Mastodawn

Here's a thing.

Ask any child what noise a train makes and they'll probably say "chugga chugga choo choo."

Funny thing is that pretty much no one alive today was around in the days when trains - powered by steam - made that sound.

The stories we're told are powerful, often even more powerful than the evidence of our senses. We think trains sound like that cos we're told they sound like that.

Stories are powerful; be careful with the stories you tell.

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acb 1d ago

@davidnjoku Thinking that steam trains are more authentic/have more soul than the current electric trains and wanting to bring them back is only slightly more silly than thinking that vinyl records are more authentic/soulful than CDs/FLAC files, which is apparently the majority opinion

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EF 1d ago

@acb @davidnjoku there are many brand new steam locomotives being built at the moment. A P2 in the UK, a T1 in the USA, many more in the UK. The are even replicating one of the LMS prototype diesels and a Class 23 "Baby Deltic".

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acb 1d ago

@EF @davidnjoku For mainstream applications, or for specialised purposes/as a historical exercise?

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@acb @davidnjoku mainline work earning a living. A1 Tornado already does this.

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acb 1d ago

@EF @davidnjoku Are these fuelled by coal carried onboard like the old choo-choo trains so beloved by the public, or is this something novel like using diesel fuel/hydrogen to drive a steam turbine?