Are Steam Traction engines Expensive ?

Question

Is it possible to purchase a stema traction Engine in order to produce electricity.

I would like to know roughly
how much they cost

what sort of Out put they produce

also in terms of Fuel, Preferably wood fired, but how much fuel would be required to keep it going.....

The reason I ask is that I have a forest to the rear of my place, I burn wood for heating and hot water, I thought It might be possible to, to heat a boiler to produce steam and power some kind of turbine ?

Answer 1

Kind of expensive really. They are just like a locomotive. They need regular maintenance and servicing, there boilers need inspecting regularly etc etc. Also, a friend of mine at one time was heavily involved with a "Showmans" engine and his recollections were that "Generating" (as it is called) is a very skilled job. You can't just set the thing off and forget it for the night, and the Dynamo's take alot of energy to keep them running so you're constantly topping up the boiler and feeding the fire.

Also imagine the cost of an alternator and it's associated swich gear, installation costs etc.

The "Showmens engines" you see at steam rallies are very much expensive toys for the few that can afford them. When the UK was the "Workshop to the world" you could find a highly skilled engineer on every street that could and would be able to make parts and service this type of engine, now adays, you're looking at "Specialists" with special prices to match.

A rough figure for a running engine can be anything from 35k - 100k and even more for something really special.

In the long term, your £87 direct debit electric bill will be a hell of a lot less to pay.

Answer 2

I'll muddy the waters a bit more: Steam engine - a device that converts steam pressure (energy) into motion Traction engine - a steam powered tractor used for road haulage and when stationary as a power source for agriculture and fairgrounds. Steam Locomotive - a steam powered vehicle used for pulling (or pushing) heavy loads , normally on rails (a steam train) but also on roads (very heavy haulage tractors are still called locomotives today even if Diesel powered) Portable or Stationary engine - a (steam) engine that produces motion for external use, but cannot move using it's own power

Answer 3

Look up Fred Dibna's videos and books, Steam Traction Engines are for enthusiast who wish to burn money.

Answer 4

Thunderstruck's got it. I like that, expensive with a capital "F"!

If you want back-up power for off-mains use, you'd be better off with a petrol or diesel generator, and they will still be more expensive than mains.

Steam engines are beautiful things, but only for people of immense knowledge and engineering ability.

Answer 5

Norfolk Southern Railroad had a couple in Birmingham AL. that they ran little excursions with up until a few years ago and they spent about $1,000,000 a year on each one just to rebuild each engine.

Answer 6

Lets just say if they were cheap, cheap to run and produced plenty of output to drive a dynamo or such that was capable of producing plenty of electricity.......WE WOULD ALL HAVE ONE!