn, by the so-called rails or rails ).

This is the definition of a train in its broadest or general sense: at present, it is possible to recognize trains that have characteristics different from those mentioned. There are, for example, trains that levitate thanks to the action of powerful magnets. There are also trains whose wagons are self-propelled and thus dispense with a locomotive.

Most trains, however, still appeal to the locomotive for traction . A locomotive is a vehicle that, using diesel , electricity or another source of energy, moves along the track and pulls the train cars, which are linked together.
Trains have different scopes and ends. In large cities, there are urban or metropolitan trains that make various stops at stations located throughout the town. The long - distance trains , however, allow to reach different cities and even countries . There are, on the other hand, passenger trains (which carry people) and freight trains (intended for the transport of goods).
Many transport experts highlight the advantages of the train over other means of locomotion. The train uses less energy and generates less pollution than the plane or the car to transport the same number of people. It is also considered a very safe means of transport.
The evolution of the train is certainly one of those that attracts the most admiration from the public, mainly because it is the first land vehicle that did not require the force of an animal for its operation; in other words, it was the first autonomous device intended for transportation , and this makes it the spiritual ancestor of all current media.
It is important to note that the first steam railway was introduced in 1825, and was used to connect Darlington and Stockton, two towns in England. One of the data that makes his invention more interesting is that it was born from the combination of revolutionary inventions and the observation of other fields: the steam engine dates from the seventeenth century, almost two hundred years earlier, and the rail was already used in the field of mining.
Today, the different forms and characteristics that a train can take continue to fuel the mysticism of this fascinating means of transport. In Mauritania, for example, there is the longest in the world: it consists of two hundred wagons powered by three locomotives , with a total length of four kilometers. This colossus of the tracks is so heavy that it takes several minutes to come to a full stop. As expected, speed is not his strong suit: it does not exceed 40 km / h.

It is enough to cross the Mediterranean Sea to meet a peculiar hanging train ; It is located in the Rhineland, Germany, and its name is Schwebebahn of Wuppertal . Despite being unique on its continent, it is not very popular worldwide. However, in his city ​​it is an emblem, and it has been operating since the beginning of the 20th century, passing over urbanizations and rivers.
Going through the snow is especially difficult for us and our machines; and the train is no exception. Already in 1869, the first cogwheel train was created in the United States , characterized by having three rails, one of them toothed. This allows movement on slopes greater than 8%. An example of this technology is the Jungfraujoch , which exceeds 3,000 meters in height on its way through the Swiss Alps.