A locomotive can derive power from many different sources.
The earliest locomotives were driven by steam.
Then came electric trains powered by galvanic cells.
Later, onboard batteries were replaced by overhead lines.
But one design that failed to gain traction despite showing much potential was the propeller-driven locomotive.
Aerowagon
The first propeller-driven railcar was the Aerowagon designed by Soviet engineer Valerian Abakovsky in 1917.
Among the dead was Valerian Abakovsky.
At the rear was a large propeller that pushed the railcar to unprecedented speeds.
The Schienenzeppelin still holds the record for the fastest propeller driven rail vehicle.
The car was 25 meters long and 2.8 meters tall.
The Schienenzeppelin was built of aluminum to reduce weight, and featured a streamlined body to cut air resistance.
The interior was spartan with seats for 40 passengers.
The railcar still holds the land speed record for a petrol powered rail vehicle.
The Schienenzeppelin lasted only five years, and only one vehicle was built.
The most obvious drawback of the Schienenzeppelin was its inability to pull additional wagons to form a train.
Some expressed concern about the dangers of having an open propeller in crowded railway stations.
The vehicle also could not climb gradients.
Bennies design consisted of a monorail hanging from an overhead track, and propelled by propellers.
In 1937 Bennie went bankrupt, for he had financed most of the work out of his own pocket.
