Wheel to Wheel less Locomotives—Revolutionary discoveries, heritage and its exposition in Museum: A Case Study

Abstract

Discovery of the wheel in the late Neolithic followed by the use of spoke wheel in carts in the second half of the 4th Millennium BCE in Mesopotamia or specifically in the Sumerian Civilization initiated the journey of wheeled communication. Wheel made possible human achievement in every sphere, including science and technology. Discovery of wheeled locomotive in the early 19th century initiated a revolution across the world. Locomotive is a powerful self-propelled vehicle engine having the power to pull a wheeled train on railways. At first, it was horses that pulled such train on rails. With the invention of steamed locomotives followed by diesel and electricity, man achieved the speed that makes possible faster communication, globalization and modernization. Technological revolution makes possible several discoveries in the field of locomotives and the latest and till fastest is the Maglev the wheel less train runs electromagnetically. The journey that began with wheels becomes wheel less in the course of time and a day will come when it becomes our heritage. The paper is a Case Study on the Maglev Museum, Shanghai in China, which is a unique museum of its kind, represents the journey of wheel to wheel less locomotives along with the human discoveries and technological revolution. Based on this case study an effort has taken to show the need of such museum in preserving and documenting our locomotive heritage and the role that can be played through such initiative.