Bosnia: Europe's last outpost of 'real' working steam

[John Ashworth]

From The Railway Magazine, January 2012, p 100. Bosnia joins Zimbabwe!

Bosnia: Europe's last outpost of 'real' working steam

'Real', or 'working' steam (regular operation by non-preserved standard gauge steam locomotives) can still be seen in some parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially in the area around Tuzla, having been reinstated due to the country's economic situation and diesel fuel shortages.

In the photograph..., 'Kriegslok' 2-10-0 No. 33-504 stands in light steam at Lukavac on October 10 before taking a train of empties to the nearby coal mine of Sikulje.

The small fleet of locomotives in this now independent part of the former Yugoslavia is managed by industrial concerns and the locos are used to haul coal trains from collieries to exchange sidings on the national system. The 'USA tank'-style 0-6-0Ts are also back in service.

In early 2010, one of the 2-10-0s was given a full overhaul at Bukinje depot.

There are also narrow gauge coal train workings around the Banovici area of Bosnia and although these are normally diesel-hauled, a few railtours have been chartered with steam there in recent years.

In 2010, a narrow gauge 0-8-2 was overhauled in Banovici depot.