Day 49: Flameless Steam Train

2026-03-27

Hello!

I went to a railroad museum and saw the displays of many old trains. I got to see the impact of the steam train on the US economy and its history, which was more exciting than the inner workings of the trains themselves. I'm a history nerd.

So, with spring underway, with woodpeckers drumming through trees for food and other backyard animals rummaging through my garden, let's talk about trains and the titans of industry.

This fireless locomotive could work in areas too dangerous for other vehicles — whether the weather is hot, or whether the weather is cold, this type of locomotive could work cleaner and cheaper than the alternatives. Even today, they can transport goods within industrial sites where modern-day diesel locomotives might produce lots of exhaust fumes.

I'm not going to go into the technical numbers, because I can't give them appropriate context, but this vehicle operated for more than thirty years (and served as a backup for several more years). It can't go as far (its range is limited compared to the alternatives), but every tool has its purpose.

This flameless steam locomotive was used in the factories of Bethlehem Steel. The same Bethlehem Steel that I wrote an article about, two months ago. See how I'm tying all these bits together? It's almost like I'm competent at telling stories, or something.

Anyway, the locomotive wasn't always this bright orange. Other pictures on the Internet show what it used to look like before getting this fresh coat of paint: a dark machine with yellow text.

Finally, a bit of industry news. The Communications University of China used to have separate paths for photography students, but developments in AI have forced these majors, along with translation, drama, and comic arts, to take a more general path and merge with other departments.

Cheers,
David