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The
Ultimate Steam Page
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updated January 2, 2008
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This page provides news on working
operation of steam locomotives, construction of new steam, technical
improvements to existing steam locomotives, and similar news
items.
Current Headlines:New British Steam Locomotive A1 "Tornado" Steam Test (posted January 12, 2008) "The Economics of Coal as a Locomotive Fuel on US Class 1 Railroads" (posted January 11, 2008)The Vapor Locomotive Company (posted January 11, 2008)
Bio-Diesel Fired Steam on the
Mt. Washington Cog Railway (update January 2, 2008) Recent Headlines: UK's Hunslet Engine Company Producing New Steam Locomotives Modern Steam interviews on BBC Radio New Garratt Delivered to the FCAF Number 29 Doing Well at the Grand Canyon Railroad Big Chinese Steam Delivered to U.S. (updated 11 August 2006) |
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New British Steam Locomotive A1 "Tornado" Steam TestThe A1 Locomotive Trust, the group in the UK that's constructing a brand-new, standard gauge, mainline steamer, announced this week that the first fire had been lit in the firebox of their locomotive in preparation for steam testing on Friday, January 11, 2008. The locomotive has been under construction since the early 1990's, and this marks a major milestone in the completion of this engine. The engine's boiler was delivered by Dampflokwerk Meiningen last year. The locomotive is expected to be complete in time for testing an excursions in summer 2008. Read the latest news at the Trust's website at: http://www.a1steam.com/update.html The Economics of Coal as a Locomotive Fuel on US Class 1 RailroadsSteam student and enthusiast John Rhodes has just finished compiling a paper titled "The Economics of Coal as a Locomotive Fuel on US Class 1 Railroads". The result of over two years work, the paper provides an up-to-date detailed comparison between the operating costs of current diesel locomotives and updated coal-burning steam locomotives. The paper shows that due to the continuing huge cost differential in diesel oil and coal, moderately improved steam locomotives would be far cheaper to operate than current diesels. The paper draws background information from an extensive variety of sources, ranging from the steam/diesel tests on the Norfolk and Western Railway up to current published performance data from EMD and GE. John's paper is available for download at this address: http://www.trainweb.org/tusp/Coal Locomotive Final Paper.pdf (1.85 MB) For additional information, contact John at: johntrhodes [at] gmail [dot] com The Vapor Locomotive CompanyJohn Rhodes paper above mentions a new company which is investigating the production of bio-mass fueled locomotives. See their website here: The Vapor Locomotive Company Bio-Diesel Fired Steam on the Mt. Washington Cog Railway (update January 2, 2008)Roger Hahn has updated his webpage with additional photos and details on Nigel Day's work on the Mt. Washington Cog Railway. Read more here:Earlier report on Nigel's work follows: Nigel Day reports the latest developments from his work at the Mt. Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire. Nigel has been working on improvements to their locomotive "Waumbek" (No. 9) for the past several years, including installation of a Lempor exhaust, steam and exhaust piping refinements, and others. The latest change was the fitting of oil-firing equipment to No. 9 which allow it to burn bio-diesel fuel. These photos show No. 9 after the conversion. Visit Mt. Washington's website at: http://www.thecog.com/cog_technology.php for more information and photos on No. 9's conversion. Other photos of No. 9 in operation with the new oil firing system are scattered around the site. For more information on biodiesel fuels, see this page at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel Belated Long-Term News Update It occurs to me it's been several months since I've provided any updates to this news page. Unfortunately I've been busy with a new job and haven't had time to keep it up as I should. There are several things of interest going on in the steam world that I'll attempt to relate and update further as time allows. Shaun McMahon has sent me several reports on his progress in southern-most Argentina. Progress continues to be made on plans for upgrading the engines of the RFIR as well as plans to extend the RFIRT to the west coast of Chile. Shaun promises more details in the future. In the U.S., some VERY interesting things are happening with Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 no. 3985. The engine has undergone some major boiler and combustion system work and most interestingly, significant revisions to the exhaust system. Wasatch Railroad Contractors is heavily involved with the assistance of a well-known proponent of Ing. Porta's work. Further information on this project will be forthcoming once the engine has been returned to service and the modifications have been proven. I haven't heard any news from DLM In Switzerland in some time; hopefully we'll be hearing something from them sometime soon. I'll try to get back on track with updating these pages on a regular basis in the future; please stay tuned. |
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UK's Hunslet Engine Company Producing New Steam LocomotivesHunslet Engine Company has recently built 2 new Quarry Class 0-4-0 saddle tank steam locomotive. Hunslet has been producing locomotives since 1864, so they have quite a history with steam. Go to www.hunsletengine.com and click on "Hunslet Steam Co" for more information on the new locomotives and other services they offer related to steam locomotives. Thanks to Mr. Andrew Ross of Hunslet for supplying this information. York Steam ConferenceeA One-day Conference on "Development in Modern Steam Traction for Railways" was held at the National Railway Museum in York, UK on December 11, 2006. Technical presentations were made by Dr. J. J. Koopmans, David Wardale, Martyn Bane, A. Hass, and Chris Newman. I'm also happy to report that two steam experts from the U.S. were able to attend, CMO Dave Griner and WRC Foreman Matt Janssen of Wasatch Railroad Contractors (WRC). A brief report including photos is available on their website at: http://www.wasatch-rr-contractors.com/blog/ WRC has shown great interest in applying modern steam technology to operating steamers in the U.S. Here is a listing of the technical presentations given at the
conference, with links to websites or documents: Modern Steam Interviews on BBC Radio A program titled "Steam Driven" was
broadcast on BBC radio on Wednesday 19 July 2006 21:00-21:30 (Radio 4
FM). The tagline for the program read:
"It's almost 40 years since steam
disappeared from widespread use on the railways, but the development of
steam locomotives has never stopped. Technical advances in fuel,
efficiency, design and new materials have been adopted and this 'modern
steam' is now pulling many passengers and much freight in several
corners of the world.
Claire Barratt meets some of the dedicated engineers working with modernised locomotives and hears about a new design on the drawing board for a 21st Century loco." Modern steam proponents interviewed included Shaun McMahon, David Wardale, Roger Waller, and Martyn Bane. Portions were recorded on the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales while another portion featured a cab ride in DLM's modernized Class 52 8055. It was an interesting and informative program and hopefully enlightened quite a few listeners on the possibilities for modern steam traction. New Garratt Delivered to the FCAFShaun McMahon reports that the second Garratt locomotive, FCAF No. 5, was completed for the FCAF railway in Ushuaia, Argentina. The locomotive was evidently built by Girdlestone and Associates of South Africa, using some parts originally fabricated in Argentina when the first Garratt, no. 2 "L. D. Porta" was constructed in the 1990's. Few details have been publicized on the locomotive so far, but it is believed to incorporate all the modifications made to no. 2 by Shaun McMahon (with guidance from L. D. Porta and assistance from Phil Girdlestone). In addition the photos show a Belpaire firebox, a small well tank underneath the boiler (which may be part of a feedwater heating system) and an external throttle valve located near the front of the boiler, indicating that the new locomotive is superheated which should greatly increase its power and efficiency above that of no. 2. Finally, significant changes in appearance are evident including revised cab and tank contours, as well as a much larger smokebox (likely to accomodate the superheater components). Photos of "tuning up" in Ushuaia in May, 2006:
FCAF No. 5 During Tuning Up in May 2006 FCAF No. 5 During Tuning Up in May 2006
New Garratt for FCAF Under Construction at Girdlestone & Associates in South Africa photo courtesy of Shaun McMahon This link shows photos of the locomotive in the shop prior to shipment, and being loaded for shipment to Ushuaia. http://ports.co.za/news/article_2006_04_5_0213.html#five For more on the FCAF, go to http://www.trainweb.org/tusp/fcaf/fcaf.html Number 29 Doing Well at the Grand Canyon RailwayMy wife recently took a trip out west with her mother and sister and was treated to a ride behind the Grand Canyon Railway's No. 29, which has been fitted with a Lempor exhaust and improved oil firing equipment designed by Nigel Day. She stopped by to say hello to the crew and mentioned that she was the wife of the "Ultimate Steam Page" author. Evidently I have a couple of fans on the GCRR crews. Thanks for your friendly greeting to my wife. Hopefully, I'll be out there to see things soon. Grand Canyon Railway No. 29 and Crew Front End of Grand Canyon Railway No. 29 Showing Lempor StackBig Chinese Steam Delivered to U.S.(update 11 August 2006) A photo of the two QJ's in Iowa City, Iowa on the rails, undergoing re-installation of parts removed for transport and being checked over: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=154439 (update June 2006) Evidently the two QJ's were delivered to the port of Houston, Texas in June 2006 and loaded on special flat cars for shipment to Iowa. The link below shows some excellent photos of the locomotives and tenders: http://www.pbase.com/copcarss/chinese_steam (previous story) TRAINS News Wire
Breaking News, April 21, 2006 |
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For more steam news from around the world, I highly recommend:
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Rob Dickinson's "International Working
Steam Locomotives" |
John Craft's "Steam Central" |