No argument from me there. Heck, the Durango & Silverton got in BIG trouble back in 2018 when a cinder from one of their locomotives allegedly sparked a massive wildfire.
And I'll be the first to admit that diesel-electrics are a quantum leap above steam in terms of mechanical simplicity, efficiency, and reliability. I think diesels require a third of the labor to operate and maintain a steamer, and relative fuel consumption of diesels was about 50% vs steam, and that was back in the 50s and 60s. And that's before you get into multiple-unit and (within the last few years) dispersed-power unit tech. You can run 4+ locomotives with a single crew, which is impossible with steam.
And diesels cause significantly less wear on the roadbed than steam (steam locomotives can quite literally pound the track apart) and are much less likely to explode on you. Plusto quote Doyle McCormick, "These things [steam locomotives] go into the self-destruct mode as soon as you start to run 'em." You've got several hundred pounds minimum (about 2 tons+ on larger locomotives) of reciprocating mass that's changing direction several times a second once you get up to speed.
But all that said, there's something magical, magnificent, and awe-inspiring about a steam locomotive thundering down the rails. And if there's a more hauntingly beautiful sound than a steam locomotive's whistle, I've yet to experience it.
