Is it possible to convert a steam train to run on an air compressor?
I saw over at Home Depot a 30 gallon air compressor and I’m trying to figure out if having it run at 5.5 scfm at 90 psi continuous output could move a small steam style train. I’m trying to build a train, maybe 2 persons wide, maybe long enough to accompany 20-30 people. OR would it be possible to take a smaller air compressor and run its output through a high capacity turbo charger? I’m trying to create a steam train running off of compressed air rather than an actual steam train system.
What I was really thinking of, was that I could have it look like a real steam engine, but on the inside of the engine would be the air compressor feeding into a small (500hp?) then a large (1000+hp?) supercharger. Instead of just the air compressor, it could be stepped up by the two superchargers.
Tagged with: air compressor • continuous output • home depot • HP • psi • scfm • steam engine • steam train • supercharger • superchargers • train system • turbo charger
Filed under: air compressor system
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Steam Turbine engines were pretty much a failure. With the loss of efficiency of using air pressure instead of steam, I doubt that the experiment would be a success. If you want a steam engine, build a steam engine! Think about sticking to an existing scale, it will make parts locating easier.
If you want a look alike, then maybe think about a portable generator driving a electric motor with all the external appendages to make it look like a steam engine. Maybe including a sound and smoke generator. This will work for sure.
Even a garden tractor can be made to look like a steam engine and made to run on tracks. With quality bearings and level track it could pull several passengers too. Most railroad grades are 3% or less and it does not take much of a grade to tax even a real train.
Where’s the fun it that. They only blow up if you don’t maintain them.
There have been many compressed air powered locomotives used in mining operations, for obvious reasons (to minimize explosion risk and to not pollute the air in the mine) they were usually in excess of 250psi and had capacities that were about 200 times the size of a normal compressor. But it sounds like you are doing a scale model. You might need to bypass your steam traps, since they might not function correctly without condensate.
I forget exactly where but in Africa in the sugar cane fields the steam locomotives would run on compressed steam that was topped up every 6 hours or so. They had no fire to minimise setting fire to the crops. So theoretically yes you can.
Hope this helps
Yes, in theory. Live steam modelers use air to test their engine pieces of their locomotives (valves, pistons, running gear, etc). However, an air compressor will have a very hard time keeping up with the demands of a steam locomotive over long periods of time. In your case, it would actually be easier and cheaper to build a live steam locomotive. Also, keep in mind that you’re now essentially dabbling in narrow gauge railroading due to the two person width of your rolling stock. I would definitely try to scale back my plans. If you want to keep this scale, it might be easier and cheaper to actually buy a real narrow gauge locomotive from a defunct amusement park or something along those lines.
As for the turbocharger idea, you would have to have extremely high input pressure to get useful pressure out of the compressor side.
using the HD compressor you mentioned, no. not for carrying the load in which you intend…. 20-30 people. the pressure may be right, but the volume is no where near what youll need. as for feeding a turbine unit, that just wont work at all. best you can do here is use that compressor to charge a tank and run off the tank for a couple of minutes. but i highly doubt the HD unit could charge the tank sufficiently as to meet your demands.
now you did say your building a steam train. your gonna need all the same parts a real one has to make it work. why not consider using propane as a fuel, and making a true steamer since your gonna have to anyways no matter what kinda form of gas you use in the cyclinders.