Train Basics

Train Basics. . Trains are huge, heavy, and very important modes of transportation for many reasons. Before automobiles, trains were the main mode of motorized transportation. Trains allowed many people to move west to places like New Mexico. They also allowed important products like building materials, household goods, and food to be moved faster and cheaper to locations all over the United States., What are the parts on a train? , 1. Locomotives are the engine used to move the train. , 2. The cab is where the engineer sits and runs the train. , 3. The end-of-train (EDT) device has taken the job of the caboose and can electronically monitor brake line pressure and accidental separation of train cars. , 4. Couplers are like hooks that connect the cars of the train., What is a freight train? , A freight train moves cargo such as cotton, corn, automobiles, coal, and many other products from one place to another. Most trains carry cargo, and a few carry people., Key Words , Transportation: the business of moving people, goods, etc. , Cargo: goods carried by a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle; freight. , Invention: a new idea or product., Steam Engines , In 1814, George Stephenson designed the first steam locomotive. A steam engine involved fire, created with either wood or coal, and water. The fire heats the water, which turns to steam, and moves the wheels of the train. The invention of the steam engine made trains a popular mode of transportation., Captions , George Stephenson Steam Locomotive 18 , Courtesy of Library of Congress