Steam Locomotive

[Noxious]

I think it would be nice to have steam locomotive's so we can use coal as a fuel for trains. It would be a nice alternative for cheap fuel coming at the cost of relatively weak trains when compared to electric or diesel.

[Kallesito]

Would be good for periods before 1970

[Noxious]

Originally posted by Kallesito:

Would be good for periods before 1970

Yes, also nice because it would fit the style of a budding soviet republic to use steam locomotives as an early form of trains.

[TB]

Actually some steam locomotives were used to early 1980s in Central Europe.

[lucamotives]

Yes . But I don't think you should have a time limit I think time limits are stupid . Who says I can't build a steam locomotive right now ?

[lucamotives]

Who is stopping China, North Korea , India , countries in Africa , countries from former Yugoslavia ... to still use steam locomotives not just in steam reservations , but also in mines, steel mills and small actual steam passenger lines .

[TB]

I think some technologies and skills become hard to obtain IRL too after those became obsolete. It's not that trivial. There is a reason masters of niche and old skills (cobblers, bell forging, various medieval skills etc.) are well paid and booked for years in advance.

[Noxious]

Originally posted by TB:

I think some technologies and skills become hard to obtain IRL too after those became obsolete. It's not that trivial. There is a reason masters of niche and old skills (cobblers, bell forging, various medieval skills etc.) are well paid and booked for years in advance.

Exactly, I think as time moves forward, they might become more expensive due to the advent of newer technologies, but i would still like to be using steam locomotives without being limited by time.

[ZILonaut]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1915382717

[Noxious]

I do have that mod, what im asking for is it to be in the base game in which i could actually use coal as fuel.

[JimBarracus]

Originally posted by Noxious:

at the cost of relatively weak trains when compared to electric or diesel.

steam locomotives are actually stronger
but they have other downsides like intensive maintenance which does not exist in our little socialist utopia.

[Noxious]

Originally posted by JimBarracus:

Originally posted by Noxious:

at the cost of relatively weak trains when compared to electric or diesel.

steam locomotives are actually stronger
but they have other downsides like intensive maintenance which does not exist in our little socialist utopia.

After some research you are correct in that steam engines are more powerful, but from what i read, it was efficiency. The thermal efficiency of diesel was 45% compared to the 10% of steam. Also, only 5% of the potential energy with steam was converted into power while diesel had converted 25%. Lastly, fuel efficiency. Steam locomotives for one week of operation burned their own weight in coal and water. And although steam locomotives are more powerful, the boiler size had drastically increased their weight, decreasing the advantage. Steam had trains running 35% of the time due to maintenance while diesel could run 95% of the time.

The first diesel train the zephyr, was able to run the burlington route in 13 hours. Much faster than steam because it required so much less refueling. and its weight of 200,000 lbs was much lighter than the previous steam locomotive's 1.6 million lbs. The decreased weight had more than made up for the loss of power and let the zephyr get its nickname the silver streak due to its higher speed.

But i still want muh steam locomotive's.

[ZILonaut]

Originally posted by Noxious:

Also, only 5% of the potential energy with steam was converted into power while diesel had converted 25%.

4-Stroke fuel engine has efficiency of 25%
4-Stroke diesel engine of about 33%

[Noxious]

Originally posted by ZILonaut:

Originally posted by Noxious:

Also, only 5% of the potential energy with steam was converted into power while diesel had converted 25%.

4-Stroke fuel engine has efficiency of 25%
4-Stroke diesel engine of about 33%

I confused my fuel efficiency with heat efficiency

[Jandzi the Financmajster]

3Division is totaly ignoring this forum sadly.

[lucamotives]

And not to forget ( still about what is better steam vs diesel ) lets not forget about the problem of storing and power of the fuel . Coal is less power full than oil or diesel , it's harder to maintain a constant heat with coal and you need for that experienced fireman that know when to trough the coal at the perfect time ( but those are expensive ) and even if you convert a steam locomotive to diesel it would still be more inefficient because it also has to carry water and instead of using the power of the fuel to push directly the piston , the fuel is spent to heat the air of the pipes of the boiler that then it can boil the cold water so then the steam can push the piston ( as you can see ... a much more inefficient process ).