On a steam locomotive the pilot was used to prevent anything on the tracks from getting under the wheels and derailing the locomotive. The smokebox was located directly below the smokestack. The boiler, the core of the locomotive, was the large tube located directly behind the smokebox extending all the way back to the firebox. The firebox was located directly in front of the cab. A fire was started in the firebox. This would heat tubes in the boiler changing water to steam. Smoke from the burning fuel would collect in the smokebox and be released through the smokestack. The bell and the sand dome are located on top of the boiler. The fireman would ring the bell to warn anyone at a railroad crosswalk. The engineer could release sand from the sand dome through brass pipes to the rails to give a starting locomotive traction or to slow down when coming to a stop. The covered cab was the place where the engineer and fireman operated the locomotive. The driving wheels were the big wheels that moved the locomotive. The piston, located above the leading truck wheels, pushed the driving wheels. The leading truck included four wheels at the front of the locomotive that turned on a swivel to follow the track. The tender was the car attached to the rear of the locomotive. The kerosene headlight was located in front of the smokestack so that the engineer could see ahead when he operated the locomotive at night.

The engineer was the boss of the locomotive. He was one who drove the train. The fireman was the one who shoveled fuel to the firebox to keep it burning and hot.