I know it is a tired old topic, but this may give it a new slant. With the Grand Canyon Railway giving up on steam for supposedly economic or environmental reasons (depending on which discussion I have most recently read!), this link may provide a more "intellectual" slant on both "reasons". It includes results from a careful study of both economic and environmental comparisons of modern diesel & steam locomotives in identical operational situations. You may want to print it up and read it at your leisure! Enjoy!

http://www.martynbane.co.uk/modernsteam ... _flyer.pdf

Thank you for posting this link, a truly interesting read!

Steve

As I have mentioned in the past, there is a commuter rail startup study being done to restore service to the cities of New Bedford and Fall River in Massachusetts. This has a tentative budget of $1.4 billion (yes, billion) dollars. If these highly efficient and environmentally clean steam locomotives are available now, here is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate them in regular service funded by the taxpayers of Massachusetts. Think they can handle a ten car train of bilevels?

PC