Are steam-powered cars making a comeback?

[mgb_phys]

A steam powered car just set a new world record of 139mph, beating a 101 year old record of 126mph.
With this level of progress it is predicted that the performance of steam cars could double every millennium.

http://www.steamcar.co.uk/images/refuelling.jpg
Here a team of stokers set a new steam-F1 record for a pitstop of only 1 hour !

 

[FredGarvin]

Where did they put the coal?

There was an article on this car in one of the recent Mechanical Design issues.

 

[mgb_phys]

I assume a small trailer and a guy frantically shoveling!

 

[Bob S]

A while back, I was out for a leisurely drive in the country on a windless humid Sunday morning. I ran into a fog hovering over the road. I finally saw the source: an old Stanley Steamer out for a leisurely drive on a Sunday morning. Too much water vapor emission is a road hazard on humid days.

[Added note] The Stanley Steamer did not have a condenser tube to capture the exhaust vapor and recycle the water until 1915. This increased the range considerably.

 

[Ranger Mike]

Nitro , baby!

 

[Kenneth Mann]

Actually the old steamers were efficient, clean and reliable, compared to the internal combustion engines of the day - - - but it had one fatal flaw. No one wanted to wait a long time for the car to warm up - - - just to take a short trip.

KM

 

[Equate]

- - - but it had one fatal flaw. No one wanted to wait a long time for the car to warm up - - - just to take a short trip.

KM

Not the 1925 Doble. Took only two minutes to get cranking:

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=213453



This one is fun - a Stanley - especially at 9:48... ;-)

http://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/video/clips/1909-model-r-stanley-steamer/188300/