where is the 1800s steam??

[tomikawaTT]

There is one V&T locomotive, beautifully restored, stored under cover in Virginia City, Nevada.

The V&T's operating locomotive, #29, is a 20th century loco that was imported from, I think, Oregon.

Several times each summer, the Nevada Railroad Museum in Carson City steams up an old V&T loco and operates it on the circle of track that runs around the museum buildings.  There are a number of non-operating locos, as well as other historic rolling stock, that can be seen there.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with a couple of late 19th century Baldwin tank locos)

[Cheese]

where is the 1800s steam is it not around anymore or is it just me not looking hard enough for it because i have not found any on any tourist lines why is that? is it that they are not reliable and fail easily or is it other things?

There are several reasons why there isn't much 19th century steam. 1: Their Age, because the older the locomotive, the more you have to care for it, which means the more you have to spend on it. 2. While they are attractive, most people prefer more modern steam 3. Railfans (most of them anyways, including me) despise "Wild West" railroad attractions, and prefer authentisism over tourist crap. 4. There are more modern steam locomotives than 19th century steam locomotives.

So there you have it. (DOWN WITH WILD WEST RAILROAD TOURIST ATTRACTIONS!!!!!)

Cheese

[tomikawaTT]

Regrettably, there is quite a bit of the steel from 1800s steam in the structure of various WWII military artifacts.  More than a few old locomotives that had languished unloved and un-maintained in town parks and on college campuses were swept up in scrap drives.

That was the fate of the Mason bogie loco donated to an institution of higher learning by the C&S when it was withdrawn from service decades earlier.  The academics were more interested in showing support for the war effort than they were in preserving history...

Chuck

[Anonymous]

where is the 1800s steam is it not around anymore or is it just me not looking hard enough for it because i have not found any on any tourist lines why is that? is it that they are not reliable and fail easily or is it other things?

There are several reasons why there isn't much 19th century steam. 1: Their Age, because the older the locomotive, the more you have to care for it, which means the more you have to spend on it. 2. While they are attractive, most people prefer more modern steam 3. Railfans (most of them anyways, including me) despise "Wild West" railroad attractions, and prefer authentisism over tourist crap. 4. There are more modern steam locomotives than 19th century steam locomotives.

So there you have it. (DOWN WITH WILD WEST RAILROAD TOURIST ATTRACTIONS!!!!!)

Cheese

I agree your view of so-called wild west tourist attractions assuming that they are typically gaudy and inauthentic.  And I also agree that most railfans prefer the most modern steam because it represents the pinnacle of steam locomotive development, and it is also the largest, which seems to be a major criteria for many.  However, I think locomotives from circa 1900 were generally the handsomest of all.  And I like the earlier diamond stack power from the "wild west" era, but in its authentic historical context.  I would go back to 1885 any day.

[J. Edgar]

also...upto maybe the 1930's there was no real "preservation" movement so most 1800's steam was sold for scrap as bean-counters count beans not "the effects of steam preservation on the bottom line"