Re: Coal Smoke

Quoted from the linked article:
My young friend said, “Why do you operate steam locomotives since they pollute?”
Great, I thought, how do I answer his question and why does a 5-year old boy know about pollution? There was no dodging his question.
“You're right locomotive 93 does pollute,” I said. “But then so does the car that brought you here. Your furnace at home pollutes. Just about everything we use either pollutes or was made by something that pollutes.”
End of quote.
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The young friend's question was answered, but there is a much deeper question underlying it that goes unanswered to the peril of historic steam locomotives. That is the question of why the 5-year old was concerned about the pollution of the locomotive while being apparently oblivious to the many other sources of pollution, as well as their ability to generate that pollution in far greater total quantities.
This problem is as much about perception as it is about actual pollution. While it behooves coal burners to control smoke, they could win far more territory in this debate by working on the perception.
RK