"A steam locomotive is a rail vehicle that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam.: 80 It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomotive´s boiler to the point when it becomes gaseous and its volume increases 1,700 times. Functionally, it is a steam engine on wheels.
In most locomotives, the steam is admitted alternately to each end of its cylinders, in which pistons are mechanically connected to the locomotive´s main wheels. Fuel and water supplies are usually carried with the locomotive, either on the locomotive itself or in a tender coupled to it. Variations in this general design include electrically-powered boilers, turbines in place of pistons, and using steam generated externally." - (en.wikipedia.org 05.03.2022)
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