Environmental legislation applicable to steam locomotives?

Question

Which environmental or other legislation is applicable to steam and diesel locomotives

Answer 1

there are environmental regulations for diesel locos but I think you have to have permits to run steam nowadays.  diesel trains I think fall under the US DOT regulations...  and the regulations are asinine 99% of the semi trucks today don't blow any black smoke... and they put tighter and tighter regulations on and it's making the trucks work harder and hotter and it will just create more CO2 then if they were left alone...

Answer 2

i would imagine there is some law, if not there should be. water vapor is the number one greenhouse gas, beating out exhaust and co2.

Answer 3

Steam engines as far as I know are exempt to most regulation due to age and there aren't many anyway so theres no point in regulating them.. I think vintage diesels are exempt also (in the hands of museums) although don't quote me on this.

Modern Diesels owned by carriers are regulated by off-road diesel, Tier II EPA regs...