A
steam shovel is a large
steam-powered excavating machine designed for lifting and moving material such as rock and
soil. It is the earliest type of
power shovel or
excavator. They played a major role in public works in the 19th and early 20th century, being key to the construction of railroads and the
Panama Canal. The development of simpler, cheaper
diesel-powered shovels caused steam shovels to fall out of favor in the 1930s.