[AirlinePilot]

Cool!, some of those designs are absolute works of art.

[Newsseeker]

Don't forget peak coal.

[pea-jay]

Not. Efficiency concerns was one of the reasons why we ditched steam.

The old-time romance of a steam engine is the only thing that keeps this technology alive. The future of rail, if there is to be one will look like this

commuter rail: lots of people for short distances at low costs

high speed rail: long distance at high speeds

Freight trains: electrically powered by any renewable resource you can think of (as well as nonrenewable ones) at far greater efficiencies than diesel or coal.

for you old time folks