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Verkehrshaus Luzern: How does a steam engine work?

We've all seen the drawings of how a steam engine works. ... At the Verkehrshaus they took an actual steam engine, cut it open, and explain it on the real thing. Nice.

Verkehrshaus Luzern: Electric Traction

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Switzerland started electrification of their railways much earlier than the rest of Europe, so not surprisingly there is a wide selection of early heavy electric locomotives at the Verkehrshaus.

This early generation electric switcher locomotive used a single, large electric motor which is connected directly to the side rods by a diagonal rod. Notice the various counter weights on the axles.

A few years later, when the Ce6/8 II was built, technology had advanced quite a bit. The heaviest part of an electric locomotive is the transformer used for conversion of catenary voltage to something more agreeable for the electric traction motors. In the "Crocodile" design the transformer sits on the bridge frame in the middle of the locomotive, while the motors and supporting electric are in the narrow hoods whose trucks are short-coupled under the bridge frame.This arrangement contributes to the Crocodiles excellent ability to navigate tight curves in the Swiss mountains.

Power is transferred to the wheels using blind axles and a unique driver rod arrangement that allows each axle to move in its suspension without twisting the rods, affecting suspension of the other axles, or reducing efficiency of traction. The obvious drawback of this arrangement is how complicated it is. A later series of the crocodile (the Ce 6/8 III, prototype for a popular Maerklin model) used a simplified transmission technique ("Wintherthurer Schraegstangenantrieb").

Cab of Ce 6/8 II

Another variation of the theme was used in BLS Be 5/7.

The electric motors drive 2 blind axles which are coupled to side rods using a triangular connecting rod.

The "Landi-Lok" Nr. 11852 presented at the national fair of Switzerland ("Landesausstellung") in 1939 shortly before World War II was a massive design and is still the the most powerful locomotive of SBB with over 8000 kW. It consists of two locomotive frames coupled back to back, each containing 8 traction motors driving 4 of the 7 axles on each half. The locomotive is so powerful that SBB never used its full capabilities because it would break the train couplers.

Landi-Lok. It's so big that I couldn't get a complete, unobstructed photo.

The Landi-Lok is one of the few locomotives one can go inside. The machine room with some oft the traction motors visible is impressive, but must have been even more impressive with all the machinery in operation.

Machine room of a Landi-Lok half

Traction motors and cooling shaft

Verkehrshaus Luzern: Cranked Axles

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Standing in the pit below the tender of Nr. 2965 I finally really understood how the linkage works so that brake shoes grab a wheel from both sides as the linkage is actuated by the brake cylinder. There's nothing better to really understand than looking at the original.

As I was under the locomotive marveling at the construction I noticed the odd arrangement of drive axle number 2. It's a cranked axle. Here's a picture of cranked axle outside the locomotive.

Cranked axles are used on steam locomotives that have cylinders inside the frame in addition to the easily visible outside cylinders connected to the driver rods driving the wheels. The pistons of the inside cylinders connect to the cranked axle. Other examples of locomotives with inside cylinders are the German BR18.3 (for balanced moving weights at higher speeds) and BR44 (for more pulling power).

Cranked axle with cylinders and pistons inside the locomotive frame. Looking towards the front of the locomotive.

Inside cylinders and pistons. Looking straight up.

Looking back at axle 2, the connecting rods to the pistons and how they connect to the axle are readily visible.

For the last picture I stuck my phone camera inside the locomotive frame to catch a photo of the inside cylinder fronts.

Inside cylinder heads looking back from just above the locomotive frame

Verkehrshaus Luzern: Steam

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While most of the locomotives at the museum are electrically powered, there is some steam on display.

SBB Ce 5/6 Nr. 2965 "Elefant" (1915)

I'm fascinated by the mechanical engineering that goes into building locomotives, and is readily visible in particular with steam locomotives.

One can walk under the locomotive and examine it from below.

Starting in the 1890's steam-powered, fast-spinning snow rotaries became practical for use on railroads. The X^rot 100 was built in 1896.

X ^rot100 (1896)

Verkehrshaus Luzern

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Vierwaldstaettersee

If one has a little bit time while visiting Luzern, a stop at the Verkehrshaus (transportation museum) is a must. For me this was the main motivation to come here, as the Verkehrshaus has an excellent reputation for their extensive collection, in particular locomotives.

At the entrance we were greeted by "Sissi" the shield of the tunnel boring machine used for building the east bore of the Gotthard base tunnel. With a diameter of 10 meters it weighs 225 tons.

"Sissi"

Once inside, I headed straight to the locomotive hall and was greeted by one of my all-time favorite locomotives: The Crocodile , SBB Ce 6/8 II built for heavy freight traffic over the Gotthard pass.

SBB Ce 6/8 II Nr. 13254 "Krokodil" (1920)

Another uniquely swiss construction are the "Red Arrows", which quickly became so popular that SBB repurposed them for tourism and entertainment trips.