How far could a steam engine travel?

During the very early days of steam locomotives, water stops were necessary every 7–10 miles (11–16 km) and consumed much travel time. With the introduction of tenders (a special car containing water and fuel), trains could run 100–150 miles (160–240 km) without a refill.



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Temperatures of Steam and Water Edit To illustrate: Temperature of the steam in a locomotive boiler at 190 psi is 383 degrees Fahrenheit (195 degrees Centigrade). This is also the temperature of the water at that steam pressure.

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On 3 July 1938, the A4 class locomotive Mallard raced down Stoke Bank at 126mph to set a new steam locomotive world speed record. That record still stands.

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The heaviest train ever hauled by a single engine is believed to be one of 15,545 tonnes (34,270,820 lb.) made up of 250 freight cars stretching 2.5 km. (1.6 miles) by the Matt H. Shay (No.

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Water Troughs These troughs allowed train crews to replenish the water supplies of their locomotives without having to stop the train. As the locomotive reached the start of the water trough (usually indicated by a track side marker board), the fireman would lower a scoop into the trough.

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By the late steam era (1930s-1940s) a locomotive used in main line service could run anywhere between 75 to 150 miles before needing to refuel, which typically coincided with a train crew's district/territory.

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In 1934, Scotsman was clocked at 100mph on a special test run—officially the first locomotive in the UK to reach that speed. The test run proved to the LNER's directors that steam power could provide high speeds, negating a plan for the company to use diesel power on its high-speed services.

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Diesels replaced steam locomotives because that's what they did - they are more efficient because they cost less money to run. This article, written by US locomotive engineer Al Krug in a series of newsgroup posts, tries to explain the power questions that show how diesels are more efficient than steam locomotives.

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