If the British can do it

Personally, I am impressed with our friends across the pond and their new A-1 peppercorn. But I can't help but feel that as the once most powerful nation in the world, we should be able to do the same thing. There are other threads on the web about building a new locomotive, and every last one is condemned by negativity. Money is hard to find, no question. The British had to raise money any way they could. Yet they built a NEW locomotive. There is no reason why a new locomotive couldn't be built in the US with the proper dedication, effort, ingenuity, and of course lots of patience.

Lets face facts though. The US mainline is ruled by massive corporations who don't have any interest in steam or any new steam technology. Mainline steam in the US is gone, and unlike in the UK, a new steam engine would never reach its true potential. Perhaps on the narrow gauge a new steam locomotive would have a chance at greatness.

A narrow gauge locomotive would be less expensive to build than its standard gauge counterpart, but finding the right design and coupling it with the latest manufacturing technology would be very difficult. BUT here a plus, castings are easier to make with rapid prototyping and modern cnc pattern making. The use of CNC machine tools would make machining parts faster and cheaper. Modern engineering and welding tech will make new boiler safer, stronger, and more efficient. There are a lot of new methods available to build a locomotive. Who knows.

But heres the big question, WHY? Is there a need for a new locomotive? Is there a hypothesis to test?

Just my own ramblings.