Geared steam locomotive
A geared steam locomotive is a type of steam locomotive which uses gearing, usually reduction gearing, in the drivetrain, as opposed to the common directly driven design.
Dispatch &amp; Garlick
The steam locomotives built at the beginning of the 20th century were unusual in many ways. Initially, steam winches were manufactured, which were adapted by a chain drive on the axles for transporting them on mainly wooden rails. As a rule, a boiler was mounted at one end of a frame and a winch at the other end. The two-cylinder winch motor powered a cable drum via a crankshaft, which also drove the 30 degrees downwardly inclined intermediate shaft via a bevel gear. Via a gearbox with sliding bevel pinions different ratios could be selected. Complicated bevel and spur gears transmitted the torque to the axles. Because of this complexity, the average lifespan was only 11 years. Later, Dispatch developed rail tractors, with which it became market leader in this market sector.