Just idle curiosity here. Does anyone still use steam heat for trains during the cold weather? I only know of a couple of places and was wondering. WK&S and Wilmington & Western. Anyone else?

There is a mention of Everett Railroad here.

http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41320&p=268377&hilit=steam+heat#p268377

We use steam heat in Denmark.

Monticello Railway Museum uses steam heat on some of their equipment. Their goal is to eventually convert everything to electric heat.

The Everett Railroad does run steam heat, although most of the original heating equipment has been replaced.

Having just ridden the Whitewater Valley Railroad as part of the recent RPCA convention, they also run steam heat.

Jason Lamb
Everett Railroad

The steam heat on the Whitewater Valley excursion at the recent RPCA convention was a really, really neat deal to those of us die-hard steam heat fans. Some of us even got a tour of the boiler car, which was also a real treat.

The 4449 group in Portland also runs steam during their Santa Claus trains every December. And why not, since the steam is being produced anyway by the loco.

Curious how much steam these systems consume ? Can the fireman tell a difference when the steam heat is turned on ?

Mid Continent Railway Museum uses a former GN RPO outfitted with an oil fired steam boiler for special winter trains. I worked on it one year and it was cramped and very warm inside.
https://www.midcontinent.org/equipment- ... rthern-90/

The fireman most certainly can tell a difference when providing steam for steam heat, especially when taking steam from a relatively small locomotive, like our #11.

Jason Lamb
Everett Railroad

More akin to an air pump turning on ? or like a safety valve ?

Like an air pump, at least once the system warmed up and the close the back valve. The system works like a steam radiator, with the line charged by steam which creates heat.

When initially charging it, they often open the valve at the rear end of the consist to warm the pipes and blow out moisture. This uses a lot of steam, until things warm up. Then the valve is almost shut, reduced to just a "feather" of steam to keep steam moving through the lines. The cars use steam and of course you've also got leaks in the connections in most cases. It uses a decent volume of steam, but it's at a low pressure. How much varies depending on the number of cars and how cold it is.

In the early days of the Grand Canyon Railway, all we had was steam heat from the locomotive to heat the ex SP Commuter Cars. On the 64 mile trip from Williams to the GC (uphill both ways), water was conserved as there were no locations to obtain water until the train arrived at the GC. Shorter trains (3-5 cars) would sometimes carry an ex ATSF water car as a canteen. This car was trainlined for steam heat to reach the passenger cars. As a fireman, who controlled the steam heat to the train, it was very apparent when the steam heat was being used. When the water car was not being used, we worked with the train crew to turn off the steam heat as soon as practicable after leaving Williams and on as late as possible after leaving the Canyon.

I know for a fact, having seen it, that the German Harz Mountain Ry. uses steam heat for it's trains, and so does the narrower-gauge Lossnitzgrundbahn near Dresden. The latter also uses an extra turbo generator for power for the lights in the coaches. From watching YouTube video, it appears that much of UK preserved mainline and tourist railway steam also uses steam heat.

Before the steam locos went out of service at Mid-Continent, the Snow Train was heated by the locomotives. With diesel power, the GN power car is needed.

When Skip Lichter restored his Saginaw Timber No. 2, it was anticipated that it would power and heat the winter trains at Mid-Continent. So he made sure to reinstall the steam heat lines and controls. Don't know if steam heat will be needed out in Oregon, but it's ready to go.

Greetings:
Valley Railroad Co. (dba: Essex Steam Train & Riverboat) operates seven cars with steam heat (3 DL&W "Boonton" coaches, 3 CNJ coaches and one Parlor Car "Great Republic. Our Kitchen Car "Colonial Hearth" still has it's piping under the car, but no steam heat inside.
These eight cars constitute NPE 1 (North Pole Express One), usually pulled by our No.3025 which has the largest boiler (hence greatest steaming capacity) and is the best (read: easiest to fire) steam locomotive on our roster although all of our steam locomotives are set up for providing steam for heating a train so equipped.
All the cars in the NPE 2 consist (four parlor cars and three coaches) are heated with individual oil fired hot water boilers and baseboard heating radiators like you would find in your home.
The four cars on NPE 3 are heated electrically, powered by generators in a former Pennsy baggage car.
Be well, J.David
PS: I really get off on seeing our steam heated cars dripping water from the traps and the wisp of steam at the end of the train... JDC

J. David -

Seeing your comments got me to thinking about some steam heat comments made in a little book that J. Pete Hedgpeth had published about 15 years ago entitled "Terminal Tales", about his days as a junior official of the old Rock Island back in the early 1960's. Here is his take from the book:

"It was our job to stand around as the mail and other head end traffic was loaded...not that we could do anything to speed things up, and join the "steam chasers" after the train was made up. In case you don't know or remember what a Steam Chaser is (was). That's the official who stands at the head end of the train after it's put back together and the steam and air connections are made and "follows" the steam from the head end of the train to the rear end as it makes its way through the train. It was most satisfying to stand at the rear end and hear the promising gurgle of air, hot water and steam approaching the open steam line valve on the rear of the train. There was first a belch of hot water, then several intermittent blasts of steam, followed by more air and water until the line was clear and the steam at train line pressure reached the rear end and the car inspector gradually closed the valve until the proper feather was arranged and there was assurance that there was steam through the train and a reasonable assurance that departure was nigh."

Always liked Mr. Hedgpeth's description of this operation. Your comment made me think about it again.

Les