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[quote user="IRONROOSTER"] In the 19th century the railroads used steam to drive their locomotives - in the 20th century they switched to using electricity to drive their locomotives. The electricity is generated by a number of sources, one of which is an on board diesel engine powering an on board generator. Since this was a superior system they stopped using steam.  Contextually my characterization of steam engine as 19th century technology means that it acquired a significant usage and refinement in the 19th century, but that it was rendered obsolete in the suceeding century.  In a thread on the Trains forum, diesel versus steam is understood by most to mean railroad engines (or locomotives as you will) as oppose to power plants, trucks, cars, etc.The use of "unfortunate" was an editorial remark meant to indicate that I personally wish that steam engines had not passed from the railroad scene.  Personally, I am not very interested in non railroad uses of steam except when it whistles out of the kettle so I know it's time for tea. I have been attempting to elucidate my original remarks, which I feel were understood by most originally.  For those who still do not understand, I admit defeat. [/quote]If I may, what you were trying to say is that reciprocating steam engines were obsolete, right?Well, consider this - reciprocating steam was comprised of pistons, cylinders, rods, et al, right?  What is a compression ignition engine comprised of?  That's right - pistons, cylinders, rods, et al.It seems to me that diesel engines are nothing more than a continuation of this "19th century technology".  The only differences are the source of forcing the piston into action and the mechanical recipient of that force - in classic steam engines the pistons directly drove the wheels, while in diesels the pistons drive a generator that in turn supplies power to the driving wheels.It may be that, if reciprocating steam technology had evolved to the point of using 8 pistons to drive the wheels instead of the usual two/three/four, maybe then steam could have matched the efficiency of an 8 cylinder diesel engine.  It may very well be that it's simply a matter of more effectively using the steam provided, and not that combusting hydrocarbons directly in a piston is more efficient than forcing steam into a piston.
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