Steam turbine steam jacks. In 1672 an impulse steam turbine driven car was designed by Ferdinand Verbiest. A more modern version of this car was produced some time in the late 18th century by an unknown German mechanic. In 1775 at Soho James Watt designed a reaction turbine that was put to work there. In 1827 the Frenchmen Real and Pichon patented and constructed a compound impulse turbine. The modern steam turbine was invented in 1884 by Sir Charles Parsons, whose first model was connected to a dynamo that generated 7.5 kW (10 hp) of electricity. The invention of Parsons' steam turbine
Gas turbine locomotive The exhaust from the diesel engine powered the gas turbine which drove the wheels through reduction gearing, jack shaft and side rods. Turbine power was considered for railway traction in the former Czechoslovakia. Two turbine-powered prototypes were built, designated TL 659.001 and .002, featuring C-C wheel arrangement, 3200 hp (2.4 MW) main turbine, helper turbine and Tatra 111 helper diesel engine. The first prototype was finished in February 1958 and was scheduled to be exhibited at Expo '58. This was aborted, because it wasn't ready in time. The first out-of-factory tests were conducted in March 1959 on the Plzeň–Cheb–Sokolov line.