jgp1843 Wrote:
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> The
> main fuel will be diesel, both for fire safety
> when we run on commercial railroads in our area (a
> la the recent D&S conversions), and for
> convenience, since the closest quality coal source
> is around 95 miles away and no one delivers to
> Ridgway, so cost and logistics of coal would be
> prohibitive, as well as cleanup and disposal of
> wastes. Oil has always been the planned main
> fuel.


While you did not mention it in your post, it'll be much easier to keep that thing looking clean burning oil compared to coal. Engine wiping gets old after the first dozen times so the less of it you have to do, the better. It's a steam engine and unless some disaster happens it'll outlive all of us so if someone wants to change its fuel type later on they have the option. Maybe 70 years from now it'll have a miniature hydrogen fusion reactor.