steam replaceing diesel
- Thread starter dpfan1
- Start date
BLACKWATCH
Mechanical Engineer
They wouldn't be able to find enough skilled men to fire the loco's or drive them, it's totally different job to sitting on your butt in a diesel.
mitch456yui
a.k.a - Barlo, Mitch
True, most of my generation, Generation Y, would have no interest in driving a steam locomotive, even a diesel.
Thanks,
Mitch
at least the epa let strasburg run on clean coal.
TweetsieDude
Back Woods Narrow Gauge
As much as I would love to see steam on the main lines, I highly doubt it would happen. I don't think the EPA would have too much intervention with the railroads, I mean even diesels even emit polutions, but one of the main reasons why the steam locomotive was fased out was due to the fact there was too much maintainece involved in keeping them running, and with the goverment the way it is, "anything that makes jobs is bad."
Rock On!
Dusten
Rock On!
Dusten
if the PRR s1 passed the railroads would have more steam locmotives. diesels are slower the steam locomotives like strasburg 90.
TweetsieDude
Back Woods Narrow Gauge
Not really, steam locomotive can be faster, and then again they can be slower than a diesel. The locomotives at strasburg would most likely be slower. A steam engine's speed is based on boiler pressure, stroke, size of the drivers etc. A lot of things go in to determining the speed of a steam engine. Diesels have more tractive effort that steam locomotives, and have higher speed with such small wheels. I was taught, a steam locomotive that had larger drivers had a speed advantage over the locomotive with the smaller drivers, but had problems with tractive effort, and the opposite with the locomotive with the smaller drivers.
All'n'all there are a lot of faults with a steam locomotive, which I think can be improved. Another reason why the diesel became more practical than a steam locomotive.
Rock On!
Dusten
All'n'all there are a lot of faults with a steam locomotive, which I think can be improved. Another reason why the diesel became more practical than a steam locomotive.
Rock On!
Dusten
what mainline steamers like 3985,844,3751, and 4449 are took good care of repairs.
UnionPacificRules
NYC, PRR, UP, SP, BNSF...
I tell you if steam came back, railroads would really know who to keep and pay for and not the slackers that sit down on the diesels and get paid without doing anything.
Steam locos are a man's job!
..RR..
Steam locos are a man's job!
..RR..
Last edited:
I tell you if steam came back, prople would really know who to pay for and not the whiners that sit down on the diesels and get paid without doing anything.
Steam locos are a man's job!
..RR..
Is it possible for you to reconstruct your post so that it is understandable?
Have fun,
Last edited:
i think steam should lead amtrak southwest chief with the 3751 on the ponit runining on the it had run on route in 1991. on the santa fe now BNSF super cheif route.
have you seen the price of diesel? the railroads should convert to steam locmotives until the price of diesel fuel goes down.
D9007_Pinza
Murringo's shed foreman
Why steam will never take over diesels again
@ dpfan1:
As a full blooded steam fan, I too would love to see steam return to the main line in revenue earning service, but it is not going to happen, especially not just because the cost of diesel fuel is rising.
Reasons:
1. There simply are not enough of them left. In NSW, there are only 21 steamers at most still in existence that would be of a sufficient size to cope with the loads demanded by modern day traffic requirements. Of these 21, only eight are operational or could be returned to traffic with a reasonable sum of money and work.
2. There is already mentioned lack of crews qualified to operate a steam locomotive. Unlike driving a diesel, a steam loco's driver has to very carefully balance the amount of steam he uses very carefully. He has to ensure he allows enough steam into the cylinders to climb gradients, etc when needed, but still have enough steam, coal and water left over to make it to the next stop where these stocks can be replenished. The job is equally or even more demanding for the fireman. Depending on various factors (loco, route, distance, etc) the fireman may need to shovel in excess of 10 tons of coal, along with having to keep an eye on water levels in the boiler and tender.
3. Cost. As already mentioned, there are insufficient numbers of suitable steam locomotives that could be made trafficable, so the only remaining option would be to build new ones. This is never going to happen en-mass because of the enormous amounts of money that would be needed. New build LNER A1 class, 60163 "Tornado" cost £3 million (AUD $4,942,512). To begin a mass production of new steam locomotives would cost hundreds of millions.
4. Construction of new steam. As steam locomotives have not been built and maintained on a large scale in many countries for nearly half a century, the number of people with the training and skills to build new steam locomotives is extremely limited. Further to this, virtually every major railway workshop that remains today as an actual workshop is fitted out for working on diesel and electric locos and multiple units, which is another nail in the coffin of mass-produced new steam.
5. The final nail in this coffin is that there are not enough facilities left for the replenishing of fuel supplies for steam locomotives. When diesels took over in the 1960s, water towers, coaling facilities, ash pits, washout sheds, etc, etc were torn down to make way for modern servicing facilities for the diesel and electric fleets.
I do not claim to be an expert on this stuff, so if I am wrong, feel free to correct me.
My $2.
Evan.
@ dpfan1:
As a full blooded steam fan, I too would love to see steam return to the main line in revenue earning service, but it is not going to happen, especially not just because the cost of diesel fuel is rising.
Reasons:
1. There simply are not enough of them left. In NSW, there are only 21 steamers at most still in existence that would be of a sufficient size to cope with the loads demanded by modern day traffic requirements. Of these 21, only eight are operational or could be returned to traffic with a reasonable sum of money and work.
2. There is already mentioned lack of crews qualified to operate a steam locomotive. Unlike driving a diesel, a steam loco's driver has to very carefully balance the amount of steam he uses very carefully. He has to ensure he allows enough steam into the cylinders to climb gradients, etc when needed, but still have enough steam, coal and water left over to make it to the next stop where these stocks can be replenished. The job is equally or even more demanding for the fireman. Depending on various factors (loco, route, distance, etc) the fireman may need to shovel in excess of 10 tons of coal, along with having to keep an eye on water levels in the boiler and tender.
3. Cost. As already mentioned, there are insufficient numbers of suitable steam locomotives that could be made trafficable, so the only remaining option would be to build new ones. This is never going to happen en-mass because of the enormous amounts of money that would be needed. New build LNER A1 class, 60163 "Tornado" cost £3 million (AUD $4,942,512). To begin a mass production of new steam locomotives would cost hundreds of millions.
4. Construction of new steam. As steam locomotives have not been built and maintained on a large scale in many countries for nearly half a century, the number of people with the training and skills to build new steam locomotives is extremely limited. Further to this, virtually every major railway workshop that remains today as an actual workshop is fitted out for working on diesel and electric locos and multiple units, which is another nail in the coffin of mass-produced new steam.
5. The final nail in this coffin is that there are not enough facilities left for the replenishing of fuel supplies for steam locomotives. When diesels took over in the 1960s, water towers, coaling facilities, ash pits, washout sheds, etc, etc were torn down to make way for modern servicing facilities for the diesel and electric fleets.
I do not claim to be an expert on this stuff, so if I am wrong, feel free to correct me.
My $2.
Evan.
if the demand of steam locmotives here in the us goes up the baldwin locomtive works in philly will reopen to build steam locmotives.
TweetsieDude
Back Woods Narrow Gauge
So far so good. I couldn't have said it better my self.
The most likely way to see mainline steam is for a privately owned railroad, or shortline to have all their motive power steam.
Rock On!
Dusten
The most likely way to see mainline steam is for a privately owned railroad, or shortline to have all their motive power steam.
Rock On!
Dusten
Similar threads
- Locked