QUOTE: Originally posted by Jetrock This page will provide some insight: http://home.new.rr.com/trumpetb/loco/rodsr.html Yes, the piston just goes back and forth--it is a question of how the gearing attached to the piston is set. The animation you looked at does not feature reversing gear...
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
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QUOTE: Originally posted by dave9999 In the animation at this link: http://travel.howstuffworks.com/steam1.htm (scroll down to the locomotive animation) It shows a steam loco in motion. The piston is moving in and out and the loco proceeds forward. I get this. My questions is how does the engineer make the loco go in reverse. This may sound dumb on my part, but it seems to my that in reverse the piston would still be moving in and out. What determines which direction the wheels turn? I have looked at this animation and my head hurts. Someone please help! [:D] Dave