Modern Steam - The Future?

This section could have been called one of many things as it has the potential to cover a huge range of issues. To the enthusiasts of steam locomotives one reason for there to be a future for the reciprocating type of steam locomotive is just because they happen to like them. Whilst a valid reason in itself, the work of Porta and many others may have started from such a motivation but has become a much broader and deeper issue.

Before looking at the future the question to be posed is why should steam technology be used?

Whilst not an exhaustive list and undoubtedly controversial in parts some of the reasons can said to be:

• Reduce dependency on oil, a commodity with a finite supply.
• Reduce pollution through the clean burning of whatever fuel is in use.

  • The steam locomotive firebox can be adapted to burn more or less any commodity cleanly. It has great potential to burn natural waste products in solid or liquid form. EG: Solid bagasse or liquid bio-fuels.
• It is more technically appropriate for certain environments.
• What has gone before and has got the steam railway locomotive a bad reputation is no way to judge the current level of the technology.
• Allows a degree of self sufficiency:

  • parts can be made locally by any competent worker.
  • As work can be carried out locally the local economy, not some remote multinational, can benefit.
  • Local fuel supplies can be used reducing import problems for poorer countries and thus reducing their dependency on "someone else" for their energy supplies.
  • As experience is gained the locomotives can be produced locally rather than imported.
• The energy crisis - some would say it is looming whilst other would say it is on us already but we just can't or don't want to see it. One thing is for certain with oil consumption spiraling ever upwards, especially in China and India, something will "give" sooner or later. Modern steam and associated derivatives offer a potential solution.

Whilst these pages are dedicated to modern steam technology, of all sorts, much of the technology proved by Porta and his disciples is equally applicable to many applications on and off rails. Transport writer and researcher Harry Valentine has supplied some articles on such subjects with more to follow. These can be found here.

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