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 of the Advanced Passenger Train, was turbine-powered. Like the French TGV, later models were electric. This choice was made because British Leyland, the turbine supplier, ceased production of the model used in the APT-E. ALCO-GE built a prototype oil-fired gas turbine-electric locomotive in 1948. After demonstration runs it was acquired by Union Pacific, who were seeking a more powerful alternative to diesel for transcontinental trains. Union Pacific ran a large fleet of turbine-powered freight locomotives starting in the early 1950s. These were widely used on long-haul routes, and were cost-effective despite their poor fuel economy, due to their use of