Steam Engines
Automobiles Of Steam
When the idea of a personal transportation was first conceived, inventors looked to what was familiar rather than trying to create something new, at least initially. Toward the beginning of the personal transport era, in the late 19th century, the main way of powering vehicles – such as train locomotives – was by steam. It was this method that the forefathers of the car explored, and quite astonishingly, it worked.
Steam cars are powered by an external combustion engine, meaning the fuel is combusted away from the engine. The modern car has an internal combustion engine, which around twice as efficient as the steam version. Yet in the past, steam cars have been more popular than the modern world remembers, so they must have been doing something right. In 1902, steam cars outnumbered all other types of car, as in the US 485 of 909 new car registrations were for steam powered cars. The main reason for this was that non-steam cars required hand-starting, a hazardous pursuit which could break wrists if done incorrectly. With the invention of the electric starter, the glorious period of the steam car as personal, civil transportation was over not 30 years since it had begun.
Yet with oil at a premium, modern minds are returning to the thought of steam powered vehicles for personal transport. Steam engines power cars by burning fuel, which heated water in a boiler. This created steam, which pushed pistons in a crank shaft which would then turn the wheels. The method is relatively simple compared to some modern car engines, but it had its problems. The sheer weight and space needed to keep the engine in made it almost immediately useless for a small, family vehicle. Yet this was several hundred years ago – could the new Millennium provide the solution to what should be a simple problem?
The answer, quite simply, is no. While modern engineering can get around many problems that were previously seen as without solution, it cannot defy mathematical fact. To create the necessary amount of steam to power a vehicle for any kind of duration at any kind of speed, you need a large external combustion engine. This alone – before passengers, seats, design and controls are even considered – makes any car it may sit within extremely heavy, which in turn makes the engine have to work harder. It is a classic catch-22.
There is also the issue of start-up time, which in a steam powered car is something of a problem. The engine may take some time to produce steam to power the engine, which in the modern world of just turning a key and pushing a button and creating immediate power would seem tedious in the extreme.
So while steam cars would be better for the environment due to their lack of emissions, the idea has generally not been returned to. Concentration is on hybrid and electric cars, whose problems seem to be more quickly solvable than their steam counterparts and more acceptable to the general market. Yet steam power is still viable and it does work, meaning one can never say its role in history is ever completely over.
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1890 Jilson Sowden Steam Engine Illustrated Billhead Antique St Paul Minnesota $14.95 |
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1990 35mm SLIDE OF OLD RAILROAD LOCOMOTIVE TRAIN ENGINE, STEAM? $8.49 |
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1990 35mm SLIDE OF OLD RAILROAD LOCOMOTIVE TRAIN ENGINE, STEAM? $8.49 |
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MC PHOTO abu-872 Steam Engine Train Transportation Trains and Railroads Trains $14.99 |
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CT PHOTO ags-234 Railroad Locomotive Steam Engine $9.99 |
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A LARGE FRENCH GRINDING WHEEL working toy for a live steam engine $23.45 |
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LIONEL 6-18638 NORFOLK & WESTERN 2-6-4 STEAM ENGINE OB $210.99 |
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A LARGE FRENCH WATER PUMP working toy for a live steam engine $62.65 |
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Canadian National Railroad Postcard Train CN Steam Engine #8407 0-8-0 Switcher $3.24 |
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MTH TRAINS NO. 384 STEAM ENGINE – BOILER BLACK AND GREEN – NIOB – VERY NICE $359.95 |
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MTH Premier 20-80003A BNSF 4-8-4 Gs-4 Steam Engine w/PS 2.0 $670.09 |
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A GERMAN BING GRINDING WHEEL working toy for a live steam engine $15.64 |
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1912 German BING MASTER TAILOR working toy for a steam engine / electric motor $171.99 |
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1930s German WILHELM KRAUSS WATER MILL working toy for a live steam engine $101.63 |
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Great Western Ry Steam Engine 1963 $3.25 |
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GENERATOR / DYNAMO for steam engines, looks like a MARKLIN ?, in working order $111.88 |
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1927 German BING FERRIS WHEEL working toy for live steam engine / electric motor $117.26 |
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LIONEL #18733 PERCY STEAM ENGINE $109.20 |
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Vintage Traction Steam Engine Cross Stitch Card $5.00 |
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VTG PAYTON TOY TRAIN SET B&O ERIE STEAM ENGINE CABOOSE CARS 7 PC SET MOLDED 50’s $8.99 |
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Canadian Pacific Railway~1886 STEAM ENGINE LARGE STEIN MUG-MADE IN CANADA~nwot $14.99 |
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MTH 20-3298-1 C&NW 4-6-4 E-4 Steam Engine w/ PS2.0-new $959.95 |
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1945 Japanese Miniature Steam Engine – Alcohol Burner – TMY Bendup Piston $1,000.00 |
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Vintage JENSEN #75 Live Steam Engine ..runs great $111.00 |
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Manzel Force Feed Lubricator with Pulley Model X-D Tractor Steam Engine Antique $50.00 |
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A LARGE FRENCH GRINDING WHEEL working toy for a live steam engine $23.45 |
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German WATER MILL working toy for a live steam engine $19.54 |
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MTH 20-3311-1 WM2-10-0 Russian Decapod Steam Engine PS2 $959.95 |
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Bachmann HO Scale 0-6-0 #4441 Union Pacific Steam Engine & Tender $19.99 |
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AMERICAN FLYER Train 312 Steam Engine STEAMCHEST + GUIDES Locomotive S Gauge AF $14.99 |
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They Made America: From the Steam Engine to the Seach Engine: Two Centuries… $15.00 |
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MAMOD MODEL STATIC WORKING STEAM ENGINE MADE IN ENGLAND $54.02 |
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K-LINE 1:48TH O SCALE PENNSYLVANIA K-4s STEAM ENGINE &TENDER-PRE-WAR-TMCC-CRUISE $468.50 |
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MODEL POWER HO SCALE SANTA FE 6643 4-6-2 PACIFIC STEAM ENGINE WITH SMOKE EXIB $26.79 |
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LIONEL C&O ALLEGHENY 2-6-6-6 ARTICULATED STEAM ENGINE & TENDER, #28011 NEW $839.95 |
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MC PHOTO adp-484 Steam Engine Train Transportation Trains and Railroads Steam En $14.99 |
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1884 Erie City Iron Works Steam Engine Saw Mill Catalog ORIGINAL Antique VG $249.95 |
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Hallmark steam engine $6.00 |
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RARE UNIQUE 1895 STEAM ENGINE PHOTO COAL TRAINS LOCOMOTIVES ENGINEER CONDUCTOR $16.96 |
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REVIVAL OF THE 2101 READING STEAM ENGINE DATED 1978 BY STEPHEN HARD $9.99 |
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Isle of Man Sc 781-4 1998 Trains Steam Engine stamps mint NH $3.85 |
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1925 RRPCGettysburg Pa Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1 Horse Drawn Aquipment $13.45 |
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Toy Railroad Train Whistle Vintage Railway Museum North Freedom WI Steam Engine $1.99 |
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IHC HO USRA 4-4-0 AMERICAN PREMIER STEAM ENGINE Great Northern $19.50 |
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Fairbanks Alaska Postcard Railroad Station Steam Train Engine Unused $3.24 |
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MC PHOTO abu-865 Steam Engine Train Transportation Trains and Railroads Trains $14.99 |
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NEW The Locomotive: Or the Steam Engine Applied to Rail $12.23 |
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LARGE 1913 EMERSON BRANTINGHAM GEISER STEAM ENGINE AD $12.99 |
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RARE 1876 Batavia NY Steam Engine Company Catalog $807.50 |
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NEAT LARGE 1913 MADISON KIPP STEAM ENGINE OIL PUMP AD $10.99 |
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ACCUCRAFT AC77-015 RUBY#5 0-4-0 LIVE STEAM ENGINE $619.00 |
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Monon Steam Engine Railroad Train Locomotive Old Photo Brooks #283 Date 1911 $14.85 |
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Monon Railroad Steam Engine Train Locomotive Old Photo Brooks #222 Date 1940 $14.85 |
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1910 Steam Engine & Thresher Parts Supply Catalog on CD $4.95 |
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CT Chicago Trib Photo Railroad Locomotive Steam Engine $9.99 |
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1930s RR Railroad Steam Engine & Train Real Photo #12 Chicago Stony Island St. $9.85 |
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1930s RR Railroad Steam Engine Train 2 – 8 – 0 Real Photo In Chicago Yards #1 $9.85 |
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1930s RR Railroad Steam Engine Train 2 – 8 – 2 Real Photo #2 Louisville Ky. $9.85 |
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Monon Railroad Steam Engine Train Locomotive Old RR Photo 4-6-0 #80 Chicago $14.85 |
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Wilesco D5 Vintage Steam Engine Steam Toy Germany- Complete w/Box $49.99 |
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LIONEL POSTWAR 2-6-4 STEAM ENGINE & TENDER NO. 2018 $39.99 |
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MARKLIN HO #3004 TM800 STEAM ENGINE Locomotive 0-6-0 $20.50 |
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1940s RR Railroad Steam Engine Locomotive 2 – 8 – 2 Real Photo #6 Hammond Ind. $9.85 |
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1930s RR Railroad Steam Engine Locomotive Train 4 6 2 Real Photo #8 Louisville $9.85 |
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MTH 4-8-4 J STEAM ENGINE NORFOLK & WESTERN (#611) Item #80-3146-1 $399.00 |
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MTH NEW YORK CENTRAL #3006 4-8-2 L-3A STEAM ENGINE Item #80-3123-1 $419.00 |
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MTH 2-8-4 BERKSHIRE STEAM ENGINE PERE MARQUETTE (#1225) Item #80-3172-1 $419.00 |
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1938 RR Railroad Steam Engine Train Locomotive 2 8 2 Real Photo #11 Louisville $9.85 |
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C I & L Old Railroad RR Steam Engine Locomotive Train 0-6-0 #35 Photo $14.85 |
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1930s RR Railroad Steam Engine Locomotive Train 4 – 6 – 2 Real Photo #13 ALCO $9.85 |
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C I & L Old RR Steam Engine Train Locomotive 2-6-0 #401 Photo Lafayette Ind. $14.85 |
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1930s RR Railroad Steam Engine Locomotive Train 934 Real Photo #14 Train Chicago $9.85 |
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C I & L Old Steam Engine Locomotive Train RR 2-8-0 #500 Photograph $14.85 |
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WOWTOYZ CLASSIC MOTORIZED TRAIN SET STEAM ENGINE LOCOMOTIVE 2 TANKER & 16 TRACKS $19.97 |
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C I & L Old RR Steam Engine Locomotive Train 4-6-0 #400 Photo Lafayette Ind. $14.85 |
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1930s RR Railroad Steam Engine Locomotive Train 2 – 8 – 2 Real Photo #4 Chicago $9.85 |
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C I & L Old RR Steam Engine Train Locomotive 0-6-0 #35 Photo Lafayette Ind. $14.85 |
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C I & L Old RR Steam Engine Train Locomotive 2-8-2 #554 Photo Indy & Louisville $14.85 |
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ANTIQUE GEORGE SOULE STEAM FEED WORKS SIGN , STEAM ENGINE INVENTOR CO SIGN $10.00 |
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Thomas the Train Engine Cartoon Fridge Magnet $9.99 Thomas the Tank Engine FRIDGE MAGNET Condition: NEW; NIP (Smoke-free home) Iron On Dimensions: 2.25 X 3.25 inches Quantity: One (1) Fridge Magnet MSRP: $10.99 ~ Great decoration on any filing cabinet or refrigerator. ~ YOU WILL RECEIVE THE EXACT ITEM SHOWN IN THE PHOTO ~ glos-collectibles.hostedbyamazon.com… |
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Thomas & Friends: Hop on Board – Songs and Stories $6.89 60 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; bonus audio CD; bonus footage; game; sing-along songs…. |
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America’s Railroads – The Steam Train Legacy [VHS] $10.00 7 VHS Box Set: Vol.1 Last of the Giants, Big Trains Rolling; Vol.2 A Great Railroad at Work; Vol.3 This is My Railroad; Vol.4 Steam Locomotive, Freight Yard, The Railroad Signal; Vol.5 Progress on Rails, Wheels of Steel, Clear Track Ahead; Vol.6 Railroad Story, The Baltimore & Ohio Presents; Vol.7 The Golden Age of Steam Trains. This series faithfully records America’s golden … |
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MM Millennium – The Nineteenth and Twentieth Century $16.99 CNN Millennium, volume 5 includes The Ninteenth Century, episode 9 (Century of the Machine) and the Twentieth Century, episode 10, (Century of the globe…. |
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National Geographic’s The Great Indian Railway [VHS] $6.97 The British Empire’s legacy to India is the subcontinent’s railway system. The largest railway under single management in the world, it covers 40,000 miles and has 7,000 stations, with 11,000 trains running every day and 80 million people depending on the train for their livelihood. With a staff of 1.6 million, India’s railway is also the largest employer in the world. Steam trains and other locom… |
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Generac 5943 GP7500E 9,375 Watt Generator with Electric Start $1,177.00 Includes Engine Oil, Oil Funnel, Plug-In Battery Charger, Instruction Sheets… |
