Fast Freight On The Iowa Interstate - QJ 6988

[@gjarneyandoc4432]

So how was the camera 🎥 doing back underneath the train 🚂 hehe 🙃 but nice capture of the train anyway so far

[@DivergingClear]

It lived to get run over another day... in fact twice this past weekend.

[@kenchester3705]

wow.. with no diesel as "protection"! that's some faith by the railroad right there!

[@andrewiantorno6942]

She's a young gal for a steam engine. She can handle herself. Again 3600hp and with almost 65.000lbs of traction effort. She could easily pull 40 freight cars.

[@locoluke4149]

To be fair, IAIS isn’t a particularly busy railroad, so something going wrong wouldn’t cause delays to dozens of trains.

[@railpicsandvids]

All steamers can handle themselves. Diesels arent needed. Name one steamer that requires help

[@blackbirdgaming8147]

@@railpicsandvids The one thing steam can’t do is provide HEP. That’s a big one. Sure, you can use generator cars, but as trains get longer, that can become impractical.

[@天の川銀河鉄道]

日本では、ほとんど海外の中古列車の導入があまり無く日本製の中古列車が東南アジアに輸出されますが、中国から🇨🇳アメリカ🇺🇸に来たこの前進型機関車は、アメリカでの迫力が凄いです。

[@Stackedwithcash]

Why is there a tank car a boxcar always right behind the locomotive?

[@DivergingClear]

The tank car is modified to to provide additional water capacity for the locomotive. The boxcar is the tool and supply car for the locomotive. This is why they are always seen together in that order.

[@chrisfrank5331]

@@DivergingClear thanks I had just asked the same question? How can the engine be practical if it needs to carry with it what could be a full machine shop with tools. Or is it for a certain period of time during a trial or break in period?

[@DivergingClear]

@@chrisfrank5331 Steam engines are labor intensive and need a lot of TLC. It's not without reason that they were replaced by diesels. Since there are not shops all over that can handle the needs of the locomotive, you just take what you need with you to cover most problems and general service the locomotive may need on the road.

[@chrisfrank5331]

Then how is it practical to use them? I'm sure the intail purchase price for a rebuilt steam engine is a fraction of the cost of a similar horsepower and traction reconditioned diesel electric. And if the engine is set up for oil / bunker oil a multitude of fuels can be used like microbial contaminated fuel that cant be used for trucks or other boilers or moisture or alcohol contaminated oils could be used with adjustable jetting, do they take advantage of this?. Yet I have seen some pretty beat up beasts still trundling down the rails without an attached machine shop. Note attempting to learn as much as possible and in no way trying to put obviously much smarter people down.

[@vena.sera4237]

@@chrisfrank5331 maintaining and running a steam engine is very expensive and labor intensive. It really depends on the location of the railroad and any available cheap fuel source that is available. Many midwest/eastern railroads have an abundance of coal, so a majority of engines ran on coal. West of the Rockies, coal was basically nowhere to be found, however oil was abundant so railroads had their engines burn oil.

[@mikeggg5671]

Steam at speed - the way it was meant to be!

[@NERRP2017]

Nice

[@dwkcamman611]

Nice!

[@dimensions2and324]

Chinese loco?

[@chrisfrank5331]

Yes