Steam & Excursion > Who is burning coal today?

From my recent visit to Durango and Chama, while on the train, was talking to others. Someone asked, which other steam railroads are currently running coal? It got me thinking, not many. But I thought I'd get a list together on here.

- Durango and Silverton
- Cumbres and Toltec
- Huckleberry
- Colorado RR Museum
- Knott's Berry Farm (oil)
- Cass
- Others...


My guess is that coal will continue to be shied away from. Most, if not all of the mainline steam are oil burners: UP 844, UP 3985, UP 4014 (soon to be), AT&SF 3751, SP 4449, AT&SF 2926, Black Hills RR, Cass (coal), Grand Canyon RR...others? And amusement parks are oil: Disney, Dollywood...

Not sure about the NW 611 J and the Southern 4501. Are those going to be coal?

Then, applying what is happening in the live steam arena, coal is outlawed in some states, oil is becoming more strict with usage, and propane is winning out. So are we to eventually see 'propane' or natural gas steam engines on the mainlines in the future? You just need to have a fire going.

Ok, fixing the list some.

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/14 19:18 by mcdeo.

You sure about Knott's? I can't imagine them with California laws burning coal.

Dave Toussaint
Riverside, CA
SoCalRailFan.com

Huh? When did Cass go oil? I was there a few years ago, and they were distinctly coal fired....

Steve Krause
Chillicothe, IL

Boone and Scenic still burns coal in the Chinese steamer. Also Milw 261.
Steve

Almost all the eastern locomotives in operation today burn coal, including most tourist railroads and the bigger mainline locomotives - 261, 4501, 611, 630, and 765. As for the west, the Nevada Northern also burns coal. I doubt we'll ever see large locomotives burning propane or natural gas. Less btu's and a host of other issues.

-James
http://www.steamtrainvideos.com

mcdeo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Then, applying what is happening in the live steam
> arena, coal is outlawed in some states, oil is
> becoming more strict with usage, and propane is
> winning out. So are we to eventually see 'propane'
> or natural gas steam engines on the mainlines in
> the future? You just need to have a fire going.
>
> Ok, fixing the list some.

Name one state which has banned the use of coal by steam locomotives in tourist train or excursion main line service.

During the steam era, the major railroads, which operated in the West Coast (except for maybe Northern Pacific), mostly used oil for their steam locomotives, especially SP.

Strasburg Rail Road is coal. N&W 611 will be coal. Lots of east coast. Here in Utah I dont know that there is an outright ban on coal but I do know that after 3985 came through while it was still a coal burner they asked UP not to bring it back.

Four more off the top of my head:

- IAIS 6988 and 7081 are both still coal burners. No runs this season, but they'll be back.
- The Colorado Railroad Museum has DRGW 346 and 491 under steam from time to time. RGS 20 will be a coal-burner when she gets done as well.
- The Midwest Central RR's Henschel still burns coal, I believe. (Mount Pleasant, IA)
- UP 618 on the Heber Valley RR (currently down, but will be back soon)

There's lots of coal burners still out there.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/14 19:51 by NDHolmes.

Add 1225 to the list.

NDHolmes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Four more off the top of my head:
>
> - IAIS 6988 and 7081 are both still coal burners.
> No runs this season, but they'll be back.
> - The Colorado Railroad Museum has DRGW 346 and
> 491 under steam from time to time. RGS 20 will be
> a coal-burner when she gets done as well.
> - The Midwest Central RR's Henschel still burns
> coal, I believe. (Mount Pleasant, IA)
> - UP 618 on the Heber Valley RR (currently down,
> but will be back soon)
>
> There's lots of coal burners still out there.

UP 618 will be burning oil when it runs again, as will the GW 75.

1003 Burns coal

2719 is out of service now for 1472 rework, but is a coal burner.

D&NE 28 undergoing restoration will be coal as far as I know.

After all, real firemen do burn coal.

-John

Western Maryland Scenic 734 burns coal and her soon to be big sister WMSR 1309 (C&O 1309) will also be burning coal.

Rob H.
Keymar, MD

LarryDoyle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1003 Burns coal
>
> 2719 is out of service now for 1472 rework, but is
> a coal burner.
>
> D&NE 28 undergoing restoration will be coal as far
> as I know.
>
> After all, real firemen do burn coal.
>
....and get cinders in their eyes, sore backs, have to clean ash pans, etc. Yep, us oil guys don't know what we're missing.

SoCalRailFan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You sure about Knott's? I can't imagine them with
> California laws burning coal.


California does NOT have any law against burning coal. The Air Resources Board may whine a bit, but it's not against the law.
But coal is just not available in California in the quanity needed to run locomotives.
Why do you think just about all California railroads burned oil.
Because it's available out here and it doesn't start fires.

I believe Knott's Berry Farm burns diesel fuel.

Well clearly there is a lot of coal burning locomotives out there. Thank you for the information.

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO

It is not quite as simple as 'just keeping a fire in it'. Just as back in the day when engines were designed, built yo be fed diets of fuels to suit conditions and locations, the same is applicable today; Propane may provide satisfactory heat for a tea kettle doing laps in an amusement park, but not for any sizable engine doing any sort of reasonable work.

Strasburg is burning coal an the Locomotives at Dollywood are also burning coal an the southern railway #630 also burns coal. Only oil burner I know here in the east is the #17 Steam into history and that's a new engine.

Knott's does not burn coal. The engines were converted to oil many years ago.

Jeff Smith
Lakewood, CA
RailMaster Hobbies

Here in PA Reading and Northern 425 burns coal.

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