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Here is what Gary Shapiro CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) said: Dvorak's writing sings with insight and clarity. Whether or not you agree with John's views, he will get you thinking and is never boring. These essays are worth the read!
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There is a cool railroad museum in Roanoke, VA I’ve been to a couple of times. The precision that many of these huge machines were manufactured with, without the aid of computers, is pretty amazing to think about.
This engine should have been used on the 1976 American Freedom Train.
Of course these simple toys could be manufactured again. Maybe not in the USA as it would violate clean air standards, but even Korea could do it.
With a few measurements, couldn’t the entire train be replicated digitally and a plastic goo Xerox machine print out as many copies as you want? Then you just transform plastic into steel and “mission accomplished.”
Probably could buy the spare parts in India.
Just did some quick math… It carries somewhere around 120 tons of water and oil. Any idea how quickly (or not quickly) this train can stop from full speed to zero?
That is an awesome monster. I sometimes think we lost something by abandoning steam. I go to train museums and ride steam trains as often as I can.
Unfortunately the Highway system and airline industries scaled back rail. It really is a more efficient way to move tonnage.
Yes – this represents the very height of engineering. Sheeesh – reminds me of my brother that has a 1970’s vintage refrigerator in the basement. “They just don’t make them like this anymore.” Uh right. Refrigerator engineering reached its pinnacle in the ’70’s.
that is one sweet ride. can i get one with leather seats and a in-dash GPS??
I work with some girls that used to pull trains.
I saw this monster several years ago, she’s quite impressive physically. But, the real thrill is when they start her moving, The puff of the engine,the thrust of the pistons and the purge of the steam, you can feel it through your whole body.
It’s really worth the effort to see.
Glad to know that John C. Dvorak is a steam fan. This engine was built in 1941 by ALCO, IIRC and is fully capable of pulling 100 car at 80 mph. It was also IIRC originally a coal burner, but converted to oil many years ago. It is unique as it is the only steam engine continuously on the roster of a main line US railroad. Though rebuilt and renumbered (twice) it was never retired.
She is indeed a sight when in steam. Not as great as the SP 4449, which DID head the Freedom Train, but 4449 spent 20 years in a park on display in Portland.
There is something very alive about a steam engine. They appear to be breathing; they have exposed limbs; they perspire, smoke, drink water, hiss, snort, fart, groan, shreek, and are animated even when at rest. At speed, they are like charging bulls.
And just think, a wood burner would be carbon neutral!
Our cousins across the Atlantic just built a new A-1 class Tornado for 3 Million Pounds. The project was started in 1990 and she made her first revenue run last fall in 2008. Can we build these machines again? Yes, but not at the cost or speed in which we used to. http://a1steam.com.
[Please drop the WWW from URLs as WordPress doesn’t display it properly… plus it’s unnecessary. – ed.]
The best part of going to Walt Disney World or Disneyland is taking a ride on their steam trains. They are living machines for sure, any very beautiful in person.
If you can, take the steam train tour at WDW, you get to see the roundhouse, bring the trains to life and take a trip around the Magic Kingdom before the park opens. A real treat for any Foammer for sure!
WOW! Go to the railroad museum in Sacramento, CA
I saw the Flying Scotsman as it came into town. It seemed alive!
Could our railroad roadbeds take the weight of these guys?
Talk about heavy metal!
But they are rolling art! I can see how steam trains are so addictive!
Thank you for the pictures John. Steam built this country. They still make locomotives in China, not as big as this but they have been delivered to railroads in the USA in the last year.
The Strasburg railroad in Pennsylvania does a lot of work fabricating new parts for steam engines.
http://strasburgrailroad.com/
[Please drop the WWW from URLs as WordPress doesn’t display it properly… plus it’s unnecessary. – ed.]
Old 844 is parked behind my office on the “Little Reno” line as of this writing. I’m not a big train buff, but when the switching yard is your neighbor, events like the 844 are neat. As any geek, I’ve snapped photos like the rest of the foamers who knew the train was coming through town. I’ll take a steam whistle over the air horns any day.
My office is right next to the tracks in Tracy, everyone in the office watched it go by.
They made a hybrid version of this machine. The fuel creates electricity to charge the batteries that power the wheels. Braking with the wheels can also charge the batteries.
It is called a diesel locomotive and they currently make them in Erie PA.
Thanks for the Pics. My son loves this train ever since it was featured on Extreme Trains. It is amazing how much work goes into just getting this thing fired up.
Sure diesels are less maintenance and more practical, but
#15
Pennsylvania has several railroad attractions beside Strasbourg.
The Stourbridge Lion in Honesdale [USA’s first steam locomotive]
Steamtown in Scranton.
Horseshoe Curve and the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona
Pennsylvania Trolley museum in Washington
Ahh, back when men were men and, the USA could manufacture stuff that was the envy of the world…
What a monster. Very cool.
John, I think a company like Bucyrus International, that makes heavy mining equipment and designed the shuttle crawler (well it was the Saturn V crawler at the time), and now owns the company built it (Marion Power Shovel).
The good ol’ U.S. of A still has some heavy equipment manufacturers.
Now thats craftmanship WOW
This summer many of the big Steamers come together at Owasso, Michigan. SP4449, NKP 765 and PM 1225, not sure about 844 or 3985. I live just 75 miles from Lima, the home of the epitome of steam Superpower, The Daylights (4449), the NKP Berkshires (765), Sad to realize what went on in that now rusty old town 75 years ago.
I miss the days when NS still ran 611 and CSX ran 614, but only UP still realizes the importance of History amoung US railroads.
This is as cool as the train in “Back To The Future III”
Sure we can make stuff like this again. You should see the enormous trucks that Cat make for the mines in Western Australia. Those are seriously huge.
No batteries on diesel locomotives. The diesel engine drives a generator. The generator drives the electric motors that drive the axles thru a set of spur gears.
Now speaking of submarines: the diesel engines drove generators that charged the batteries. The batteries drove the electric motors that turned the shafts. But only when the boat was under water and no air was available for the diesels.
You guys are making me feel old! I remember the dozen or so steam engines that pulled fan trips in Cincinnati 1969-1989. Just a few years ago!
Fr. Dale in Cincinnati
Long live steam.Over here we made the mistake of putting frieght on lorries,blocked roads.I’ll say this for our American cousins,you get stuck in and do the job.