Historic locomotive on track to new use
Great Overland Station gives steam engine to passenger train project
Great Overland Station gives steam engine to passenger train project
The [Topeka] Great Overland Station is giving its 1937 locomotive to a nonprofit group that is pushing the bounds of steam engine design to modernize the neglected technology for passenger travel in a multimillion-dollar research project.
Officials on Tuesday announced the station has transferred ownership of the steam engine to Sustainable Rail International, which is based out of Minneapolis. The nonprofit group is working in conjunction with the University of Minnesota to develop steam engine technology, which hasn't been a focus of study for decades.
Davidson Ward, president of SRI, said computer simulations and studies show a steam engine such as Topeka's powered by biotech fuel will cost less to transport people for passenger service than today's diesel trains. Also, he said, the steam engines will have a higher top end speed, get up to that speed quicker and burn cleaner than their counterparts.
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