Steam locomotives have captured our imaginations since they first appeared in Britain in the early 19th century. They’re beautiful and powerful, and they symbolize the power of railroads more so than any modern train. In this article, I will dive into a brief history of steam locomotives, why they fascinate us, and how we can ensure they continue to operate in the present and future. Ready to build some steam? Then climb aboard!
- Brief History of Steam Power
- The Appeal of Steam Locomotives
- What the Future Holds for Steam Locomotives
- My Thoughts on Steam Locomotives
A Brief History of the Steam Locomotive
The first practical steam engine was invented in 1712 by Thomas Newcomen in England. His single-reciprocating engine was designed to pump water out of mine shafts, and indeed when James Watt of Scotland improved on the concept, his engines were also used primarily for pumping water from mines and canals.
British Engineer Richard Trevithick built the first practical steam locomotive, the Coalbrookdale Locomotive for the Coalbrookedale Iron Works. Carts mounted on rails and pulled by horses were used before the steam locomotive was introduced. Both the first revenue freight train, in 1804, and the first passenger train in 1808, were pulled by Trevithick locomotives.
The first commercial railroad in the United States was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which began service in 1830. Just one year prior, the demonstration steam locomotive Tom Thumb was built by Peter Cooper and could haul freight and passenger cars at up to 18 miles per hour. It was clear to the railroad’s owners that steam locomotives offered superior performance over horses. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad retired all its horses by 1831.
As time went on, steam locomotives were designed and built across the globe for different jobs. Some were small narrow-gauge engines designed to pull small loads, such as lightweight passenger and freight trains. Other, larger locomotives, such as the famous Big Boy class of the Union Pacific Railroad, were massive locomotives designed to pull long, heavy freight trains. Mid-size locomotives, such as the 4-6-2 Pacific class, were built to haul passenger trains on main and branch lines. No matter their jobs, steam locomotives were the basis for railroad motive power for over a century.
Railroads in the United States and Europe began replacing steam locomotives with diesel and electric locomotives in 1917 and the process accelerated after World War II. By 1968, most railroads had shifted entirely to diesel and electric motive power. The shift away from steam power also started the heritage railroad movement, which remains particularly strong in the United Kingdom, where hundreds of steam locomotives remain in active service. In the United States, most heritage railroads (also called tourist railroads) use a combination of diesel and steam power, including the Valley Railroad in Connecticut where I have worked since 2016.
The Appeal of Steam Locomotives
Seeing a steam locomotive run is, I believe, one of the most memorable experiences a person can have in railroading because it evokes all the senses. When a steam locomotive is “hot” and ready to pull a train, you see smoke billowing from the smokestack, steam escaping from the cylinders, and the running gear turning the wheels in a mesmerizing sequence.
In addition to sights, you hear the whistle blowing, the hiss of steam and air, the pounding of the air compressor, the “chuff” of exhaust escaping out the stack, the humming of the generator – indeed what I call the “symphony of steam.” Then there’s what you feel: heat radiating from the firebox, the grease from the joints, the droplets of water landing on your skin.
Furthermore, you smell the smoke entering your nose and taste the ash landing on your open mouth. Okay, maybe tasting the ash isn’t so pleasant, but that’s a risk you take when having a conversation near an active steam engine!
And finally, the most striking difference I see in steam trains vs. modern ones is the crew’s attitude. Steam locomotive crews – which are composed of a fireman and engineer working in tandem – are happy to be there. In my experience, steam engineers and firemen make the most of their time on board and will answer your questions. After all, they are true railroad fanatics and jump at a chance to talk about trains!
Compare that experience to seeing a modern train, such as a typical diesel locomotive pulling a commuter train. It’s probably painted nicely, but it’s not nearly as visually striking as a steam locomotive. The main engine sounds like a typical diesel truck, which is not memorable because many of us hear trucks regularly. The whistle is a regular airhorn, not exactly the spectacle of a steam whistle. In contrast to steam engine crews, diesel engineers are usually unhappy to be on board (except on heritage railroads) and want to be left alone by the public. That all makes for an underwhelming experience.
Even if you don’t see a steam locomotive steamed up and pulling a train, seeing one in person is still memorable. Many steam locomotives are preserved in museums, often cared for with love and affection. These locomotives are frequently painted in beautiful, vibrant color schemes of the railroads they once served. I have visited a few railroad museums in my lifetime, including Steamtown NHS in Pennsylvania, and the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. Both museums featured steam locomotives of every shape and size, preserved with loving detail.
Another big part of the steam locomotive’s appeal is the skills you can develop when working with them. Some of those skills include metalwork, thermodynamics, hand-eye coordination, communication, and physical fitness. All those skills prove valuable both on the railroad and in your everyday life, particularly physical fitness.
I think of a day spent working as part of a steam crew as a living history experience. You are developing skills that were once commonplace a century ago, and you quickly learn that there is a lot more to running a locomotive than just shoveling coal. The fireman maintains the fire, water level, and boiler pressure, while the engineer controls the throttle and the reverser. As a fireman, you learn that water level is always more important than boiler pressure because a low water level could lead to an explosion!
The Future of Steam Locomotives
Preserving steam locomotives, and the knowledge and skills that come with working with them, is a priority for the worldwide heritage rail movement. As you read this blog post, organizations are working to keep steam alive in many countries, and some still occasionally run steam locomotives on the main line, such as the UK, Germany, and the United States.
The heritage rail movement is strongest in Europe, with the UK leading the charge up the tracks. Today, hundreds of steam locomotives are active in the UK across dozens of heritage railroads. Among those railroads is the West Somerset Railway, which operates a fleet of steam locomotives. They also train their engine crews the old-fashioned way, with each recruit starting as a hostler, then a fireman, and finally an engineer.
Compared to the UK, the number of active steam locomotives in the United States can only be measured in the dozens. That number is slowly climbing, as organizations are working to restore steam locomotives to working condition. In Maine, the New England Steam Corporation is restoring Maine Central 470 to working condition and has a dedicated team of volunteers working on the project. In Connecticut, the Railroad Museum of New England is fundraising to restore a 2-6-2 Prairie steam locomotive to operate it in their excursion trains.
Along with smaller groups, large railroad companies and museums are also taking advantage of the continued interest in steam locomotives. The Union Pacific Railroad is the only major Class 1 railroad to keep at least one active steam locomotive in its fleet. Currently, the railroad has two operating steam locomotives: the 4-8-4 ‘Mountain’ type engine 844, and the 4-8-8-4 ‘Big Boy’ class engine 4014. 4014 is currently the largest working steam locomotive on the planet and tours across Union Pacific’s network.
There are also efforts being made to build brand-new steam locomotives from scratch for heritage railroading. In the UK, a successful effort was made to build the Tornado from the rails up. The locomotive was completed in 2008, making it the first scratch-built locomotive in Britain since 1960. In the USA, an organization called the Pennsylvania Railroad T1 Steam Locomotive Trust is building a PRR T1 class locomotive from a mix of scratch-built and donated parts. Their goal is to run the locomotive on the main line in excursion service, along with jump-starting the heritage rail movement in North America.
My Thoughts on Steam Locomotives
I, like many boys, was fascinated by steam locomotives at an early age. My love of trains began with watching Thomas & Friends, which is based on a series of books about talking trains. My family friend Gregory Samal gave me a copy of his 1997 LGB catalog, and I would pour over it for hours, dreaming of one day owning those models.
Now, I am in adulthood, and steam locomotives continue to fascinate me. Not only do I collect model trains, but I also have the privilege of working with real steam trains, just forty minutes away from my home. The best part? I get paid to do it! I also volunteer my time, working on the engines on my off days while they are in the shop. Our volunteer organization, the Friends of the Valley Railroad, hosts work sessions on Wednesday evenings.
While I have not fired a steam locomotive at my railroad since 2019 (remember those times?), my interest in steam locomotives continues unabated. I mean, I sat down and wrote this blog post about them. If that doesn’t mark me as a railfan, I don’t know what does!
As for my thoughts on the future of steam locomotives, I believe that steam power on the rails will continue to endure if future generations try to preserve steam locomotives. One of the reasons I started this blog (and to launch my future courses) is to educate the next generation of steam railroad workers and volunteers. The name I have in mind for my future course website is “The Roundhouse Academy,” and I hope to start working on building courses next year, if not sooner.
What are your thoughts on steam locomotives? Do you find them as fascinating as I do? Let me know in the comments! If you enjoy my content, subscribe to the blog to get informed about the latest posts. As always, thanks for reading!