Steam vs.Diesels

[Anonymous]

I'm usually all for the tried and true, but I personally am pretty neutral on this issue as far as the classic diesels and late steam go. What say you?

[Anonymous]

diesels are boring, their wheels just go round, and nothing much else happens.

steam, on the other hand, has wiggly side rods, and all kinds of wheels in different sizes, and detail parts all over that i don't even recognize, and pipes, and bells, and open cabs you can see in, etc., etc...

also, it seems like since the advent of diesel, the train industry has been in steady decline.

this should be obvious for all to see.

[alstom]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rick bonfiglio

diesels are boring, their wheels just go round, and nothing much else happens.

steam, on the other hand, has wiggly side rods, and all kinds of wheels in different sizes, and detail parts all over that i don't even recognize, and pipes, and bells, and open cabs you can see in, etc., etc...

also, it seems like since the advent of diesel, the train industry has been in steady decline.

this should be obvious for all to see.

Steamers are boring. All they are is black or gray and that is it! Yeah, it would be cool to see their wheels, but hey where's their horsepower. I don't see them hauling it at 70/ 75 mph!

[Anonymous]

Aha! Finally something we disagree on.

[Anonymous]

Grab your popcorn, get it now! Get it while it's still hot, get while it's still buttered, get while it's still here.

This should be exciting folks.

[tmcc man]

I am going both ways. I like the sound of the ALCo diesels, and I like the different types of them. I love the whistles of the steamers, and also all of the movement of the siderods and so forth.

Alstom, have you ever heard of the Daylight, the N&W J, and the American Freedom Train?? They all have color, don't they????

[alstom]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tmcc man

I am going both ways. I like the sound of the ALCo diesels, and I like the different types of them. I love the whistles of the steamers, and also all of the movement of the siderods and so forth.

Alstom, have you ever heard of the Daylight, the N&W J, and the American Freedom Train?? They all have color, don't they????

I don't care, that still doesn't budge my opinion on them! I grew up with diesels in the AC series, and that's what I'll probably always like! Besides, I already hear and see enough about steam when I'm with my dad [V] ! So diesels, in the AC or SD series (what I grew up with) will more than likely always be my favorites!

[laz 57]

STEAMERS and a tender behind!!!!!!!!!
laz57

[tmcc man]

QUOTE: Originally posted by laz 57

STEAMERS and a tender behind!!!!!!!!!
laz57

Definitley with you there. Love the look of the steamers.

[Anonymous]

Enough said.

[ben10ben]

"but hey where's their horsepower. I don't see them hauling it at 70/ 75 mph!"

Well, let's see, when diesels first came about, it would often take several to do the work of a steam engine. Horsepower isn't everything, as tractive effort affects hauling ability as much as or probably even more so than horsepower, but comparing horsepower, most steam engines still have more than todays 4000 HP+ diesels.

Speed is more a function of gearing with diesels and design with steam. Diesels can be geared so that they piddle along all day, or they can be geared to go 100 mph. Steam engines could also piddle along all day, although some could, and regularly did, go over 100 mph. The official speed record for steam engines is 126 mph; I'm not sure if any diesels has ever gone that fast. Every one of today's high-speed passenger trains that I know of are electric, not diesel.

[IronHoarse]

With a screen name like Ironhoarse I guess it is obvious which way I lean. But I do like diesels too...after all a train is a train.

[SchemerBob]

How can you guys not like STEAMERS??

How can you guys not like DIESELS??

They are both different, they each have their pros and cons. But all and all, if you're interested in trains, who cares? It's a train and you don't care what kind it is, right?

As for model trains (in any scale) you need both steam locomotives and diesels. It really makes for a variety on your railroad. But, if you're modeling a railroad from, say the 1860s, I can understand then...

[3railguy]

I must say the CSX machine that alstom posted is about as boring as it gets. A plain blue utilitarian box that houses all the mechanicals. Today's diesels are purely functional money making machines with little thought given to form.

The Big Boy that lotus posted. Now that is form, function, and gobs of horsepower. Big Boys were built in a day when railroads were a prime means of transportation and railroads wanted an image that appealed to the public. Designers put a lot of artistic lines in locomotives in those days. Diesels included. Alco DL-109's for or RSD-12's for example,

[espeefoamer]

Steam is more exciting to watch,but diesels are what I'm used to,so that is what I prefer.I love the sight of a matched set of 5 SD45s leading a freight over Tehachapi,with several U boats mid train,and two tunel motors shoving just ahead of the caboose[:D].

[winrose46]

my favorite is a steam lashup and having the smoke sync'ed coming out of a tunnel or over a bridge; however, the new S-2 from MTH has me liking diesels as well.

[Anonymous]

There is nothing like the look of a Steamer puffing and chugging up a high grade. It gives you the feeling of History gone by. I work next to train tracks of N&S and see Diesels all day long. I never see anything exciting about them. When a Steam engine came through town it was advertised on the news and people came out just to watch it go by, you never see that with a Diesel. They all have their place but for the flash and excitement, both on a train board and in real life, I love Steam! It's as American as the Old Frontier.

[Benjamin Maggi]

Steam or diesel, trains are old fashioned. Planes are better (ducks the tomatoes!) [:p]

[Anonymous]

Since I'm Old, I don't mind Old Fashion.

[winrose46]

QUOTE: Originally posted by scoobster28

Steam or diesel, trains are old fashioned. Planes are better (ducks the tomatoes!) [:p]

Though I like my bonanza if I had to give up one or the other it would be the plane. The ideal trip is to take my planesomewhere to ride a steamer.

[daan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by scoobster28

Steam or diesel, trains are old fashioned. Planes are better (ducks the tomatoes!) [:p]

Just untill the fuel prices raise[:D]
After that whe're back to steam.. In switserland the've built a steamlocomotive which is up to 30% more efficient then a diesel locomotive, just by effective isolation and a thought out heating system. It runs on light oil, since it is small, but the bigger ones could easily burn heavy fuels with higher efficiency then diesels.

But for now diesels are allright. Not every steamer is nice to watch, and I also love the older diesels like the F3's and gp's.. Doesn't really matter to me, as long as it looks nice and runs smooth.

[dwiemer]

I grew up with diesles too, but no diesle got my attention like the chugging smoke and piercing whisle of a steam engine. While I have been mostly steam in my collecting, I have added a few FM Trainmasters, S2, and Geeps to my Tracks.

[andregg1]

Hi
bottom line, steam or diesel are trains
I like both......
Andre.

[palallin]

Lots of steam engines were colorful (for those who insist on color): T & P, Frisco, Southern, B & O, and many others all ran non-streamlined steam in colors other than basic black. In fact, some roads used multiple schemes on their steam.

But black is good enough for me (though I like a nice, red oxide cab roof and graphited smoke- and fireboxes).

It wasn't STEAMpower that did steam in: it was MANpower. Labor got to be too expensive. And the design of trackwork has as much to do with current higher speeds as any other factor.

[alstom]

QUOTE: I must say the CSX machine that alstom posted is about as boring as it gets

The challengers are pretty much

lame!!

LOL, I don't mind steam, they're pretty cool, I just like diesels better that's all! [;)]

[Anonymous]

C&O H-4 #1436 PUSHING IN REVERSE ON LOADED COAL DRAG AT CLAYPOOL, WV NOV 1952, PHOTO BY J.I. KELLLY




C&O T-1 #3000 WITH EMPTY HOPPER DRAG NEAR HV TOWER COLUMBUS, OH 1937PHOTO BY G. GRAYBILL, JR.



Class E-2B Pacific 2911 is pulling out of Chicago with the heavyweight “400.” C&NW P.R photo taken between 1935 and 1939. Submitted by J. H. Yanke



Class E-2B 2912, a 4-6-2 Heavy Pacific, was built in 1930. In this photo, taken by Bob Gaulke, the diesels pulling #240 have had mechanical problems. The 2912 was put on en route to get the train to Chicago. The photo was taken at Racine, WI 4-6-52. Submitted by J. H. Yanke