>  AC> * steamers are having to stop to refuel and to be cleaned. No
> way, can  AC> these be available for long hours. The availability
> hence the miles per  AC> week for a diesel, is probably better than
> double that for steamers.
>  I'd be very wary of a diesel locomotive that didn't stop to be
>  refueled and cleaned.  Maybe not as often as a steam-hog....... 
 
Fact is that steam locomotives are simply more labor intensive to 
maintain that diesel, that's why they lost out.  A steam locomotive 
breaks, the whole locomotive is down till it's fixed.  A diesel breaks 
they stick in a new part and roll.  It's not limited to cleaning and 
fueling.  There are a whole lot more things to maintaining the boiler 
and everything else.  That's why even though the early diesels weren't 
as powerful they took over anyway.  It didn't hurt that they could be 
copuled together in multiple units and they only had to pay one train 
crew, not a seperate one for each unit as with multiple unit steam.
The individual reasons are varied but boil down to one thing, MONEY.  
Diesels are simply cheaper to operate than steam.  Don't misunderstand, 
I LOVE steamers.  I also know the facts of history.
--- MsgToss 2.0b
---------------