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Steam locomotives of the 21st century

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LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado under construction in 2002
The frames of LBSC H2 Atlantic 32424 Beachy Head under construction at Sheffield Park, Bluebell Railway in 2009

Despite the advent of electric and diesel locomotives in the mid-20th century, steam locomotives continued to be used and constructed into the 21st century.

Steam locomotives constructed in the 21st century fall into two broad categories: those that use advanced steam technology to be commercially competitive with diesels; and those built to more traditional designs for hauling tourist trains. Even locomotives in the second case likely use some modern methods and materials. These include welded boilers, to simplify construction, and roller bearings to improve reliability. For safety reasons, asbestos is not used for boiler lagging and is replaced by other materials, such as glass fibre. If the locomotive runs on main lines, safety systems such as the Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) and an On-Train Monitoring Recorder (OTMR) must be fitted.

Revenue operations

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JS-class steam locomotives were used in active service at a rural coal mine in western China until January 2024.[1] They hauled coal trains until 2022, after which a few remained as switchers. In Eritrea, steam locomotives are still used in irregular revenue and commercial service. Due to oil shortages in North Korea, steam engines have started to be brought back into service. In the Tuzla region of Bosnia & Herzegovina, the coal mines use still use WWII German built steam locomotives. On the island of Java in Indonesia, several sugarcane tramways still use steam locomotives. [2][3]

Railfan & Railroad stated in 2022 that "the only places on earth to see steam locomotives in revenue freight service are small switching operations in China, North Korea and Bosnia," but that these were "sporadic at best."[2]

Advanced steam construction

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A leading proponent of advanced steam technology is the Swiss company DLM AG.[4][when?]

On August 25, 2009, Team Inspiration of the British Steam Car Challenge broke the long-standing record for a steam vehicle set by a Stanley Steamer in 1906, setting a new speed record of 139.843 mph (225.055 km/h) over a measured mile at Edwards Air Force Base, in the Mojave Desert of California.[6][7] Both the old and new records are only slightly faster than the record for the fastest ever steam locomotive record. The next day Team Inspiration broke a second record by setting a new speed record of 148.308 mph (238.679 km/h) over a measured kilometer.[7]

Traditional steam construction

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Built

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Denmark

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Germany

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India

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Switzerland

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  • BRB H2/3 Class 6 built between 1992 and 1995, 1x for the BRB as H2/3, 1x for MTGN and 4x for the Austrian State Railways (ÖBB).

United Kingdom

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United States

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  • Steam into History 4-4-0 No. 17 "York". Completed in 2013 by the Kloke Locomotive Works. Although not based on a specific locomotive aside from the looks of American steam locomotives in the 19th century, it is still considered a newbuilt. It runs on oil instead of wood.
  • Central Pacific Leviathan, a 4-4-0. Completed in 2009 by the Kloke Locomotive Works. Now runs as Pennsylvania Railroad 331.

Under construction

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Australia

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Ireland

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United Kingdom

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United States

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  • PRR T1 4-4-4-4 duplex No. 5550: The Pennsylvania Railroad built 52 4-4-4-4 duplex locomotives for passenger service, and the last one was scrapped in 1956. The Pennsylvania Railroad T1 Steam Locomotive Trust was created to construct a fully functional 53rd member of the T1 class. The new T1, to be numbered 5550, is expected to be completed by the year 2030. As of April 2024 the locomotive is 43% complete.[43]
  • Rio Grande Southern Railroad No. 36: a replica of the original RGS Baldwin 8-18-C class 4-4-0 being built for the Ridgway Railroad Museum, was anticipated to have been completed in 2017.[44] As of early 2024 the Palisade, Colorado-based builder does not list this locomotive in its portfolio of projects.[45]
  • WW&F No. 11: The Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington Railway Museum is constructing No. 11, which is meant to be a replica of the original WW&F's No. 7. No. 7 was a Baldwin 28-ton 2-4-4T Forney locomotive (Baldwin classification 10-16 1/4 C-5a) which was scrapped in 1937 along with the rest of the railroad, being badly damaged in the 1931 Wiscasset roundhouse fire. The new locomotive is being constructed traditional techniques and tools, such as a riveted boiler. The project has been underway since 2007. Completed components include the bell and builder's plate, as well as wheel center castings and drive pins. No scheduled completion date is set.[46]
  • V&T Lyon, 2-6-0, replica of original engine. The replica was delivered to the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City in 2020 but was not yet operational.[47]

Proposed

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United Kingdom

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New Zealand

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Cancelled

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Australia

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United Kingdom

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References

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  1. ^ Turon, Benjamin (20 February 2024). "Steam operation ends in China". Trains. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b Franz, Justin (11 May 2022). "End of an Era: China's Last Steam Railroad Closes". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  3. ^ Watson, Matthew (16 March 2021). "Sandaoling Steam Locomotive Finale". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Locomotives". Dlm-ag.ch. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  5. ^ Wardale, David (March 2012). "End of the Line - Time is Called on the 5AT Project". Steam Railway Magazine. pp. 90–94.
  6. ^ "UK team breaks steam car record". BBC News. 25 August 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  7. ^ a b "The British Steam Car Official Land Speed Record Holder". The British Steam Car Challenge. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Welcome to the Great Western Society Saint Project". Thesaintproject.co.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
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  12. ^ Lyd - A New Lynton & Barnstaple Locomotive. Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways. 2011. ISBN 978-0-901848-09-3.
  13. ^ "The 762 Club". Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  14. ^ "The Tattoo Locomotive". Rheilffordd Corris Railway. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  15. ^ Rheilffordd Corris Railway (2 October 2017). "The Falcon Locomotive". Rheilffordd Corris Railway. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  16. ^ "James Spooner rides again". Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  17. ^ Johnson, Peter (April 2016), An all-new 'Fairlie' for the FR?, Steam Railway Magazine, p. 40
  18. ^ "Project Blyth". Southwold Railway Trust. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  19. ^ Z199 Australian Steam
  20. ^ "RPSI cuts frames for new-build LMS-NCC 'W' Class Mogul". The Railway Magazine. 5 October 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  21. ^ "Restoration/conversion of "84030"". Bluebell Railway - Locomotive Works News - 84030. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  22. ^ "82045.org.uk". The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  23. ^ "theclanproject.org". Clan Project Home Page. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  24. ^ "gcr567". The GCR 567 Locomotive Group. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
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  26. ^ "county1014.org". 1014 County Project. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  27. ^ "churchwardcounty.org.uk". 3840: Churchward County Trust - Building the 41st Great Western Railway '38XX' 4-4-0. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  28. ^ "4709.org.uk". Great Western Society 47XX Project: Recreating Churchward's final masterpiece. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  29. ^ "lms-patriot.org.uk". The LMS-Patriot Project - Creating the New National Memorial Engine. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  30. ^ "b17steamloco.com". The B17 Steam Locomotive Trust. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  31. ^ "cockothenorth.co.uk". Cock O' The North - Doncaster P2 Locomotive Trust. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  32. ^ "p2steam.com". 2007 Prince of Wales - Building Britain's Most Powerful Steam Locomotive. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  33. ^ "v4steam.com". Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  34. ^ "Tyseley to launch project to complete 'Bloomer' replica". The Railway Hub. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  35. ^ "newprincegeorgesteam.org.uk". LNWR George the Fifth Steam Locomotive Trust. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  36. ^ Jaman, Paul (12 October 2022). "North Eastern Railway K Class - A New Project for the 2020s". BeamishTransportOnline.co.uk. Beamish Museum. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  37. ^ "g5locomotiveltd.co.uk". The Class G5 Locomotive Company. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  38. ^ "Class G5 Locomotive Company Ltd". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  39. ^ Thomas, Cliff (November 2019). "Mountaineer III - Festipedia". The Railway Magazine. 165 (1424): 83. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  40. ^ "1863mountaineerloco.co.uk". Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  41. ^ "www.gowrielocomotivetrust.com". Gowrie Locomotive Trust. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  42. ^ Lamont, Charles. "Catch Me Who Can". www.catchmewhocan.org.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  43. ^ "The T1 Trust". The Pennsylvania Railroad T1 Steam Locomotive Trust. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  44. ^ "Steam Returns fo Ridgway" (PDF).
  45. ^ "Mammoth Locomotive Works - Portfolio of Some of Our Projects". 6 August 2020.
  46. ^ "Build 11 - Wheel Progress in 2024 - Help Rebuild Maine History!". fundrazr.com. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  47. ^ Cotey, Angela (3 November 2020). "Replica of V&T 'Lyon' donated to Nevada museum". Trains.com. Kalmbach Media. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  48. ^ https://www.a1steam.com/2018/09/06/v4-design-reaches-pre-launch-stage/ K3 to be built alongside V3 & V4 projects
  49. ^ https://www.a1steam.com/2016/10/?cat=7 V3 & V4 newbuilds
  50. ^ "Newbuild Ben Alder rebuilding Scotlands lost locomotive". New build Ben Alder. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  51. ^ "Stuff".
  52. ^ "The J50 Group". The J50 Group. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  53. ^ "4-4-2T GWR Churchward 2221 – 2240 County Tank". Preserved British Steam Locomotives. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  54. ^ "claudhamiltonlocomotivegroup.co.uk". Claud Hamilton Locomotive Group - Building a Legend!. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  55. ^ "engine61662appeal.co.uk". Engine 61662 Appeal "Manchester United". Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  56. ^ "End of the line for Manchester United steam locomotive". RailAdvent. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  57. ^ "E 4-4-0 SECR Wainwright Various between 31036 & 31587". Preserved British Steam Locomotives. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  58. ^ "42424". Preserved British Steam Locomotives. Retrieved 31 July 2024.