Could RR companies decide to invest in coal burning power or something else for the future? I mean if the price of diesel keeps going higher, could there be point where steam or electric power becomes something that RR will have to take serious look at? What do you think? Wouldn't it be neat to see a "modern steamer" ?
No. All the tree huggers and other environmental extremists start to scream about anything that smokes, other than pot, and no trains needed to transport their most important brain supplement.
To the OP and question posed. Only if the warm place next door to Twentynine Palms, CA., freezes over. Not a chance. To many servicing issues and costly man hours. The railroads aren't inclined to return to a costly maintenance program. They were kind of glad to get rid of the job makers and decrease the man hours and general overhead.
I agree with Lajos' statement. It is not a simple issue. Plus, you have to consider that the price you pay at the pump is artificially inflated... mostly by taxes. The U.S. has all the energy sources and reserves it needs (oil, coal, solar, wind, water, nuclear). The U.S. doesn't need to import a single drop from any other country. The money wasted on foreign energy could easily be invested in the U.S. and create jobs. Unfortunately, the powers to be wouldn't be able to control the masses without artifically high energy costs. I could go on, but this is a model train forum. Political rant off... Alex
If my memory is any good Yes an A3Flying Scotsman PACIFIC WAS BUILT from scratch using modern machining technology USING THE ORIGINAL PLANS BUT WITH IMPROVED Boiler, FIREBOX AND FLUE TECHNOLOGY NEW BEARING TECHNOLOGY. NOT SURE OF THE GROUPS NAME BUT i READ SEVERAL ARTICLES AND THAT IT ACHIEVED .CERTIFICATION FOR USE ON British RAIL AT SPEED. Seem to recall it was covered in popular Mechanics and in Trains and some other publications from the UK. The A4 is not the steam lined version that known wasknown as the famous A5 "Mallard"with its streamlining and was the premiere steam engine of British Rail passenger service at the end of steam. THat's if my memory is any good at least part of this might be correct. cheers Garth
It is an A1 named "Tornado" and the welded boiler was recently returned to the German manufacturer because of cracks. Tornado's Boiler to Return to Germany - Jan 2011 I searched and couldn't find anything on "A5." Mallard and her sisters (and brothers) are Gresley A4s. The A4s were fast but with three cylinders, they were maintenance hogs.
Joe, I'll play. Let's not forget that China was stll making reciprocating steam locomotives into the 1980s, and there are still some businesses over there that restore them for sale to excursion railroads and to developing countries (Steam Locos for Sale). Also, in the late 70s and early 80s, some U.S. roads were actually investigating some of their predecesor roads' research into steam turbine and steam electric locomotives. This was due to the energy crisis of the 70s. So, I wouldn't rule anything out completely. But, I would imagine that a natural gas fired generator would be more likely to replace the diesel fired version. I stumbled across the following patent a few years ago. The interesting thing is that it was filed in 1980 and granted in 1984: Coal-fired steam locomotive The Ultimate Steam Page The other strange thing is that it is a reciprocating steam locomotive, not a turbine. Go figure. Dan S.
If coal than in form of a power plant providing electricity for locos with overhead cantenary, no way steam is making sense (again).
Electricity! Once the initial catenary, substations, and power are purchased, it's next to nothing to keep it maintained and running. Look what the Milwaukee did for 50+ years on nothing!!
Let's also not forget that in the 80s there were THREE separate studies at modern steam, which died because the railroads didn't want to spend the extra funding money when fel prices went back down. One of those engines was to be a steam-electric engine that would've used the smae basic parts that EMD was already producing otherwise. EMD was interested. Then you had the ACE3000 which CHessie AND Burlington Northern were interested in, until they couldn't decide who paid for what, and the research team arguably coulda done a more efficent job. 21st Century Steam designs webpage
Ha, that is a good one - a steam revival! Maybe they can all use some of that "clean coal" that politicians talk about! Where is that "clean coal"! Give me a break, what a scam "clean coal". Steam takes up too many other support issues that diesels don't need. Over all even with the current price of a barrel of oil it’s still less expensive to operate a diesel fleet than a steam fleet. John Bartolotto
Agree with Kurt I would think wire above the rails would comeback before steam would, especially with all the bad water territory in the western states.
About 5 years ago when my dad still worked for CSX, there was a report of 15-20 steam locomotives coming through (on railcars, because apparantly CSX doesn't allow Steam to run on their rails at all) in Western MD on their way to Baltimore to be shipped overseas. The rumor then was that they were going to China, but I found that hard to believe. You would think if they were going to China, they would be shipping from the West coast, and not the East coast. I'm not even sure if this actually happened because I've looked for some pictures and can't find anything. I'm sure some rail fan would have got some pics of this.
Well, it seems that there is some thought or was some thought. It was one of those things that kinda just struck me and made me wonder. Electric as well...you just never know.
That's their A1 steam project. Looks a lot like an "old" steamer. The are planning a futuristic-looking A5 streamlined tenwheeler.
Maybe, maybe not. If the afore-mentioned plan for a steam-electric was built, that mitigates most of your repair concerns,and a bunbsen burnerand alarge vat of water are easier to repair than 16 ccylinders. And, the ACE project was focusing a lot on modularity. So while it may still take more time to work on that particular engine, the locomotive can be pit-stopped with another one and out the door in the same amount of time, or LESS. Look at the repair bays for the TurboTrain. modular. My mind, electric lines just create a higher demand for electricity. That juice is going to have to come from a gewnerator somewhere. Windfarm? Maybe, but likely it will be burning fuel or coal. So why create additonal strain on a sometimes already hard-up electrical netowrk? Plus, if something happens to that power network, like the New York (and PA, and Ohio, and...) blackout a few years back, how many thousands of miles will grind to a complete halt because A) trains cannot move B) Trains behind them can move, but cannot get around the giant hole in the rail network of trains that cnnot move. CSX has at least changed that, or made an xception for 765, but they require a pilot diesel on the point. I wonder if those steamers weren't operable? It's possible they were loaded becuase they weren't safe to generate the steam to lube the rods, and the customer didn't feel like cutting all the driverods.
