American Steam Railroad Preservation Association announced last week that they would burn oil in Reading 4-8-4 2100, currently being restored to operating condition in Cleveland. The group cited economic and operating challenges as the reasons for the conversion.

Locomotive 2100 was previously converted to oil in Canada, but American Steam is working with FMW Solutions on a new oil-burning system. A number of locomotives have been converted from coal to oil in recent years due to the challenges of acquiring and burning coal. The fuel system, which will also burn recycled vegetable oil will be designed to work inside the locomotive’s Wooten firebox, which was designed specifically to burn Anthracite coal.

“While the fuel will be changing, ASR is committed to properly storing the unused coal components, and having the external firebox and inside cab appearance be as it was originally built, including the firebox butterfly doors,” said Forrest Nace, treasurer and restoration crew volunteer. “Taking into account the expense of not only the coal but its transport, proper storage, loading, and ash abatement, it became evident that it would be difficult to have any remaining funds after operating at non-steam railroads and museums we are in discussions with. Additionally, the logistics of storing, refueling, and burning liquid fuel is in-line with what modern railroads and diesel-operated tourist lines are accustomed to, thereby greatly expanding our opportunities and reducing emissions.”

The purists won't like it, but it sure as hell makes a heck of a lot more sense.

It's just the way of things now, and people / rail fans need to get use to the idea that things change.

I just hope they didn't spend too much time/effort "undoing" the previous oil burner conversion.

I recall (and this might be a false recall) that the 2100 did not steam properly with the last conversion? Any truth to this? It might have just been someone blowing smoke... no pun intended.

I will say too.. last time I rode the open air car at Durango it was nice to not get cinders in my eye! :) haha.

If all people were fine with things changing there is no need for old steam trains to operate at all.

To service the 2101 ( AFT 1 ) when she powered the Freedom Train throughout the Northeastern US we used 7 captive service gondolas that rotated between the coal mine and one of our upcoming service ( display) sites, we arranged for a railroad supplied burro crane ( no longer exist) to load the coal into her tender, and raked the ashes level onto the ballast.

Saw the locomotive many times in the St. Thomas, Ontario shops, but never looked at the fuel burner. The idea for buying the loco was to run longer tour/cruise type trips, as I recall, so the notion of burning oil made good sense then.
It is too bad that an inadequate burner system was used. This was discussed at length on this site several years back. Knowing a couple of the people involved in the project, it may not be surprising that it all got bolluxed up!