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Was watching YouTube and somehow went down a steam engine rabbit hole. There's so much to say about steam engines but suffice it to say they are awesome, not lame. Heck, steam locomotives were still in use around the middle of the 20th century. Check out a steam engine power plant. They are epic machines in scale and frankly of spiritual significance to the human race. Steam is what took us from animals to beings with near unlimited power. Steam is fucking rad.

Oh and guess what, I saw this one YouTube video where they were talking about how awesome steam locomotives were because they can run on anything. Anything that burns anyways. You could even burn your W-2s to generate steam.

So I'm thinking if 0 is where we are now and 100 is mad max in what regime do gas/diesel powered generators beat steam? I estimate they only win in the 25-50 range and that's just because they're more efficient. In the 50-100 range you won't be able to buy any damn gas and in the 0-25 range steam is still infinitely cooler. Steam wins, (.75+.25×.4)% of the time, hands down, no arguments.

So I've decided to become a steam man. Like all men I've accomplished major jobs on automotive engines before but I don't know shit about steam engines.

Are there any fellow steam men here on poal? How you break into this? What about getting started with a steam powered electric generator?

Obligatory - yeah even nuclear uses steam. I mean the kind of thing where you burn coal/wood/w-2s to produce steam which then drives a spinny boy to produce the volts.

Was watching YouTube and somehow went down a steam engine rabbit hole. There's so much to say about steam engines but suffice it to say they are awesome, not lame. Heck, steam locomotives were still in use around the middle of the 20th century. Check out a steam engine power plant. They are epic machines in scale and frankly of spiritual significance to the human race. Steam is what took us from animals to beings with near unlimited power. Steam is fucking rad. Oh and guess what, I saw this one YouTube video where they were talking about how awesome steam locomotives were because they can run on anything. Anything that burns anyways. You could even burn your W-2s to generate steam. So I'm thinking if 0 is where we are now and 100 is mad max in what regime do gas/diesel powered generators beat steam? I estimate they only win in the 25-50 range and that's just because they're more efficient. In the 50-100 range you won't be able to buy any damn gas and in the 0-25 range steam is still infinitely cooler. Steam wins, (.75+.25×.4)% of the time, hands down, no arguments. So I've decided to become a steam man. Like all men I've accomplished major jobs on automotive engines before but I don't know shit about steam engines. Are there any fellow steam men here on poal? How you break into this? What about getting started with a steam powered electric generator? Obligatory - yeah even nuclear uses steam. I mean the kind of thing where you burn coal/wood/w-2s to produce steam which then drives a spinny boy to produce the volts.

(post is archived)

[–] 1 pt

This is an electrical motor. But a steam powered locomotive would be different, yes? They aren’t producing electricity.

[–] 1 pt

Not really, they both use the same basic mechanism. Both locomotives and power plants have a method to convert the energy in steam into kinetic energy (pistons for the train, turbines for the power plant). The train uses that energy to move itself, while the power plant connects the turbines to an electric generator.

[–] 1 pt

True but you can use the power generated by steam to different things. Ultimately even the locomotive is turning spinny boys.

[–] 1 pt

Locomotives use alternating opposing reciprocating pistons driven by steam to turn the spinny bois

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mhYnQGZJuM

Side note, if you want to get buff and really good at boxing, take a big heavy pole and make the same motion the piston rod has on the locomotive wheel.