The motive power requirements of railways are so varied, that every system must employ a number of different types of locomotives with which to handle its traffic. It is not possible here to describe all the types in common use, but attention may be called to a few characteristic features of locomotives designed for different classes of service.

Excluding such work as switching, logging and industrial, the majority of locomotives are used in road service, and this may be divided into two gen eral classes, freight and passenger. In heavy freight work, a locomotive is required to exert a high tractive force at comparatively slow speed, while in fast passenger work the tractive force, when running, is comparatively low, while the speed is high. Horse-power is measured by the product of tractive force and speed, hence it is frequently necessary for a passenger locomotive to develop as much horse-power as a freight, even though the trac tive forces exerted by the two may be widely differ ent. As the boiler capacity limits the horse-power, it follows that in proportion to the tractive force exerted, a passenger locomotive needs a larger boiler than one intended for freight service. The requirements of fast freight and heavy, medium speed passenger service are more nearly alike, and the same type of locomotive can frequently be used for both these classes of work.

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