The new three-pass boiler for SS Spiez has been built by the German manufacturer Bay Boilers BBS and approved by TUEV. The boiler produces 1000 kg of superheated steam at 16 bar and 420°C. The modern steam plant with the automatic boiler and the new remote-controlled steam engine replaces the old Diesel motor. The pictures (BBS) show the boiler without the insulation.

On  Mai 24, 2018 the oil-fired NA-class locomotive hauled the first official time-tabled passenger train and is since regularly used, mainly on the entire section to Gembrook. At the same time, firemen and driver training has been  extended. The main reason for the conversion to light oil firing was the elimination of fire danger and many a steam railway in Europe and the USA may now wish to have had the same foresight. Climate change results in more frequent and longer dry periods, even in countries once famous for rain. So the question to be asked more and more often is: would you rather have an oil-fired steam locmotive or a  replacement diesel in front of your train?

The Steam Centre of Winterthur recorded a high number of visitors and all steam trains run exactly on time. The picture shows the arrival of coal-fired 52 2988 (052 988-3) with the feeder train from Rottweil, before 52 8055 took over. Photo Roger Waller

On Mai 24, 2018 the oil-fired NA-class locomotive hauled the first official time-tabled passenger train and is since regularly used, mainly on the entire section to Gembrook. At the same time, firemen and driver training has been extended. The main reason for the conversion to light oil firing was the elimination of fire danger and many a steam railway in Europe and the USA may now wish to have had the same foresight. Climate change results in more frequent and longer dry periods, even in countries once famous for rain. So the question to be asked more and more often is: would you rather have an oil-fired steam locmotive or a replacement diesel in front of your train? /puffing billy_oil-fired na-class 14a near gembrook_photo tony ashcat marsden.jpg

In combined heat and power processes, waste heat is often partly recovered for domestic heating and is therefore useful only in the cold season. Furthermore, as a result of climate change and better building technologies, the demand for heating energy is gradually declining. Combining power and mobility opens up a range of new possiblities for waste heat recovery with no seasonal limitations. For instance waste heat from a gas power station can be used to produce hot water under pressure in a waste heat recovery boiler and the high pressure steam uesd to drive modern steam powered vehicles.

The Australian tourist railway "Puffing Billy" is worldfamous. DLM received an order to convert one of their coal-fired NA-class locomotives to oil firing. This will eliminate sparks that prevent the use of steam locomotives in case of fire danger. The diesel locomotives that substituted the steam locomotives in fire hazard conditions have not been popular. The modernization has already begun. The outer appearance of the locomotive will not be changed. This method has already been successfully done with the conversion of the steam locomotive "Heidi".

On June 17, 1992 the all-new designed rack tank steam locomotive H 2/3 No. 12 had been inaugurated on Planalp, the middle station of the Brienz-Rothorn Railway, see photo above taken by Roger Waller. On his initiative the Swiss Locomotive-& Machine Works SLM in Winterthur built steam locomotives again, 40 years after delivery of the "last" SLM steam locoomotives for the Nigiri Railway in India.

The organizers replaced the bright yellow stripe by a golden one to match their carriages. On Saturday, August 12, 52 8055 run light engine along the river Rhine from Schaffhausen to Sissach, from where it hauled the El Achai peace train over the old, steep Hauenstein line to Olten, continuing to Oensingen. The old Ed 2 x 2/2-Mallet locomotive took the train to Balsthal. After lunch the guests had been hauled back to Sissach

Early on Sunday 21st May 2017, 52 8055 worked light engine to Etzwilen, to haul an Orient-Express- and a Teakbar-carriage back to Schaffhausen. In the mean time, 01 519 of the Eisenbahnfreunde Zollernbahn EFZ e.V. hauled a special from Rottweil ..