Steam Cars -- the Era of the "Whistlin' Billies"

Hi folks -- there are some areas of automobile history that I so little about! And clearly one such topic is that of steam cars. I often read old magazines at night while watching TV, and for a time it has been Motor Trend from 1952. Robert J. Gottleib was THE Motor Trend writer on matters related to classics at that time, and to say that he was a visionary is an understatement. Anyway, in December of 1952 Gottleib authored an article entitled "The Red Hot Steamers," and it is from that source that I am drawing from today that has helped me learn more about the history of these machines.
Gottlieb wrote on p. 38:
"After a firm beginning, the steamer failed to keep pace with the gas car, despite the fact that the steamer had no gears to shift, no clutch, no starter, no ignition system, and an engine with only 15 moving parts and a total of only 37 total parts in the entire car. These advantages in steam-driven automobiles have never been equaled in the gas car. The gas-driven car depends on speed of rotation commonly referred to as revolutions per minute to develop power. In brief, the engine cannot develop torque unless the engine is turning at a high rate of speed. Its maximum power is delivered at a given rotational speed, above and below which, horsepower rapidly disappears. Its lack of flexibility is overcome by means of gears, drive train, and clutch. The steamer exerts almost the same torque from one mile an hour to maximum speed. Stored energy, in the form of steam, permits the car to start from a dead stop in the middle of a steep hill. It develops tremendous acceleration and constant power, yet is vibration-less and quiet. The pistons run cool and at a an almost constant temperature so clearances are easily maintained. Sliding valves admit steam to both sides of the double-acting pistons so each stroke is a power stroke. Four cylinder torque is obtained from a one-cylinder engine, and a two-cylinder engine exerts almost continuous driving power. In addition, piston pressure is is accomplished by means of expansion of steam instead of an explosion of gas vapor, eliminating the necessity for a flywheel."

Next entry -- why the steamer failed to catch on....