Presentations and Papers
Summary - Feasibility of Steam Traction for Coal Transportation in Developing Countries
Presenter: Malcolm Cluett
Steam traction was never fully developed before it was superseded by diesel traction in the developed world in the 1950s and ‘60s, and more recently in developing countries. Despite its disappearance from the world’s railways, development of the technology has continued in isolated areas, most notably in Argentina through the work of Ing. Livio Dante Porta who pioneered many design improvements that substantially increased the thermal efficiency of steam locomotives and reduced their operating and maintenance costs.
With the current rapid increases in oil prices that appear unlikely to abate, this paper reviews the feasibility of re-introducing steam traction where fuel and labour costs are low, and presents a comparison of costs between steam, diesel and electric haulage based on a hypothetical 100 km dedicated coal haulage railway.
The paper demonstrates that even reconditioned 20 year-old Chinese steam locomotives could offer substantial cost savings in appropriate circumstances. Furthermore the development of high efficiency “modern steam” traction would offer further savings in operating costs, making it highly competitive with both diesel and electric traction. Such cost savings are likely to increase as diesel fuel prices continue to rise.
The paper concludes that whilst steam traction will inevitably produce higher carbon emissions that either diesel or electric alternatives, such differences are insignificant in the wider picture. Furthermore, is pointed out that steam traction offers potential environmental benefits through its ability to burn any bio-fuel, whether solid liquid or gas. Thus reintroduction of steam traction could generate investor interest in further development of the technology that could result in future environmental gains.
Note all cost estimates in this paper are in US Dollars
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