It Runs on Steam!

[crfriend]

Or, "Where Steampunk meets Star Trek":

Coalition for Sustainable Rail: New Passenger Steam Locomotive.

One of the axioms that existed during the window of time when steam and Diesel locomotives shared the rails was that: "If a steam engine can start a train it can pull it at speed, and if a diesel can start a train it may not be able to pull it at speed." This has to do with the characteristics of the two technologies. Electric motors produce a lot of torque which is mostly useful at slow speeds and less of it at high speeds,and steam engines produce a lot of horsepower at high (operating) speeds but not a lot of torque at low speeds. This means that it's harder for a steam engine to get the train moving and accelerate it quickly at low speeds, but once up to speed can pull a lot harder than a Diesel.

I'd love to see whether this comes to fruition and, if it does, what it'll look like.

[Taj]

Good idea. The bottom line will be the determining factor of whether any road ever uses it. Even it it is a bit cheaper to run there is still a pretty good cost in tooling up facilities to maintain and support it.

[crfriend]

The intent is initially for passenger service, so if the tender can carry enough fuel to get from one passenger terminal to another with sufficient reserve capacity (much as is done with aircraft provisioning) then it could work out.

There will be bugs to be worked out, like the one mentioned, but those can be overcome if the effects (both the purported environmental and economic) are compelling enough. It's nice to see that the idea isn't dead yet.

[Sarongman]

I think I spent twice as long studying this article than I did the entire forum. I am fascinated, and love the concept.

[Grok]

Modern steam punk.