: Critical for safety; includes automatic brakes for the train cars and independent brakes for the locomotive itself.
: Convert the engine's power into physical movement on the rails.
: The control center where the engineer operates the throttle, brakes, and direction of travel. Guide :: Locomotive Factorio Guidebook - Steam Community
Regardless of the type, most locomotives share essential systems:
: Draw power from external sources like overhead lines or a third rail. Core Components
: Use a boiler to create high-pressure steam that drives pistons and rods to turn the wheels.
A locomotive is a rail vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. While "train" typically refers to the entire series of connected carriages, the is specifically the engine that pulls or pushes them. Types of Locomotives Locomotives are generally classified by their power source: