Steam Powered Buses

Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM · September 22, 2024, 05:27:30 AM

In the beginning, buses were Steam Powered. What fun this must have been traveling in from New York to Los Angeles aye?

Dave5Cs · September 22, 2024, 08:54:28 AM

Was just reading about Elon's or is it Leon? whatever he is coming out with what he calls a Water engine in his cars now. Hydrogen will be the fuel.

Iceni John · September 22, 2024, 06:50:37 PM

This is the world's only operating steam-powered bus, attacking the hills of Whitby in England:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qMM55BfJ6s

John

CrabbyMilton · September 23, 2024, 04:45:00 AM

Gee, how practical. Now if they had a completely enclosed coach with the power unit pulling it, then perhaps it would be ok. That red one looks interesting. Thanks for posting that.

Dreadnought · September 28, 2024, 03:05:35 PM

I'm going to guess that traction engines weren't popular in the USA

https://youtu.be/beDEaBmgFic?si=YfRMo-sEyIX37XZn

CrabbyMilton · September 30, 2024, 04:13:46 AM

That looks like a hilarious movie. I LOL'd at the spanking scene. The only actor I recognized is Alan Hale.

Coach_and_Crown_Guy · September 30, 2024, 04:44:43 PM

I have a clear recollection of Bill Lear, famous for the Motorola Radio company, Lear Jets, and many
other innovations and businesses, designing and building into a GMC Fishbowl transit bus a prototype
demonstration engine/boiler/drive-line/working fluid substitute he called "Learsium(?)" (of course he did).

The basic idea was to completely seal the system so the used Steam(learsium) was captured and recycled
after use and not vented overboard like in most steam applications. I saw a publicity picture of the thing
in some publication years ago and always wondered how it turned out. This was in the 70's 80's or
thereabouts. The idea was a good concept so you don't have the issue with always needing water for the used steam, and the learsium was a very special and secret formula never revealed of course. I guess it didn't work out so well since nobody even remembers the attempt today. But he did build the demonstrator and it did drive around for testing. But not for very long, it was finally abandoned.