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  • Why do people love Steam Locomotives so much?

  • General discussion about locomotives, rolling stock, and equipment
General discussion about locomotives, rolling stock, and equipment

Moderator: John_Perkowski

 #1222625  by ricebrianrice
 
I was wondering why people love steam so much?
They were:
dirt
inefficient
required lots and lots and lots of Maintenance
required special fuels (coal burners)
required stops to be filled with water.
required more crews members to operate.
Beat the crap out of the rails.
etc, (I sure more can be added to this list)

But we love them, drool over them, dream of a day when they will come back, and get angry when more are not restored to working order.

I am one of those people that love them also, but I can not figure out why. Can someone help me?
 #1222649  by scottychaos
 
dirty - (has no personal impact on railfans and model railroaders who love steam)
inefficient - (has no personal impact on railfans and model railroaders who love steam)
required lots and lots and lots of Maintenance - (has no personal impact on railfans and model railroaders who love steam)
required special fuels (coal burners) - (has no personal impact on railfans and model railroaders who love steam)
required stops to be filled with water. - (has no personal impact on railfans and model railroaders who love steam)
required more crews members to operate. - (has no personal impact on railfans and model railroaders who love steam)
Beat the crap out of the rails. - (has no personal impact on railfans and model railroaders who love steam)

All of those things are basically a non-issue in explaining why people love steam locomotives so much! ;)
they simply aren't part of the equation.

Scot
 #1222669  by MEC407
 
People often perceive steam locomotives as being "alive," almost like a living/breathing organism. There's also the fact that most male humans are instinctively drawn to fire. I think that has a lot to do with it. And by design, many of a steam locomotive's moving parts are visible, which many people find fascinating and/or aesthetically pleasing.
 #1222684  by Desertdweller
 
I think what appeals to people (men, anyway), is that steam locomotives are so animated. The mechanism that makes them move is so visible and obvious. nothing like a Diesel.

Most of the railfans never have to work on these monsters, as Scotty implies. "Work is fascinating. I can watch it for hours."

But some of those fans would really like to try working on one. Some pay good money to do so.

And others, who work on regular locomotives in their jobs, still look forward to working on these steam locomotives.

The power of a steam locomotive is out there for all to see. And hear. And smell. Even people who are not railfans are attracted to them.

Les
 #1222889  by wolfman
 
i am a retired driver in the uk and was a fireman on steam loco,s.every day was a challenge as every loco even of the same class operated differently.this challenge created a strong bond between footplatemen (drivers&firemen) we all worked together, we were all in the same union.it was this atmosphere that made us love steam engines.sadly as the end of steam got closer, a lack of maintenance made the job harder and harder,and the entering of the diesel age was welcomed with open arms.but with it went the comradeship.yes they were dirty,yes they were hard work but by god we enjoyed every minute of it.in old age i can look back with pride on an era where we worked hard,played hard and it was the steam locomotive that played a leading part.yes i love them and thankfully i can still see them in action on britains main line railways.
 #1222936  by GSC
 
I was active with a railroad museum for over forty years. In the course of those years, I worked on running steam locos, restored non-running steam locos, studied how they worked (lots of books were available to us), painted them, did most anything and everything required in running them, including obtaining a license to run them.

Everything listed above about them is true. But having your grubby hands all over one, sitting in that right hand seat running one, with little kids and adults looking up and wishing they were you, as the commercials say, is priceless.

When I was little, I wanted to be a locomotive engineer. Although it was in museum service and not blasting down the high iron, I still got my wish.
 #1223070  by johnthefireman
 
I agree with much of the above. I'd highlight a couple of the things which have already been said.

- It's as if they're alive. Every one is unique. You have to be in empathy with your locomotive, understand it, get to know its character and quirks.

- It's dirty. I spend too much of my time sitting behind a computer, so whenever I can I love to get my hands dirty on a steam loco. I'm a volunteer steam locomotive fireman in my spare time, and also spend a lot of time helping to restore and maintain steam locomotives.
 #1224408  by Gadfly
 
johnthefireman wrote:I agree with much of the above. I'd highlight a couple of the things which have already been said.

- It's as if they're alive. Every one is unique. You have to be in empathy with your locomotive, understand it, get to know its character and quirks.

- It's dirty. I spend too much of my time sitting behind a computer, so whenever I can I love to get my hands dirty on a steam loco. I'm a volunteer steam locomotive fireman in my spare time, and also spend a lot of time helping to restore and maintain steam locomotives.
Summed up? Visual Impact! If you must WORK with them...........well, can be a wee bit different story! When I was working in the early days, we had the steam excursion program and I was around the steamers somewhat often. People, of course, loved them--even the RR workers. But there was a "catch". Fun to watch, but an entirely different thing when a steam train was in the yards awaiting an excursion trip! We clerks were TRIPPING over people trying to do our usual jobs as crowds with cameras filled the passenger station. Some of the die-hard fans would try to come into the yard office or Freight House and we were constantly shoo'ing them out. "AAAAAAANK! You can't come in here!!!" The phones would almost jump off the hook with people wanting to know when the steam train was arriving, etc. One time people flooded the yard and offices so badly, the Superintendent shut down ALL operations IN PLACE for fear of someone getting hurt. He had to get the Railroad Detectives to run the people OUT of the yard area! They were milling about the Roundhouse trying to gawk and snap pics of the locomotive.
We had to guard everything and tie everything down to keep people from stealing stuff for souvenirs. Our yard activities slowed to a crawl, and we tended to get a bit grumpy over all the hoopla. Often we'd try to mark off sick or take vacation days to keep from fooling with the steam train, but usually the Terminal Agent would say, "NO!!!! Don't you even THINK about marking off sick while that thing is in town!!!!!"
OTH, the steamers were "interesting", and I actually deadheaded on some of them. I rode the cab several times. Why? Because I COULD!!!!! I rode into Charlotte, NC one evening with a couple fans looking longingly up at us easing down to a stop aboard ex C & O 2-8-4 2716. I thought as we stopped, I just bet I could have "sold" that ride to those fellas for $500!!! :P They looked at US with such a look of longing. I snapped a picture of that engine that I still have on my wall at home.

Love 'em or hate 'em, they are/were interesting machines. I am glad that I was able to partake of that part of railroading as well. Standing out there and handing up orders to Sou 4501 made 1981 seem like 1941! :-)

GF
 #1224596  by GSC
 
The shear attraction and "attractive nuisance" that a running steam loco can be can sometimes pose problems. Such as, "Get out of the way! I can't steer around you!"

Not a few times I've been tempted to open the cylinder cocks and give it a little steam as I move through the people standing so close to the track. I didn't, but I sure was tempted.
 #1226411  by SouthernRailway
 
As someone who isn't attracted to steam locomotives, perhaps people like them because they're basically gone and aren't something you see every day.

I can see liking old planes, old cars and old steam locomotives...although I don't particularly care for any of them.
 #1235589  by scharnhorst
 
How about this for a fun photo A Ukrainian Railroad Crossing Sign that I saw in July 2013. Putting a diesel locomotive on a sign just dose not do it when thinking about trains I guess.
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