Re: Fuel Oil Costs for Steam Locomotives

Does anyone have facts of pollution of oil-fired locomotives vs. coal? I heard once that ASTA's ex SP #786 "makes no more pollution than a large truck" when properly handled (Cotton, are you still around?) yet produces far more horsepower. Though I only know of what I've read I feel that an oil fired locomotive is superior to a coal fired one, far cleaner, higher BTU's than coal and better control of the fire - one can quickly kill the fire in a panic situation.

I also read that when the Santa Fe bought Alco PA diesels after the war Los Angeles wrote them up for excessive smoke production (turbo lag) while their oil burning 4-8-4's came and went making little or no smoke.

- little stanley