making the wheel arrangement B-2. Current use Steam traction became obsolete in the 1950s in the United States, and throughout the 1960s to 1990s in Europe, and was largely replaced by diesel or electric traction. However, fireless steam has its merits, especially where there is an abundant cheap source of steam, such as in industrial sites, at thermal power stations or refuse incineration plants, where fireless steam locomotives are used for shunting at very low cost. As they do not emit any exhaust except steam, they can shunt into buildings without endangering the workforce with noxious fumes. Considering that shunting locomotives are typically working for only about 10% of the time, 90% waiting for work; a diesel locomotive, idling most of the time, burns too much fuel producing nothing. A well insulated modern steam accumulator can preserve pressure over many hours, is nevertheless ready to provide tractive effort immediately. Thus the operating cost of a fireless steam shunter can be far less than that of a comparable diesel, is an environmentally-friendly alternative to the internal combustion engine. Fireless locomotives are also safer to operate than conventional steam locomotives, aside from the elimination of ignition hazards. The primary cause of a locomotive boiler explosion is the depletion of boiler water, through inattention or excessive use, exposing the crown sheet directly to the flames of the firebox without the cooling effect of the water covering, weakening it to the point of failure. A fireless locomotive eliminates this danger—if it runs out of sufficient water, it simply ceases to move—although precautions must be taken as with any other pressure vessel. Furthermore, they do not require careful monitoring of water levels and boiler pressure, or careful distribution of coal in the firebox for efficient combustion, and thus can be operated by less-skilled staff, not requiring a fully qualified locomotive engineer and fireman. Germany Several locomotive builders produced fireless engines throughout the 20th century. Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works was still building them in the 1980s. Some fireless locomotives are in daily use even in 2021. One example is the large coal-fired power station in Mannheim where coal is delivered by rail in long trains of self-discharging hopper wagons. Three fireless engines are used to shunt the hoppers on the premises of the power station. East Germany, preferring to use its abundant supply of lignite to imported fuel, used fireless engines extensively. A series of 200