Dieselisation

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Dieselisation or Dieselization (see spelling differences) is generally used in the context of rail transportation to refer to the replacement of the steam 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 worldwide.

The replacement of either steam or diesel haulage with electric locomotives is known as electrification. In contrast to dieselisation, electrification is not perceived as generally desirable in many circumstances in the industry, because it only sometimes produces savings due to the high initial capital cost of the process. In a few countries like Switzerland, though, electrics were responsible for the end of steam.

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[edit] History

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.

[edit] Impact of World War II

After the Second World War inflation dramatically increased labour costs in the Western World, making 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).

[edit] 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 memory for millions of service people delayed for days in uncomfortable cars in obscure sidings.

Size also became an issue. American steam engines became so big in the 1940s that the cylinder and boiler sizes were pushing the limits that the loading gauge would allow. Fireboxes became so big that firing them became an almost impossible job without mechanical stokers. Diesels, to the contrary, were scalable. With multiple power units and slave locomotives, very long trains of up to 2 miles in length were possible, exploiting economies of scale. Diesels had a greater running capacity, before needing servicing, so small division points were closed.

Diesels slowly gained the advantage. Two ways they held the field was that diesels could be driven by one person, with no need of a fireman to shovel coal. Also, diesels use less fuel when idle; their fuel efficiency is much higher. Diesels can be parked running for days, and left unattended, where steam engines cannot, and diesels can pro-rate their fuel usage to the length of trains, another thing a steam engine cannot do.

Of course, steam haulage also had its advantages, the degree of applicability of which varied. Steam engines were cheaper and easier to maintain, particularly in developing nations.

[edit] Europe

[edit] Latin America and Asia

Latin America had their steam fleets working 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. Russia or the Soviet Union electrified. Asian nations used steam until the 1970s when those nations modernised.

[edit] History of dieselisation

[edit] Canada

[edit] China

  • China Rail - last mainline steam built in 1989; 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. Last mainline steam in the world.
  • Industrial - last steam built in 1999; some steam still in use.

[edit] 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.

[edit] United States

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources

  • Ron Ziel. Steam in the Sixties. Meredith. 1967.
  • Ron Ziel. Twighlight of World Steam. Grosset and Dunlop. 1973
  • David Plowden. Farewell to Steam. Bonanza 1966.
  • Bradford Barton. Steam in the Andes. Cornwall. 1973
  • A. Durrant. Steam in Africa. Hamlyn. 1981.
  • J. Stover. Routledge Atlas History of American Railroads. 1999. Routledge
  • Hans Schaefer. Chinese Railways; last updated Feb 2006.
  • Don Ball, Jr. The Pennsylvania Railroad 1940s-1950s. 1986.
  • J. B. Hollingsworth. North American Railroads. 1984.
  • Brian Hollingsworth. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Steam Passenger Locomotives. 1982.
  • Rob Dickinson. Steam in Asia 2007.
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