Description
A gas turbine train typically consists of two power cars (one at each end of the train), and one or more intermediate passenger cars.
In a gas turbine power car a turbine engine, similar to a turboshaft engine, drives an output shaft that is in turn attached to a hydraulic or electric transmission, or (in the case of the UAC TurboTrain) a mechanical gearbox, which supplies power to drive the wheels.
A gas turbine offers some advantages over a piston engine. There are few moving parts, decreasing the need for lubrication and potentially reducing maintenance costs, and the power-to-weight ratio is much higher. A turbine of a given power output is also physically smaller than an equally powerful piston engine, often allowing the power car to accommodate passengers or cargo as well. However, a turbine's power output and efficiency both drop dramatically with rotational speed, unlike a piston engine, which has a comparatively flat power curve.
Read more about this topic: Gas Turbine Train
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