It's so easy how is everyone so stupid. I'd invent the train afterward and drive around everyone saying "you're so fucking stupid I'm not even good at this and I did it".

  • TheCaconym [any]
    ·
    4 years ago
    • Build a big metal receptacle, strong enough, entirely closed off except for a tube near the top that'll be the exhaust. Also add a safety valve (a valve that'll open only if the pressure inside gets too great, but at a level below that where pressure makes your receptacle explode) to not die.
    • Fill it with water (not 100% filled).
    • Plug your exhaust tube to a contraption like this, again out of strong enough metal. Steam goes in at the top tube there.
    • Heat your big water-filled receptacle, ideally with coal or another high-energy-density fuel.
    • You've got a train :traingang: or alternatively use the rotating or lateral movement of the contraption above for mills and stuff. But a train is better.
    • Mardoniush [she/her]
      ·
      4 years ago

      The "Strong enough" being the operative problem. Probably can't do a Walking beam engine before the developments in metallurgy from early cannons, if not the 17th century metallurgical analysis of Wootz steel by European scientists.

      Jet rotator engines work just fine though.

      • discontinuuity [he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Metallurgy isn't the only problem, although it helps. Steel isn't strictly necessary unless you want safe high pressure and high heat boilers for more power and efficiency and fewer explosions. You could make almost an entire steam locomotive out of iron or bronze but it wouldn't be as light or durable or safe.

        You also need technology like metal casting, forging, and precision machining. Plus enough industrial capacity to produce miles of nearly uniform tracks.

        Maybe you could go straight from jet rotator engines to steam turbines and skip over piston engines entirely, but that would require a lot of the same technologies.

    • happybadger [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      I'm going to write this one down. What's pressure and is there is a number for that or do I just write P on the formula?