Can steam locomotives be sustainably operated?

Steam traction is unique in its capability to burn almost any solid or liquid form of bio-fuel. Steam locomotives in the past have successfully burned carbon-neutral fuels such as wood, biomass, coconut fibre, sugar-cane waste and the only limit to these sort of fuels is the calorific value available (Newman, 2008 Feasibility of steam traction for coal transportation in developing countries). The Grand Canyon Railway in the United States has successfully fuelled its 1923-built steam locomotive on recycled vegetable oil, one of many actions undertaken in the process of gaining ISO-14001 certification of its environmental management system. The vegetable oil is filtered and centrifuged to remove particulates and remove water introduced by cooking processes – which is a very low level of refinement. [ www.thetrain.com/Steam-Event-7275.html ]

Provided that sustainable sources of biofuel are available at required calorific value, it is highly probable that the Rimutaka Incline Railway operation can become carbon-neutral.

FAQ items


1	What is the history of the Rimutaka Incline Railway?
2	How did the restoration proposal originate?
3	What progress has the Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust made?
4	What other approvals are necessary before construction can proceed past Maymorn?
5	What is the application to Greater Wellington Regional Council seeking?
6	What is the cultural significance of the Rimutaka Incline Railway?
7	What is the International significance of the Rimutaka Incline Railway?
8	What is the significance of the Rimutaka region?
9	Have railway reinstatements been successful elsewhere?
10	What community consultation has taken place?
11	Will any private properties be affected?
12	Where will the main station and operational base be located?
13	How will Maymorn be connected with the heritage railway formation?
14	What is the plan for Kaitoke?
15	How will vehicles access Mount Climie?
16	What access changes will there be for Greater Wellington Regional Council forest activities?
17	How will current walking and cycling activities be catered for?
18	How will heritage features of the route be protected?
19	Are the tunnels safe to use?
20	Will the old timber bridges on the line be used?
21	How will the line be constructed?
22	How will the railway formation be restored?
23	What will the reinstated railway track look like?
24	Who will construct the railway?
25	What locomotives will be used to build and operate the line?
26	What about the Fell locomotives?
27	What carriages will be used?
28	Who will operate the line?
29	What is the broad construction timeline?
30	How much will the railway cost to build?
31	How will the railway construction be funded?
32	What communication systems will be needed?
33	What emergency management procedures will be in place?
34	How will the railway affect tourism in Upper Hutt and the Wellington region?
35	What employment opportunities will be created by the railway?
36	What is the likely effect on wildlife?
37	What effects will there be for Tunnel Gully Scenic Reserve?
38	What is the likely effect on registered heritage items?
39	What effects will there be for tangata whenua?
40	How will the heritage character and intrinsic fabric of the railway be retained?
41	How will items of intrinsic heritage fabric be protected?
42	Will original cuttings and embankments be retained?
43	How will the risk of fire be managed?
44	How will weeds be controlled?
45	What will be done to protect significant vegetation?
46	What will be done if significant flora, fauna or cultural artefacts are discovered?
47	What will be done to minimise environmental impacts during construction, and how will construction works be rehabilitated?
48	How will traffic and parking demands at Maymorn and Kaitoke be managed?
49	How will current walking, cycling and other recreational activities along the rail trail be catered for?
50	How are effects at Maymorn being managed?
51	How will effects at Kaitoke be managed?
52	How will the railway be operated safely?
53	What impact will additional visitors make to the area?
54	Who will be responsible for the on-going viability of the railway?
55	Can steam locomotives be sustainably operated?