Are steam engines still in use in the US [maybe on some heritage routes?] or they are consigned to the museum now? I am attaching two images [ I posted them in another thread a year ago but think they would be a better fit here ]. One is the Fairy Queen, the world's oldest working steam engine still in operation ; taken out sometimes for rides. The other is an unused engine from the bygone era. Both lie 70 kms from India's capital city Delhi, in a museum.
There are many steam locomotives still operating on tourist railroads. The Union Pacific is probably the only railroad operating steam on mainline tracks any more with any regularity. And these are always special moves for publicity. Norfolk & Southern and BNSF will sometimes allow steam locomotives from various museums to run on their tracks. The CPKC is planning a steam locomotive tour this year on their system using a 4-6-4 Hudson. https://www.cpkcr.com/en/media/CPKC-2024-Steam-Tour-Schedule-Dates The UP 4-8-8-4 Big Boy here on tour in Texas, November 6, 2019.
That photo shows why they still run them: this beast is a real crowd pleaser! Best publicity ever. Unfortunately, Montreal isn't on the itinerary between Calgary and Mexico City... I'm miffed...
That seems exciting. Apart from the odd rarity, steam engines are nearly extinct now from operation in India; even on heritage routes which have switched to diesel mechanisms. Ironical since until few decades earlier, lots of it was on steam and semaphore signalling.
