Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
There is no inherent speed limit that is imposed on a reciprocating engine by its rods and crank pins.  It is a mistake to look at the flailing rods of a steam locomotive and assume that they represent an extreme out of balance condition that threatens to tear the machine apart at speed.  It is true that the rods and crank pins constitute an eccentric loading to the rotating wheels, but the objective is to counterbalance that load with the lead filled counterweights.   The only challenge is to provide sufficient counterbalance to get the job done.  Locomotive rods need strength, and with strength comes weight.  There is only so much room to fit the counterbalance weight.  So there has sometimes been difficulty in achieving perfect counterbalance.  Therefore, if an exotic material is needed, it is needed for the rods.  There are, no doubt, several different types of materials and processes that have been developed since the end of steam age that could be applied to the rods of a modern locomotive in order to perfect the dynamic balance.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag