History Main / SteamNeverDies

A sub-trope of AnachronismStew. The cultural snapshot we have of locomotives, especially as portrayed in children's literature, seems frozen in time. [[TheBerenstainBears Sister and Brother Berenstain]] may eat too much modern junk food, watch too much TV and do their homework on a computer, but when the time comes to take the train to visit Aunt Tilly, suddenly it's 1899 all over again. The Grizzly Express comes complete with steam engine, caboose, coal car, coal tender, dining car, and engineers wearing blue coveralls and funny hats.

ThomasTheTankEngine and {{Chuggington}} continue the strange cultural confusion.

* {{PeppaThePig}}, "The Train Ride" episode.

* ''TheLegendofZeldaSpiritTracks''

** The books were first written when steam power was the norm, and the steam locomotive characters remain because they're the stars of the series. Although the Fat Controller made an announcement that Sodor would be enforcing this trope when steam did end on British Railways, elsewhere, steam did indeed fall out of favor. Much AscendedFridgeHorror ensued.

** The books were first written when steam power was the norm, and the steam locomotive characters remain because they're the stars of the series - although when steam did end on British Railways the Fat Controller made an announcement that Sodor would be enforcing this trope.

* ''ThomasTheTankEngine'' is probably the first thing that pops into many people's minds when the words "Steam Train" are mentioned.
** It's worth noting, though, that the original TTTE books were published before the end of the age of steam, and since the television show started out following the books, the series gets a partial pass on being anachronistic.
*** Also, in the early series and the books especially, some of the steam-train characters were aware that the diesels were eventually going to take over.
* Steam is also alive and well on ''{{Chuggington}}''.

* As already mentioned, ''TheBerenstainBears'' did this.
** As do ''ThomasTheTankEngine'' and ''{{Chuggington}}''.

ThomasTheTankEngine and {Chuggington} continue the strange cultural confusion.

* {PeppaThePig'}, "The Train Ride" episode.

ThomasTheTankEngine and Chuggington continue the strange cultural confusion.

** As with ''ThomastheTankEngine'' and ''{{Chuggington}}''.
* ''PeppaThePig'', "The Train Ride" episode.

This trope was more general through the early 1980s. Movies and TV shows might still portray steam trains in exotic foreign locales, but as the 20th century wound down, Steam Never Dies retreated to children's literature and cartoons, where it seems permanently entrenched.

[[caption-width-right:185:"Do you think they have wifi on board?"]]

[[caption-width-right:185:"Do you think they have wi-fi on board?"]]

A sub-trope of AnachronismStew. The cultural snapshot we have of trains, especially as portrayed in children's literature, seems frozen in time. Sister and Brother Berenstain may eat too much modern junk food, watch too much TV and do their homework on a computer, but when the time comes to take the train to visit Aunt Tilly, suddenly it's 1899 all over again. The Grizzly Express comes complete with steam engine, caboose, coal car, coal tender, dining car and engineers wearing blue coveralls and funny hats.

Thomas the Tank Engine and Chuggington continue the strange cultural confusion.

This trope was more general through the early 1980's. Movies and TV shows might still portray steam trains in exotic foreign locales, but as the 20th century wound down, Steam Never Dies retreated to children's literature and cartoons, where it seems permanently entrenched.

http://www.childrenslit.com/childrenslit/images/978-0-06-168971-0_the_berenstain_bears_all_aboard.jpg