>>2067995I imagine the single biggest issue would be the sheer amount of noise a steam locomotive generates making it difficult to sleep (in regular service, this was partially offset by placing RPO, baggage, restaurant, and coach cars at the front of the train and sleepers to the rear).
>while steam locomotives are temperamental and unreliable for regular service (hence why it's monthly for schtick and tourists)Could work in modern times as a seasonal thing (2-4 times a year), and having a steam locomotive only haul the train part-way.
Say you wanted to inaugurate PRR 5550 with a recreation of the Broadway Limited (albeit using private Pullman cars from different railroads because there probably aren’t enough surviving PRR ones alone to put together a full consist). You could have the train start in New York hauled by the T1 until it reaches Altoona five hours later (around 10:30PM according to the 1938 timetable, or roughly when most people start getting ready for bed), then uncouple the locomotive and have it hauled the remainder of the trip by Siemens Chargers.