How does cid make power?

Rat Bastid said

First paragraph. I couldn’t care less about steam engines. I haven’t seen a steam powered race car of any type in my lifetime. I don’t expect to see one. So who cares?

Second paragraph. You evidently haven’t seen a well thought out Comp Eliminator or Pro Stock or any other well thought out race engine dyno graph.

What happens at 3k on most race engines is so insignificant that the dyno pull doesn’t start until far above 3k.

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Yup, Confirmed. Your head is stuck in race engines only.
Steam and electric only mentioned as comparing/illustrate the difference between torque and horse pressure.
I saw no indication in the OP post on what engine may be under consideration. I highly doubt a highly developed race engine for a class was the consideration.
Concerning 3k on the dyno is more in reference to the majority of high performance street and street/strip engines.
You want to devote your thinking to race only, then maybe a race only site is a better place for you to be.