When did diesel replace steam?

Diesel and electric locomotives started slowly replacing steam in 1950s. The last broad gauge (5' 6) steam locomotive built by CLW was a WG class locomotive named Antim Sitara (The last star), #10560, built in June 1970. The last meter gauge steam locomotive was a YG class built in 1972.



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Railfan & Railroad stated in 2022 that the only places on earth to see steam locomotives in revenue freight service are small switching operations in China, North Korea and Bosnia, but that these were sporadic at best. Tourist locomotives are still in regular use.

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The last meter-gauge and narrow-gauge steam locomotives in regular service were retired in 2000. After being withdrawn from service, most steam locomotives were scrapped, though some have been preserved in various railway museums. The only steam locomotives remaining in regular service are on India's heritage lines.

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Similarly, in France, about 45% of the railway network is not electrified and there are more than 1,200 diesel trains. In India, which has the world's third largest railway network, 37% of the trains are pulled by diesel locomotives, Vaishnaw had told Rajya Sabha in December 2021. That's roughly 5,000 trains a day.

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With increased electrification steam was phased out by 1977, and new trains such as the Trans-Europ Express were introduced. After the TGV was introduced in France, DB looked at how to provide West Germany with a high-speed train. The solution was the Intercity-Express (ICE), and new high-speed lines were built.

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Diesel engines are much more efficient than steam engines, but the combustion in the steam engine's firebox can be more carefully controlled and, so, possibly produce less of the types of pollution caused by imperfect combustion.

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Black locomotives became common beginning in 1880, after coal burning engines made grime commonplace. Black was chosen because black locomotives didn't show all the dirt and grime that covered the locomotive during normal use.

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Does Russia still use steam locomotives? No. The last one was manufactured in 1953. They've been replaced by other types of locomotives with efficiency rates higher than 13%.

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True, there is little or no chance of steam trains replacing electric and diesel trains on our modern rail network. But if steam remains history, it is an unusually active and extensive variety of history. Steam has made an impressive comeback under the guise of heritage, to become an enormous national asset.

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Engines may be left idling to maintain important safety related functions such as maintaining engine temperature, air pressure for the brake system, the integrity of the starting systems, the electrical system and providing heating or cooling to a train's crew and/or passengers.

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