Do any countries out there still use Steam as their main form of traction?

[Bittern]

Just out of curiosity. I know places like Germany and Spain had steam into the 70s and China into the 80s, but does anywhere still use it?

 

[LouJ]

I spent what now seems like a lifetime chasing steam all over the world. Sadly mainline steam has all gone - nothing left at all. There are still a few dribs and drabs of steam in industrial use but these are declining as each year passes. probably the best place for steam is the sugar cane fields of Indonesia and Cuba although here the story still is one of decline.

If you want to see what you missed then visit my website. This is just a small sample of my 30,000 slides from around the world. Check out the gallery from Brazil featuring superb 2-10-4s or the large Mallets in Indonesia. If these don't appeal then have a look at the FD class 2-10-2s in China. Enjoy.

 

[Malderon]

I thought I read a few years ago that Zimbabwe was running Steam trains due to abundant coal and pricey oil as well as a shortage of locomotives. Not sure what the current situation is.

 

[87015]

Poland (and currently Bulgaria) have steam hauled regular service trains, which might not be the main form of traction, but its about as real as you'll get now I'd imagine!

 

[WatcherZero]

Just out of curiosity. I know places like Germany and Spain had steam into the 70s and China into the 80s, but does anywhere still use it?

China used it into the 00's in Inner Mongolia.

 

[CNX]

For Bulgaria its the 1210 Sofia-Bankya and 1405 return, normaly Siemens Desiro EMU's, journey time 30 minutes each way. Originally advertised on the BDZ website as being from 20th March for 20 days, the on-line timetable, which isn't always 100% accurate as it also shows EMU's working non electrified routes, says its kettle and coaches until further notice.

 

[odol]

Poland (and currently Bulgaria) have steam hauled regular service trains, which might not be the main form of traction, but its about as real as you'll get now I'd imagine!

Is still on in Wolsztyn depot. Actually nearly all of the services between Wolsztyn and Poznan are steam locos hauled. Will see for how long couse Wolsztyn steam depot has some problems with money and the owner (PKP Cargo) doesnt want to keep it on any more. But there is a few people who want to take care about it. Will see what live brings

 

[Gordon]

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The best resource for gen on steam traction internationally is the ‘International Steam’ web site, lovingly maintained by a worldwide steam enthusiasts for many years – and very helpful.
http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/internat.htm
Checking the site there is a recent report about the situation in Zimbabwe, where it looks as though there may be a bit of ‘normal’ steam (albeit only shunting)
Paraguay was the last railway in the world with no traction at all other than steam engines, and was thus the last railway in the world to operate steam as its ‘normal’ traction.
Nowhere else can really claim to have a national railway that uses steam as day-to-day traction which is not in some way ‘preserved’ or ‘protected’. Although it is ‘day-to-day’, even the Wolstzyn steam operation is to a certain extent ‘contrived’ for the sake of tourists, as it could easily be stopped and diesel traction substituted if that was the decision taken by the authorities.
However, the Paraguay situation seems to have now changed, as per a recent report to the International Steam Pages:
This was possibly the only all steam state railway left in the world, although in its final days it was very much a rump operation with the main line severed. Interest centred on three features, click on individual links below or here for Neil Edwards comprehensive report from August 2009 which includes the preserved mg locos at Tebucary (23rd August 2009). Subsequently, Asunción resident Renaud Olgiati reported (14th January 2011) - “At the Asunción end, no traffic at all, as the abutment of a bridge 3 km out of town has collapsed, the tourist service to Aregua is stopped until further notice. At the Encarnación end, I believe that all traffic has now stopped, as the rising waters of Yacyreta dam have flooded a section of the track on the Argentine side.” Thanks to Trevor Heath for this one.

I saw the Encarnacion steam operation in 1991, but since then the area has been flooded by large dam projects.

 

[LouJ]

An interesting addition to my comment about steam still in use at Cuban sugar mills is that some of these trains operate over mainline routes. In the purest sense this must be the last mainline steam operation in the world.

 

[SteamontheMet]

India still has steam bobing around as the main form of motive power, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway still use steam to haul passengers and freight up and down the mountains.
Very little on the standard mainline but I remember seeing steam in the Calcutta area back in 05

Malaysia did have a small amount of steam operating in the Cameroon Highlands when i was out their last (2006) but i fear this may have gone as Malaysia like most other south-east asian countries are going through vast and rapid economic growth.

 

[Gordon]

India still has steam bobing around as the main form of motive power, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway still use steam to haul passengers and freight up and down the mountains.
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As with all discussions of this type, there are various ways one can interpret the question.

Darjeeling still uses steam, but is it the 'main' traction, now that a lot of trains trains are diesel-hauled?

If we bring this type of railway into the equation, then perhaps even Switzerland counts as country using 'normal steam' (despite the fact that main line Swiss steam ended in the mid 1960s) as the Brienzer Rothorm mountain railway counts as well (the Achenseebahn in Austria and even Snowdon may then count as well!)

 

[LouJ]

the Nilgiri Mountain Railway

This section of rack railway is metre gauge and perhaps unlike Darjeeling has stock that feels mainline in character. There is the point to be considered that new steam locos are under construction for this line, which like Darjeeling is a World Heritage Site.

See pictures here of operations in 2008/2009 which remained the same in early 2011

http://www.world-railways.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?id=118

and here for part 2

http://www.world-railways.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?id=125

Although the line looks "preserved" in some ways, it is a fully operational railway charging standard fares and operated by Indian Railways. Fully staffed like any other IR line the railway does not feel preserved when travelling on it but retains its authentic character. The shed at Coonor is a typical ramshackle steam shed with the usual copious amounts of grime, soot and coal dust plus some diesel oil for good measure.

First went there in 1976 and a visit 32 years later was very much the same.

With new steam locos under construction the fate of this line looks certain although Monsoon rains often cause considerable damage with the line closed for reconstruction.

 

[dzug2]

Is still on in Wolsztyn depot. Actually nearly all of the services between Wolsztyn and Poznan are steam locos hauled. Will see for how long couse Wolsztyn steam depot has some problems with money and the owner (PKP Cargo) doesnt want to keep it on any more. But there is a few people who want to take care about it. Will see what live brings

Not quite true - two trains each way were steam out of half a dozen or so

and currently none at at all - they have been transferred to the Leszno - Wolsztyn - Zbaszynek run whilst part of the Poznan line is being rebuilt

And they are reaching the stage where they are more museum runs than anything.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There is "real" steam in I think it is Bosnia - a feature about it is in the current Steam Railway but it's at home so I'll have to check later if nobody else can first.

 

[Drsatan]

I'm aware that North Korean railways occasionally used steam locomotives up until the 1990s, but I've no idea whether they're used on a regular basis now. I'm aware though that steam locomotives are occasionally used for parties of railway enthusiasts, as tours are arranged for railway enthusiasts. Here's an example of one.