The Engine also known as The Eternal Engine is the propulsion method of Snowpiercer. The Engine is a perpetual motion machine that propels the train forward with the use of hydrogen gained from the snow outside the train and without any obvious need for maintenance.
The secondary function of the Eternal Engine is that of a powerplant for car bogie-motors[1] and on-board batteries. As such, the speed of the train is directly tied to its power supply.
History
Little is known about the history of The Engine or its perpetual motion technology. Before developing this class of Engines, there was at least one prototype built[2], the prototype is used with the supply train known as Big Alice
Technology
As mentioned previously, the Engine is using a hydrogen perpetual motion technology while also generating energy. A series of ports, intakes snow to be converted to hydrogen, it's offshoot water supplies water for the train. The average speed of the train appears to be around 170km/h or 106mph. While perpetual in motion, the maximum speed of the train is 200km/h[1]. While moving through the mountainous Yukon Territory, the Engine was using all of its power to move the train, and little to none energy was left to provide the electricity, as such, the train had to use its onboard batteries.
When Javier De La Torre suggested slowing down, as such at its current speed Snowpiercer was causing numerous avalanches, Melanie Cavill notes that she cannot allow that, as it would cause blackouts. After the train was hit by Class 3 avalanche, Snowpiercer slowed by 12%, which caused numerous blackouts as the batteries were already nearly depleted. The train also has a "dead-minimum speed" at which it can run; if the Engine slows down, even more, its possible the perpetual motion Engine would cut off. From on-screen evidence, this appears to be about 40-50km/h.
As later revealed by Melanie and Miles, the train becomes slower with each revolution and it is on the Engineers to reverse that "because if Snowpiercer stops, we all die." Also according to Bennett Knox, there are no Perpetual Motion spare parts.
Stopping the train for short periods appears to be possible as the train was halted by Big Alice twice (in 994 Cars Long & The Time of Two Engines). Also Alexandra Cavill told Snowpiercer, they have 13 minutes to surrender before the cold overcomes and they all freeze to death. When stopped, the train remains powered on its on-board batteries. However, in The Time of Two Engines, Melanie states that she drained Snowpiercer's batteries too much trying to escape from Wilford. As a result, the train can never move on its own again. While traveling through Neckbreaker, Snowpiercer had to shut down power to First and Second and put the passengers into muster stations in order to deal with the power loss of traveling at a much slower speed even with the boost from Big Alice.
After receiving supplies from Big Alice, the Engine appears to have been at least partially repaired, although it it is not back to full running capacity. As a result, Snowpiercer is capable of moving on its own again somewhat with Alex noticing when the train is forced to slow down due to damage to the water intakes on the Engine.
The Engine server room contains two levels, accessible with a ladder and two doors at either end of the lower level. The Wilford Industries Digital Automation System (The Engine's brain), is capable of sending and receiving thousands of messages per second and contains a Self Regulating Harmonic Module (The God Module). The God Module is responsible for hydrogen production which powers the Engine.
After being disconnected from the main train to power the much smaller Pirate train, the Engine began running hot and was referred to by Bennett Knox as now being a Ferrari. In addition, it is capable of coming to a full stop and then starting to move again which Snowpiercer no longer had the power to do.
Interior
The Engine has two levels. On the first level is a corridor on the left side of the car with a series of doors (presumably for train systems), leading to a secure door behind which is a set of stairs leading to the second level and a bio-locked[3] compartment, most likely containing the Engine. The Engine can be entered but how is unknown, as it does not use RFID Access Chip technology as other security measures aboard the train.
Directly above the Engine is the second level, containing a door at the rear (the Engine server room, the Weather balloons and flares), living quarters with 4 bunks (which was once occupied by Melanie Cavill) and the Control room. While the train has automatic controls[4], the Control room is usually occupied by one pilot and one engineer during the day and a single pilot during the night.
The pilot has an unrestricted view and access to numerous control systems ranging from speed control and diagnostic panels that alert the pilot to potential issues ahead.
The Control room also serves as an information hub for the entire train[5]. If the train detects a breach or mechanical malfunction, it will alert the Control room operators. There is a pneumatic tube system which allows messages to be sent back and forth between the Hospitality Car and the 1st Class Dining Car.
There are a set of armored doors that can lockdown the Control room in cases of emergency and a button in the Hospitality Car that triggers a alarm to lockdown the Engine. There is also a radio to communicate with Cavill in other Cars during emergencies when the Engine is in lockdown. During lockdown (with direct access to water, some food and waste storage) the Engineers can stay in the Control room for a long time.
One of the systems that can be controlled from the Engine is separating sections of the train. However, this is a complicated step and requires two safety switches to be disabled, one on either side of the separation while the Engine has two switches as well that require two operators to work. The switches must have keys turned in them simultaneously to be activated and then the switches themselves must be flipped at the same time to initiate separation of each end of the disconnected section of the train.
Exterior
If Snowpiercer encounters extreme obstacles or heavy snow, the Engine can deploy a retractable Plow[6]. When closed, the plow seamlessly retracts into the Engine's hull and does not disturb its aerodynamic design. While deployed, the pilot can change the configuration of the plow to best serve the rough terrain ahead. On top of the Engine is a large spotlight directly above the cockpit. There is also a Wilford Industries logo on the front of the Engine. There is also a Weather balloon deployment system, called sound balloons, installed in the roof, beneath retractable panels and a forward and aft flare system. There are a series of hydrogen port intakes, on the upper sides, toward the rear of the Engine.
Appearances
Trivia
- Only seventeen people so far have been seen in the Engine: Melanie Cavill, Joseph Wilford, Bennett Knox, Javier De La Torre, Jinju Seong, Miles, LJ Folger, Nolan Grey, Ruth Wardell, Andre Layton, Miss Audrey, Zarah Ferami, Sam Roche, Bojan Boscovic, Sykes, Bess Till and Josie Wellstead.
- Of this group, Jinju, LJ, Grey, Ruth, Layton, Miss Audrey, Zarah, Roche, Boki, Sykes, Till and Josie have not been seen piloting the train. However, Layton fires a flare while sitting in the driver's seat in The Eternal Engineer.
- Few people have traveled the entire length of the train. Miles was first, then Layton, Ruth, Cavill, Zarah, Miss Audrey, Wilford, Roche, Sykes, Till and Josie.
- Despite the Engine requiring perpetual motion to work, the Engine went on a test run with Cavill and Wilford after it was built, the train was stationary at boarding with no issues[2] and was brought to a stop twice by Big Alice.
- It's suggested that the problem may be a lack of power to start moving again due to various issues such as failing parts and damage from the revolution which put at least 37 Battery Cars offline.
- After becoming a ten car Pirate Train in Into the White, the Engine was brought to a dead stop during the mission to recover Melanie. The temperature inside was noticeably hotter and Bennett told Bess Till that the entire Engine was going to run hotter and was now a Ferrari without the rest of the train. So much so that steam could be visible when the Pirate Train stopped.
- Despite being called The Eternal Engine, on the blueprint it is called Engine Eternal.
- Based off of the 2D diagram, the Engine appears to have a 0-10-10-0 wheel arrangement. As seen in the comicbook version in, The Time of Two Engines, it also appears to have Connecting rods, which show that it has cylinders. There are two Connecting rods on the front and back of each wheel set (the back rods are hidden by the Engine's body).
- According to news clippings on the Wilford memorial in the Tea Room and possibly a flashback from Many Miles From Snowpiercer, the Eternal Engine was probably built for the Wilford Industries Global Express, not Snowpiercer.
- The Engine appears to resemble that of a Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, Class S-4a; a CB&Q Pioneer Zephyr, or a NYC Commodore Vanderbilt.
- Both Engines were built with a comms panel for communication (the panel in the Engine is located underneath the controls at the front), but there was a flaw in Big Alice that was fixed in Snowpiercer. If two wires were swapped, Wilford wouldn't know if his comms were on or not. However, Miss Audrey failed her mission and defected.
- The public address system (with or without the tone) can be used at the controls at the front of the Engine, or a panel in the Engine server room.
- Melanie retrofitted the bogie motor circuitry, during the fifth revolution to override automation. Because of Melanie's hack, Wilford's God Module couldn't override the system. Because removing Melanie's hack would shutdown the bogie motors and they didn't have the energy reserves to restart them, they were forced to manually disengage the bogie motors, so Big Alice could push with less resistance. They also had to shutdown the Engine, rewire the circuitry and jump-start her, while they still had enough speed.
- The Control Room of the Engine and the Engine itself, can survive exposure to The Freeze from a breach. As Wilford told Josie to kill Bennett, after he found out they were trying to rescue Melanie.
Gallery
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The Engine by Alex Nice
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Cabin of Melanie Cavill
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Closeup
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Snowpiercer leaving Chicago
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Cockpit shot
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The Plow
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Closeup
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Closeup
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Nearing Neckbreaker
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Approaching Neckbreaker
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The Balloons
