OGR Webmaster posted:Railfan Brody posted:Also, steam locomotives wear out the rails when the pistons push down.
Brody, this is simply not correct. It may have been true for a handful of poorly balanced steam locomotives back in the early 20th century, but it is not true for any modern locomotive built since the 1930s.
Modern steam locomotives like 765, 611, 261, 4449, etc. do not harm the track in any way. They are well balanced, so impact loads to the track structure are almost non-existent. They ride about the same as a diesel and do not involve any significant impact loads to the rails.
Rich, there were a few modern locomotives with balancing issues and excessive hammer blow problems. But they are more the exceptions that prove your statement to be true.
Two well known examples were the New Haven's I-5 4-6-4s and RF&P's 4-8-4s (both Baldwin products, BTW).
If I recall correctly, the problem was with some new theory in vogue at Baldwin at the time with regard to "overbalance" that was incorporated into these two designs (and perhaps others of their contemporaries).
The New Haven was apparently able to work out the problem and the rebalanced "Shoreliners" gave no further trouble whereas I have read that the RF&P "Generals" "Governors" and "Statesman" were never made 100% satisfactory in that regard.
Pity, because they were real "lookers".
