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[quote user="KCSfan"] I started this topic to keep the replies from getting lost in the never ending thread of a similar name. On that other thread steam locomotives have been proclaimed to be superior to diesels in the following aspects:1. Lower operating costs (primarily coal vs diesel fuel price differential)2. Lower initial captial cost per equivalent hp3. Superior performance (more hp at higher speeds where it is needed)4. Longer service life5. Lower repair costs6. Easier on trackage (resulting in reduced MOW expense)I personally am not convinced of the validity of all these claims (particularly 5 & 6), but for purposes of this discussion let's assume all are valid. The $64 question then becomes, why aren't the railroads jumping on the bandwagon and at least seriously studying the use of steam locomotives as a replacement for diesels on some of their routes where the supposed benefits would be greatest? A corrolary question is, why hasn't some firm recognized the market potential and stepped forward to design and build a truly modern steam demonstrator for actual in-service trials?Mark[/quote]As to the question of this thread, assuming that the six advantages of steam listed in the first post are true, there is one probable explanation of why a switch to steam has not yet happened.  That is that none of the advantages or all of them combined are enough to offset the cost and risk of developing viable steam locomotives, and the cost of marketing and selling the concept to the industry, which I suspect would be highly resistant and skeptical of such a radical change.  For one thing, if the railroads convert to steam, the diesel locomotive industry goes away, and there is no going back to it without a huge penalty.  Since advantages #2-6 are not increasing, they will never alone be enough to prompt a return to steam.  But advantage #1 is increasing as oil prices rise.  So, if it were not for advantage #1, I speculate that the answer to the question of the other thread, Could steam make a comeback? would be no.  But I think the whole world is rapidly heading into uncharted territory in regard to energy cost, and regulation of energy production and usage, and so no change in energy usage seems too radical to contemplate.
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