Grand Canyon Railway, 21st Century Steam?

[perry_weekley]

http://www.thetrain.com/Steam-Event-7275.html

Recently looked on the Grand Canyon Railway after watching a video on youtube of a double header and reading they stopped using steam in 2008 except for excursions. I must say this is shocking and brilliant at the same time.

A Steam locomotive not powered by coal or oil, but by waste vegetable oil. I've heard some pretty insane ways people thought of bringing steam into the 21st century but this is amazing.

Makes me wonder if the smoke smells like french fries.

What are your opinions on a steam locomotive powered by waste vegetable oil. Can it actually work in todays society? Will it work in general?

 

[bendorsey]

It should work. I worked on gas generators (a stationary jet engine) for 15 years and they can be run on just about anything. Natural gas, varuious jet fuels, kerosine, bunker C (sludge), and even crude right out of the ground. Its just a matter of changing the programming in the DEEC (digital electronic engine control) and modifying the spray rings. Something similar (but obviously simpler) should be possible with a steam loco. Change the spray nozzles, adjust the fuel flow, etc O(no DEEC, lol).

Ben

 

[njmetsfan]

why not, school buses run on itso why not a locomotive.

 

[bendorsey]

And if it does smell like french fries every car could be a commisiary car, lol.

Ben

 

[rjhowie]

Fascinating and the Grand Canyon Railway itself seems an attractive ride.

 

[SR6900]

I think it's dumb, but then again, I think that about all oil burners... I've been hand firing coal burners for too long... haha

 

[Klinger]

I learned on coal, but boy is oil easier

 

[bendorsey]

There are a number of surviving big boys (4-8-8-4) most of which are in pretty good shape. The UP has always resisted the idea of restoring one to running condition using two arguments:
1. The only places on the line that can turn one are around 40 miles (or less) apart.
2. It would be impossible to convert it to oil.

I can understand the first but the second seems to be pure hogwash. They converted the challenger (4-6-6-4) to oil and it runs great and so does the 4-8-4. Granted the firebox would be bigger on the big boy but that just means install more spray nozzles, etc.

Ben

 

[Klinger]

The second argument is BS. The firebox on the challenger is about the same size, and with modern technology, its far easier to convert to oil then it was in the 40's. Their argument is from the tale of 4005, which was converted to oil in the late 40's early 50's, and the experiment failed.

However, technology has changed a lot in the last 60 years

 

[sawyer811]

come to think of it the first one is BS too. Why can't they just wye the thing? There's like four different ones within walking distance of KCUT (Kansas City Union Terminal) and it wouldn't be that much trouble to hostle a Big Boy down to one. Truth be told there's a wye on UP trackage too.

What it boils down too it UP is lazy, as usual.

 

[gary6204]

i did find a picture somewhere of a bigboy with steam, but still unoperaple. i think it was at steam town. maybe a tourist railroad with the money should take it . i have none around here thatcould operate it but im sure theres one somewhere. or have it privately owned like the southern paicific 4449. but i know of no one that would do that or could do that

 

[sawyer811]

from what i hear, the 4006 at the National Transportation Museum in St. Louis is in fairly good condition boiler wise, but i can't prove that. The one at Steamtown might actually be the best bet to get steaming again, but then again, its steamtown we're talking about:hehe:.