汽車(chē)在歷史上是一種出現(xiàn)得比較晚的交通工具，相對(duì)傳統(tǒng)交通工具來(lái)說(shuō)，它的價(jià)格相對(duì)便宜,，且體積較小，基本上什么路都能跑。如今我們都成了汽車(chē)的奴隸，但是不要忘了，美國(guó)當(dāng)年可是一個(gè)在馬車(chē)和鐵軌上建立起來(lái)的國(guó)家,。美國(guó)第一條鐵路——巴爾的摩至俄亥俄的鐵路于1828年竣工后,，全美各地都掀起了建設(shè)鐵路的熱潮。鐵路的建設(shè)大大加快了美國(guó)西部的開(kāi)發(fā)和拓荒,。美國(guó)第一臺(tái)蒸汽機(jī)火車(chē)“斯陶爾布里奇雄獅號(hào)”（Stourbridge Lion）投入運(yùn)營(yíng)后,，千百輛以煤炭為燃料的蒸汽機(jī)車(chē)如雨后春繭般迅速涌現(xiàn)出來(lái)，噴著蒸氣和滾滾濃煙奔馳在北美大地上,。

如今,，除了在只有謝耳朵這種資深火車(chē)愛(ài)好者才會(huì)參加的火車(chē)展會(huì)和復(fù)古Cosplay上，煤炭機(jī)車(chē)早已難覓蹤跡,，取而代之的是用電力,、汽油或柴油驅(qū)動(dòng)的新型火車(chē)頭（還有些是混合動(dòng)力的）。目前在全世界范圍內(nèi)跑得最快的火車(chē)都是用電力驅(qū)動(dòng)的,。雖然美國(guó)也有通用電氣DDA40X柴電動(dòng)力機(jī)車(chē)這種能夠達(dá)到6,600馬力的大家伙,，但它畢竟已經(jīng)是半個(gè)世紀(jì)前推出的產(chǎn)品了,。如今像俄羅斯和中國(guó)等國(guó)制造的電動(dòng)機(jī)車(chē)最大功率可以達(dá)到15,000馬力。用某位總統(tǒng)候選人的話說(shuō),，這簡(jiǎn)直就是地緣政治在兩根鐵軌上的縮影,。

現(xiàn)在我們暫且將國(guó)際政治角力放在一邊，機(jī)器就是機(jī)器,，要論誰(shuí)更牛掰些,，還是要靠數(shù)字說(shuō)話。以下是九臺(tái)世界最強(qiáng)大的火車(chē)頭,，它們幾乎全部是用電力驅(qū)動(dòng)的,。此外還有一個(gè)榮譽(yù)獎(jiǎng)，——因?yàn)槊看嗡⑼炅藬?shù)據(jù),，還都需要一個(gè)浪漫的結(jié)局,。

榮譽(yù)獎(jiǎng)：聯(lián)合太平洋公司運(yùn)行的通用電氣Big Blow機(jī)車(chē)，8500馬力

Though we’re currently in the thrall of another, newer mode of transport—the relatively cheap, small and free-ranging “car”—trains rolls right alongside Conestoga wagons as the vehicles that made America. When the Baltimore and Ohio railroad—the B&O of Monopoly fame—opened in 1828, it set off a frenzy of railway construction, itself facilitating an expansion towards and settlement of The West. Following the Stourbridge Lion, the States’ first steam locomotive, hundreds more soon sprang to life, eating coal, making steam and belching smoke.

Today, outside of train shows and historical reenactments have dropped coal in favor of electric, gasoline turbine or diesel power—sometimes, a combination of the three. Currently, the titans of the rails worldwide are, hands down, electric locomotives. While mid-century American bruisers like the General Electric DDA40X coursed with 6,600 diesel-electric horsepower, the contemporary electric motors from Russian and Chinese manufacturers can top 15,000 horsepower—as certain presidential candidates would have it, a geo-political diorama writ on parallel tracks.

International power struggles aside—if they can ever really be—machinery is machinery, and we will respect the numbers. Here are the nine most powerful locomotives in the world, almost all electric. Plus, one honorable mention, because every data spread needs a romantic denouement.

Honorable Mention: General Electric Big Blow for Union Pacific, 8,500 horsepower

即便這款機(jī)車(chē)取了Big Blow（意為沉重一擊）這樣一個(gè)霸氣外露的名字,，但它依然不是當(dāng)代的電力驅(qū)動(dòng)列車(chē)的對(duì)手,。Big Blow誕生于1955年，它采取了三節(jié)式火車(chē)頭的設(shè)計(jì),，可以迸發(fā)出8500匹的強(qiáng)大馬力,。第一節(jié)車(chē)頭為駕駛室和柴油發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)廂，第二節(jié)車(chē)頭被一個(gè)碩大無(wú)朋的十缸燃?xì)廨啓C(jī)所占據(jù),，第三節(jié)車(chē)頭裝著24,000加侖的燃料,。這8,500馬力還是在海拔6500英尺和零上30攝氏度的氣溫下得出的數(shù)據(jù)。如果換成氣溫較低的幾個(gè)月,，在接近海平面的海拔高度上,，Big Blow甚至能達(dá)到10,000馬力。

9.Malmbanan鐵路上的ASEA SJ DM3機(jī)車(chē),，9,655馬力

No, even a locomotive as charismatically-named as the GE Big Blow can’t stand against contemporary E-Trains. Still, when the locomotive debuted in 1955, it rocked (literally) with 8,500 horsepower emanating from a three-car set-up. The first held the control cab and a diesel generator; the second, an enormous oil-burning ten-combustion chamber gas turbine engine; the last, 24,000 gallons of fuel. That 8,500-horsepower rating was at an altitude of 6,500 feet and at 90 degrees. During cool months and at sea level, the Big Blow could push as many as 10,000.

9.ASEA SJ Dm3 for Malmbanan, 9,655 horsepower

瑞典國(guó)家鐵路公司就是用這款車(chē)頭將該國(guó)南部的鐵礦石拉到北極圈的,。DM3是個(gè)力大無(wú)窮的怪獸，最高功率可達(dá)10,000匹馬力,。而且這些DM3機(jī)車(chē)大都擁有一個(gè)可愛(ài)的名字,，比如其中的維克多（Viktor）、巴倫（Baron）和約琴菲娜（Josefina） ,，并且它們直到今天仍在服役,。

8.瑞士SBB公司的SLM Re 6/6機(jī)車(chē)，9,705馬力

As you’d expect for a train used by Swedish State Railways to pull iron ore south from the arctic circle to be processed, the DM3 is a mighty beast, making near 10,000 horsepower. Adorably, most of these locomotives are named: Viktor, Baron and Josefina still operate today.

8.SLM Re 6/6 for Switzerland SBB, 9,705 horsepower

這款機(jī)車(chē)也被部署在Malmbanan鐵路——也就是所謂的“鐵礦石線”上,?？磥?lái)在這場(chǎng)“同線德比”中還是SLM比DM3略勝一籌。

7.德國(guó)聯(lián)邦鐵路公司的AEG/BBE/克勞斯瑪菲/克虜伯/西門(mén)子 AG DB 103機(jī)車(chē),，9,977馬力

Also used on the Malmbanan, or Iron Ore Line, the SLM just beats out the Dm3. Sibling rivalry?

7.AEG/BBC/Krauss-Maffei/Krupp/Siemens AG DB Class 103 for Deutsche Bahn, 9,977 horsepower

二戰(zhàn)結(jié)束后,，德國(guó)迫切需要對(duì)被打爛的基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施進(jìn)行全面修復(fù),，其中非常重要的一環(huán)就是通過(guò)鐵路提供快速客運(yùn)服務(wù)。DB Class 103原本的設(shè)計(jì)時(shí)速為不超過(guò)99英里,，但由于現(xiàn)實(shí)情況的需求,，有些車(chē)型的最快時(shí)速達(dá)到了120英里——其中一臺(tái)甚至達(dá)到了驚人的176英里。

6.瑞士SBB公司運(yùn)營(yíng)的SLM, MFO/BBC Ae 8/14機(jī)車(chē),，10,255馬力

After World War II, Germany needed a major infrastructure overhaul. Part of that plan involved fast passenger transport by rail. The DB Class 103s were originally built to go no more than 99 mph, but speed demands later found some models travelling at up to 120 mph—one even pulled a train up to 176.

6.SLM, MFO/BBC Ae 8/14 for Switzerland SBB, 10,255 horsepower

自從Ae 8/14在瑞士萬(wàn)國(guó)博覽會(huì)首次亮相后,，它在相當(dāng)長(zhǎng)的一段時(shí)間里都是全球功率最強(qiáng)勁的火車(chē)頭。瑞士之所以需要這樣一臺(tái)大家伙,，是因?yàn)橹挥羞@樣強(qiáng)大的動(dòng)力,，才能保障瑞士的一條重要鐵路生命線的暢通——也就是橫穿阿爾卑斯山的圣歌達(dá)鐵路（Gotthard Railway）。在力大無(wú)窮的Ae 8/14服役前,，很多列車(chē)為了翻越這座大山只能拉一半的車(chē)廂上路,。

5.俄羅斯鐵路公司的Sinara GT1s，11,285馬力

For a time after it debuted at the Swiss Exhibition, the Ae 8/14 was the most powerful locomotive in the world. The reason the Swiss needed such power was because a major supply route, the Gotthard Railway, traverses the Alps; before the burly Ae 8/14, trains were split it half in order to get them over the mountain.

5.Sinara GT1s for Russian Railways, 11,285 horsepower

自2008年亮相以來(lái),，Sinara GT1s已經(jīng)獲得了兩個(gè)非常重要的頭銜：全球功率最大的汽油輪機(jī)車(chē)頭,，和全球功率最大的內(nèi)燃機(jī)車(chē)頭。

4.俄羅斯鐵路公司的諾沃切爾卡斯克VL85機(jī)車(chē),，12,550馬力

Since it debuted in 2008, the Sinara GT1s has held two very important titles: the world’s most powerful gasoline turbine locomotive and the world’s most powerful internal-combustion locomotive.

4.Novocherkassk VL85 for Russian Railways, 12,550 horsepower

VL85完全可以躋身火車(chē)界的第一梯隊(duì),，它行駛的路線是俄羅斯非常著名的東西伯利亞大鐵路。VL85擁有超過(guò)12,000馬力的強(qiáng)勁動(dòng)力,，就算一車(chē)?yán)蠋兹f(wàn)名政治犯到冰天雪地的西伯利亞勞改營(yíng)去做苦力也沒(méi)問(wèn)題?。ㄩ_(kāi)玩笑的啦！）

3.由中鐵運(yùn)營(yíng),、大同電力機(jī)車(chē)有限公司研發(fā)的HXD2機(jī)車(chē),，13,410馬力

The VL85 is among the highest echelon of motors that patrol Russia’s famous East Siberian Railways. With over 12,000 horsepower, the locomotive can carry tens of thousands of political dissidents to icy work camps! (Just kidding.)

3.Datong Electric Locomotive HXD2 for China Railways, 13,410 horsepower

現(xiàn)在向我們隆隆駛來(lái)的是大同電力機(jī)車(chē)有限公司生產(chǎn)的HXD2s機(jī)車(chē)，它能拉動(dòng)7,000多噸的煤炭,，而且它的設(shè)計(jì)保障了在冬季零下40度的低溫下也能正常運(yùn)行,。

2.“鐵礦石線”上的龐巴迪IORE，14,483馬力

With so much grunt, the Datong HXD2s can carry over 7,000 tons of coal and are designed to do so even at temperatures of -40 degrees through the winter.

2. Bombardier IORE for Malmbanan, 14,483 horsepower

鐵礦石可以說(shuō)是列車(chē)?yán)米畛粤Φ囊环N貨物了,。IORE機(jī)車(chē)是專(zhuān)門(mén)為瑞典采礦公司LKAB的Malmtrafik部門(mén)打造的,。它每天都要運(yùn)載數(shù)百?lài)嶈F礦石,。這款機(jī)車(chē)的名字來(lái)自英語(yǔ)“鐵礦石”這個(gè)單詞的縮略（iron ore）和《小熊維尼》里的小毛驢Eeyore,，它在瑞典語(yǔ)中的拼寫(xiě)是“I-or”。

1.俄羅斯鐵路公司的諾瓦切爾卡斯克4E5K機(jī)車(chē),，17,838馬力

Iron ore is about as heavy a load as a train can bear. The IORE locomotives are built for Swedish mining company LKAB’s Malmtrafik division, in charge of railways, and spend their days hauling hundreds of tons of mined rock. The name comes from a combination of “iron ore” and “Eeyore,” spelled “I-or” in Swedish.

1.Novocherkassk 4E5K for Russian Railways, 17,838 horsepower

俄羅斯萬(wàn)歲,！諾瓦切爾卡斯克4E5K憑借17,838馬力的強(qiáng)大功率，成為了全球力量最大的機(jī)車(chē),！看來(lái)俄羅斯“給力”的并不只是網(wǎng)絡(luò)間諜嘛,！(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))

譯者：樸成奎

All hail Mother Russia: with 17,838 horsepower, the Novocherkassk 4E5K locomotive is the most powerful in the world. It seems like digital espionage isn't Russia's only path to power.