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Dieselisation
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Dieselisation or Dieselization is a term generally used for the increasingly common use of diesel fuel in vehicles, as opposed to gasoline or steam engines.
ail transport, dieselisation refers to the replacement of the steam locomotive or electric locomotive with the diesel-electric locomotive (often referred to as a "diesel locomotive"), a process which began in the 1930s and is now substantially complete in the US, UK and Latin America.
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Encyclopedia
Dieselisation or Dieselization is a term generally used for the increasingly common use of diesel fuel in vehicles, as opposed to gasoline or steam engines.
Rail transport
In rail transport, dieselisation refers to the replacement of the steam locomotive or electric locomotive with the diesel-electric locomotive (often referred to as a "diesel locomotive"), a process which began in the 1930s and is now substantially complete in the US, UK and Latin America. Elsewhere, electric traction has mostly taken the place of steam locomotives in the main lines and diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic locomotives are used in less frequently used side lines.
The replacement of either steam or diesel haulage with electric locomotives is known as electrification. Whereas the benefit of replacing steam traction is undisputable, there is some dispute as to whether it is best replaced by dieselisation or electrification. Electrification has a high initial capital cost but the operating costs are lower. The overall savings depend on the effect of the investment cost compared with the savings due to lower operational and maintenance costs and the influence of better acceleration and tractive effort on railroad throughput. These are obviously different for e.g. urban networks and very long-distance networks with low frequencies. However, many railway commentators are increasingly suggesting that the ability of railways to operate with electricity not produced from fossil fuels may offer a decisive advantage over diesel power. In some countries, such as Switzerland, Sweden and Japan, electrification ended the use of steam power.
History of dieselisation in rail transport
Dieselisation took place largely because of the reduction in operating costs it allowed. Steam locomotives require large pools of labour to clean, load, maintain and run. They also require extensive service, coaling and watering facilities. Diesel locomotives require significantly less time and labour to operate and maintain.
Impact of World War II
After World War II, inflation dramatically increased labour costs in the Western World made steam an increasingly costly form of motive power. At the same time, the war had forced improvements in internal combustion engine technology that made diesel locomotives cheaper and more powerful. The post-war world also re-aligned the business and financial markets, as did world geo-politics as in the Cold War (1947-1953).
North America
In North America, railroads looked to cut costs in the face of stiff competition from trucks, planes and automobiles. Railroads in America at this time also had an image problem, viewed as archaic, a fact that was re-enforced in the war when retired equipment was pressed into service. This left a lasting impression on millions of servicemen who were delayed for days in often obsolete, uncomfortable cars in obscure locations.
Locomotive size also became an issue, as steam engines became so big in the 1940s that the cylinder and boiler dimensions were pushing the limits that the loading gauge would allow. Fireboxes became so big that firing a steam locomotive became an extremely difficult job without the aid of mechanical stokers.
Unlike steam locomotives, diesel locomotives are scalable, with the added benefit of multiple unit (MU) operation (additional locomotives coupled together under the control of a single crew). Use of MU allows longer trains, exploiting economies of scale. Diesels can also operate for greater periods of time before needing servicing, so small division points were closed.
Diesels slowly gained the advantage. Weighing against the cost of, and inertia against, replacing the large investment that railroads had in existing steam power was the dramatic increase in efficiency of the diesel: The diesel locomotive can be operated by a single person, with no need of a fireman to shovel coal. Also, diesels use much less fuel and no manpower when idling, something locomotives often do. Diesels can be parked running for days unattended, whereas steam engines must be constantly tended to if not completely shut down. Bringing a steam engine boiler up to operating temperature is ofen regarded as both an art and science, requiring much training and experience. A diesel starts and shuts down just like an automobile. Diesels pro-rate their fuel usage to the length of trains, which a steam engine cannot do. Due to the modern advantages of diesel locomotives, most major Class I railroads in North America had retired all of their steam locomotives by the mid 1950s.
Also, major cities and their railyards became unhappy neighbors in post-war America. People were no longer content with put up with the mammoth amounts of soot and smoke that coal burning steam engines produced. Early diesels, while dirty by today's standards, were a gigantic improvement in air pollution over steam.
Steam engines lasted well into the late 1950's on major American railroads, and in isolated cases into the middle 1960's on small common carrier roads, primarily for yard duties such as switching. The last steam locomotive fleet in everyday use (i.e. not a restored fleet) was retired in the late 1970's. Now they are only found in historical and sightseeing roles, where the steam engine is once again the star of the show. Retired steam engines, many of which were quite new when made obsolete, often did find a second life in developing nations due to their cheap labor for maintenance and crewing, ready supplies of coal, and lack of concern for the environment.
Europe
With the exception of the United Kingdom, the trend in Europe was to replace steam traction in the main lines with electric traction. Diesels were used as an interim solution during electrification and as a permanent solution for side lines with less traffic and as switchers. Electrification is nowadays widespread in Europe. Even in sparsely populated large countries (Finland, Sweden) electrification has proven to be more economical than diesels.
The reputation of diesel benefited from memories of World War II, when military vehicles – especially tanks – using diesel were less prone to burst into flames when hit, than their petrol-engined counterparts.
In the United Kingdom the railway companies had been deploying diesel railcars and shunting locomotives for a while before the war, and the south east had an extensive electric network whose reach had grown throughout the century. Other less successful research went into more efficient and easily maintained steam locomotives. War efforts froze developments and progress restarted in 1947. Large scale change began in 1954 as post war financial squeezes ended.
The British Transport Commission produced the rail modernisation plan recognizing the high labour costs of steam and the need to modernise equipment, although catastrophically not the need to modernise working practices. The report made a large number of proposals including large scale dieselisation and updates to freight handling practice, the process being backed by considerable government funding. The last mainline steam traction on British Railways ended in 1968, although the British Rail owned Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge line remained steam hauled. Steam power has since been reintroduced on a few timetabled services, but this is targeted at the tourist market, not efficiency.
Soviet Union
Major disadvantage of the steam locomotive - large water consumption and thus small range from loading to loading - was particularly important in the Soviet Union, especially in steppes and deserts of South Siberia, Kazakhstan and Central Asia. So, experimental work on diesel locomotives was carried out in late 1930ies, delivering and testing several machines.
Nevertheless, the diesel had much lesser power then the steam locomitive, the issue was with the engine itself and the ability to produce the rail-sized powerful engine.
This was solved after adoption of American marine diesel from the Liberty class freight ship, a rather interesting 10 cylinder 2000hp design with opposite-moving pistons (boxer engine). After minor redesign in the USSR, the engine was more or less OK for rail, and allowed (circa 1950) the construction of the TE3 ("teplovoz electricheski 3" - diesel engine with electric transmission version 3) locomotive - 4000hp in 2 sections. Given the power of TE3 as large as of the largest steam engine in use, and all other numerous advantages of the diesel engine, it was decided to abandon steam engines on the rail completely, and all kinds of steam locomotives in the USSR were stopped production in 1956.
Latin America and Asia
Latin American countries employed their steam locomotives until the late 1960s and 1970s. Some nations, those with less oil reserves, such as India, China and South Africa used steam until the 1980s and 1990s. China and India have now large electrification programs. Russia or the Soviet Union electrified, and steam passenger service ended in 1970, while freight haulage continued into the early 1990s. Asian nations used steam until the 1970s when those nations modernised.
Timeline by nation
Canada
- Canadian National - first diesel in 1928; last new steam in 1944 (though the Newfoundland Railway last bought steam in 1949, just prior to becoming part of CN); dieselisation completed in 1960. Last revenue steam run in 1970.
- Canadian Pacific - first diesel in 1937; last new steam in 1949 (and last domestic Montreal Locomotive Works steam); dieselisation completed in 1960.
- Pacific Great Eastern - First diesel in 1948; last steam 1948; dieselisation completed in 1956.
- Ontario Northland Railway - dieselization completed in 1957.
- Northern Alberta Railway - dieselisation completed in 1960.
- Sydney and Louisburg Railway - First diesel in 1961; dieselization completed in 1966. Last major Canadian railroad to use steam.
China
- China Rail - last mainline steam built in 1988; last mainline steam operated in 2002. The Wuhai-Jilantai branch ran steam into 2003.
- JiTong Railway (provincial) - First diesel in 2000; dieselisation completed in 2005. Usually claimed as last mainline steam in the world, though Zimbabwe ran steam later.
- Industrial - Some steam still in use.
- Tiefa Coal Group/Tiefa Mining Company - Last new steam has builder's plate dated 1999, but supposedly completed 2000. Last new commercial steam in the world. Steam still in use.
Germany
- Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Federal Railways) - large-scale steam production ended 1955, but two more built 1957; electrification and dieselization completed in 1977.
- Deutsche Reichsbahn (East German State Railways) - passenger steam use ended 1977, but briefly reinstated in 1981 due to oil shortage. Freight steam use continued to 1994.
India
Broad (5 foot 6 inch) gauge - last new passenger steam 1967, last new steam 1970, last steam operation 1997 (unofficial).
Metre gauge - last new passenger steam 1970, last new steam 1972, last steam operation 2000 on Western Railway.
Mexico
- Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (National Railways of Mexico) - last new steam 1946, last standard-gauge steam 1968, last 3' gauge steam 1973.
- Mexicano del Pacifico (Mexican Pacific) - Industrial shortline. All-steam at least to 1991, return to steam 1994.
New Zealand
- New Zealand Railways Department - First diesel in 1936; first mainline diesel 1954; last new steam 1956; last North Island steam operation 1967; last South Island steam operation 1971.
United Kingdom
- British Rail - last new steam in 1960; dieselisation completed in 1968.
- National Coal Board - dieselisation completed in 1982. Last industrial operator in UK to use steam.
United States
- Baltimore & Ohio - dieselisation completed in 1960.
- Central Vermont - dieselisation completed in 1957.
- Chesapeake & Ohio - last new steam 1949 (and last domestic Baldwin steam); dieselisation completed in 1957.
- Chicago, Burlington & Quincy - first diesel 1934; dieselisation completed in 1960 (but see Colorado & Southern, below).
- Colorado & Southern - dieselization completed in 1962.
- Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad - Steam-using tourist line that added regular revenue freight service in 1977, dieselized 1986. Recognized by the AAR as the last US railroad of any kind to use steam locomotives in regular revenue service.
- Denver & Rio Grande Western (narrow gauge lines) - ended revenue operation in 1968, never dieselising.
- Grand Trunk Western - dieselisation completed in 1960.
- Great Northern - dieselisation completed in 1957.
- Great Western Railway - steam used at least to 1965, possibly 1967.
- Great Western Sugar Company - last steam operation in 1983. (One of the?) last industrial steam users in the US.
- Green Bay & Western - first diesel in 1938; dieselisation completed in 1950.
- Illinois Central - dieselisation completed in 1959.
- Lehigh & New England - dieselisation completed in 1949.
- Magma Arizona Railroad - dieselisation began and completed in 1968 (only one locomotive). The last US railroad to dieselise (but see Crab Orchard & Egyptian, above).
- Milwaukee Road - last new steam 1944 (see ); dieselisation completed in 1957.
- Monon - dieselisation completed in 1949.
- New York Central - last new passenger steam in 1946; last new steam in 1948 (for then-subsidiary Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, last Alco steam); last passenger steam run 1956; last steam run 1957.
- Nickel Plate Road - last new steam in 1949 (and last Lima steam); dieselisation completed in 1959.
- Norfolk & Western - last new passenger steam in 1950; last new mainline steam in 1952; last new steam in 1953; first diesel 1955; last passenger steam run 1959; dieselisation completed in 1960. Last Class I in US to build and use steam.
- Northern Pacific Railway - last new steam 1944; first diesel 1938; dieselisation complete 1960.
- Northwestern Steel and Wire - used steam at least to 1980, possibly 1983. Another of the last industrial steam users.
- Seaboard Air Line - dieselization completed in 1953.
- Soo Line Railroad - last new steam 1938 (new), 1942 (secondhand); first diesel 1938; dieselisation effective 1955, but some steam locomotives retained for a strategic reserve. Last company-owned steam locomotive used for railfan trip in 1959.
- Southern Pacific Railroad - dieselisation completed in 1958.
- Southern Railway - dieselisation completed in 1953.
- Pennsylvania Railroad - last new steam in 1946; dieselisation completed in 1957.
- Union Pacific - First diesel in 1934; last new steam in 1944; last passenger steam run 1958; dieselisation completed in 1959, however Steam locomotive UP 844 was never retired, and UP 3985 reentered serve in 1981.
- Western Pacific Railroad - dieselisation completed in 1953 (last steam operated on subsidiary Tidewater Southern).
Road transport
Europe
In terms of road transport, diesel gained popularity first with commercial hauliers, throughout the later 20th century, and then with passenger car users, particularly from the 1970s onwards, once diesel engines became more refined and also more readily available in passenger cars. Diesel had by this point long been a popular choice for taxi operators and agricultural users.
In Europe as a whole, Peugeot and Mercedes-Benz in particular developed reputations for high-quality passenger-car diesel engines, whilst VM Motori developed some significant motors for four-wheel drive vehicles.
See also
Alternative fuels
Energy policy and politics
Diesel fuel
Transportation
Spelling
Sources
- Ball, Don Jr.; The Pennsylvania Railroad 1940s-1950s. 1986.
- Barton, Bradford; Steam in the Andes. Cornwall. 1973
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- from Green Bay & Western Lines.
- ; Steam in Asia 2007.
- Durrant, A.; Steam in Africa. Hamlyn. 1981.
- from Green Bay & Western Lines.
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- Hollingsworth, Brian; The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Steam Passenger Locomotives. 1982.
- Hollingsworth, J.B.; North American Railroads. 1984.
- ; Ferrocarril Interoceanico. 2004.
- ; Mucho Bueno Sabor --- Mexicano del Pacifico. 2007.
- ; Smorgasbord of Steam (Lazy Susan Style) Part 3, Tiefa Coal Group. 2005.
- ; Valle de Mexico --- Valley of Memories. 2004.
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- Plowden, David; Farewell to Steam. Bonanza 1966.
- ; Chinese Railways; last updated Feb 2006.
- from Allahabad Rail Fanning.
- : Great Western "Dinkies". 2001.
- Stover, J.; Routledge Atlas History of American Railroads. Routledge, 1999
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- Ziel, Ron; Steam in the Sixties. Meredith. 1967.
- Ziel, Ron; Twilight of World Steam. Grosset and Dunlop. 1973
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