In my opinion, team can be/is as reliable than diesel. The main perception issue is that when they break down, you can not go to Baldwin, Cooke, Lima etc to purchase a replacement part off-the-shelf. You can with GM and GE diesels. But what about BLH diesels (for example)?
The general public does not seem to understand that steam power is antique power. It is like a Model "T" or Model "A" Ford. The parts are not available off-the-shelf and so when something breaks, you need back-up power to complete the run in a timely manner and be able to pull the steamer off until the part is repaired or remanufactured in what might be called a black smith shop way.
There are many stories around about today's people not understanding steam. I know of three where operators of boilers did not like the hissing of escaping steam all the time and so tied the safety valve shut instead of not over-feeding the firebox.
Oh well.I think that those people that work in keeping WWII aircraft flying and antique cars and belt driven machine shops going have a better understanding of this problem than do the instant gratification mob that is out there today.
I was on the first public ride of Atlanta & West Point 290 (c1989). The twin Southern Fs were on it also (4898 and 4899 if I recall correctly). It was also 290s first long distance run. She pulled up down to Macon from Atlanta on the Southern main and in Macon something wasn't quite right. 290 was removed and the Fs returned us to Atlanta over the old CofG main. Comments were , as you say, steam is unreliable until someone informed the unlearned person the story behind maintaining an antique with no off-the-shelf parts.
I am sure many operations know about this. The Atlanta to Macon distance is about 80 miles, not much longer than the C&TS. The only issue was that the shops were in Birmingham AL.
If I recall correctly, 290 just needed a slight adjustment on the wedges and the beearing ran cool all the way back to Atlanta.
Doug
