Steam Overview

Motorized rail vehicles with steam powertrains are powered by steam, produced onboard by burning fuel to boil water .

To run a steam engine, coal or oil are burned in a firebox . This heats up water in the boiler , eventually turning it into highly pressurized steam.

Steam is then used to propel the vehicle, but also to power electrical and braking systems. Through a series of components, such as the regulator , steam chest , cutoff , and cylinders , steam pushes the engine pistons, linked to the wheels. With every cycle, after pushing the pistons, used steam is released to the atmosphere. This creates a vacuum, improving airflow and kindling the fire.

Water and coal are sometimes carried in a secondary unit, called the tender . Coal is transferred to the firebox by manual shoveling , whereas water is fed to the boiler using an injector . An adequate amount of water must be maintained in the boiler at all times, to avoid boiler explosion .

Steam engines have complex mechanisms that need to be properly lubricated to function.

Since steam engines spew harmful particles to the atmosphere, they produce environment damage fees .

Firing up a steam engine from scratch is costly and can take a very long time. In Derail Valley, this startup process is sped up when the vehicle is stationary, simulating it being done in the most fuel efficient manner, until the boiler pressure reaches about 80% of its maximum capacity. The time scaling is there to drastically reduce waiting, but can be adjusted by a difficulty setting titled Steam Startup.