Modern steam

In practise

No steam locomotive ever built included all the available proven techniques to maximize its performance in service.
This fact, more than any other factor, is what lead to the downfall of world steam.

That all this is more than just theory is proved numerous concrete cases. I don't pretend to be complete in the following list I will extend it in due course.
The links lead to more cases.

1981	-	South Africa rebuilds a Class 25 with great effect (SAR Class 26).
1998	-	A reconstruction of the 52 8055 by SLM Winterthur proves that a steam locomotive can be as economical as a diesel
1992	-	SLM builds a batch of new steam locomotive for tourist railways
2001	-	The FCAF applies profound modifications to its Garratt. In 2006 FCAF orders a second Garratt based on the same principles.
2004	-	The Kirklees Light Railway applies both GPCS as well as Lempor exhausts
2005	-	Locomotive 29 of the Grand Canyon Railway is fitted with a Lempor exhaust, increasing its power by 25%
2006	-	Mount Washington Railway converts one of its old rack steam locomotive to bio fuel firing making it effectively the worlds first bio-diesel steam locomotive.
Today	-	There is still a small group of dedicated engineer involved in improvement of the Stephensonian steam locomotive. In 2006 a conference in York was held. Jos Koopmans presented his theses on improvements of the exhaust
		Detailed plans exists to create new steam locomotive based on these modern concepts
	England
	-	Development of an entirely new class 5AT
	-	Building a fully new Peppercorn A1, a class of which all members have been cut up in 1966
	Switzerland
	-	Today DLM, a dissociation of former SLM, under Roger Waller strives for building new steam locomotives

These developments are more than just nostalgia. They hyper modern machines

More information on the internet:

Overview of modern and modernized steam locomotives
Overview of current activities
List of relevant articles
Photo's of modern and modernized steam locomotives