Diesel-fueled steam

[nkalanaga]

Looking at the D&SNG, I got to wondering.  They now have three different fuels.  Coal for the original steam, oil for the rebuilt steam, and diesel for the diesels.  How hard would it be to convert a steam loco to burn diesel instead of oil?  Offhand, I would think it would be simple, just change the pumps and whatever devices put the oil into the firebox.

Anyone know of someone doing it?

Railroads have diesel fueling facilities at every terminal, and tank trucks are everywhere, so it would seem to be easier for mainline steam than finding fuel oil.

[Jbub]

Looking at the D&SNG, I got to wondering.  They now have three different fuels.  Coal for the original steam, oil for the rebuilt steam, and diesel for the diesels.  How hard would it be to convert a steam loco to burn diesel instead of oil?  Offhand, I would think it would be simple, just change the pumps and whatever devices put the oil into the firebox.

Anyone know of someone doing it?

Railroads have diesel fueling facilities at every terminal, and tank trucks are everywhere, so it would seem to be easier for mainline steam than finding fuel oil.

My assumption is that it would be much more expensive to fire a steam loco with a refined fuel like diesel vs bunker oil. There's only a slight increase in cost to store two types of fuel because of the separate containment units.

[wazzou]

Oil fired Steam engines have an atomizer which breaks the Bunker C into a misted spray, more or less.
I'd imagine that Diesel and/or Kerosene can be used, probably requiring less heating of the fuel oil tank and would atomize the same.

[Missaberoad]

2816 Runs off Diesel, it has since they originally rebuilt it in the early 2000s. Not sure what they had to do if anything but it is possible.

[Angus Shops]

I recall that Royal Hudson 2860 ran on waste/used lube oil..?

[learmoia]

2816 Runs off Diesel, it has since they originally rebuilt it in the early 2000s. Not sure what they had to do if anything but it is possible.

Any idea if it's more or less efficient than a diesel locomotive?  (MPG wise?)

[nkalanaga]

Thank you, everyone.

Yes, diesel is more expensive than bunker oil, but in some areas, it's also much easier to find in quantity.  If one is only running one or two steamers, like UP for an example, the convenience might outweigh the extra cost.

But I was more interested in whether it would be practical to do it, or if there was some physical or legal reason not to.  If 2816 does it, then it's obviously practical, if not economical for everyone.