Steam & Excursion > Eritrea Steam

Does anyone know where Eritrea is? I certainly didn't until word started getting out about a wonderful rail system built by the Italians, largely destroyed during the war for independence and then completely re-built and steam worked. Railfans began coming from all over the world to see and photograph this unique railway.  Eritrea is located on the east coast of northern Africa, across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia. It was taken over by the English during WWII and annexed to Ethiopia in 1950. The long fight for independence ended in the early 1993. Rebuilding of the railway began in 1994. My only visit was in October, 2008 with the Locomotive Club of Great Britain. Both Class 440 and 442 locomotives were used on the tour.  Here, two Class 442's, No's 54 and 55 are seen at the most famous location on the line...the Devil's Gate. Here the railway makes a complete loop around the mountain and emerges on the other side gaining elevation.  Two German tour operators, Far Rail and Tanago continue to offer tours to Eritrea. Currently, portions of the line are washed out leaving only access to the western most scenic sections of the line. Eritrea as a very poor but safe country as long as you stay away from land mines in the border areas,  with 50% Muslim and 50% Christian populations living side by side. The future of the railway is uncertain. Plans to haul freight from the port of Massawa haven't materialized and the steam crews, some in their 90's aren't getting any younger. Coal availability is also an issue. So like many other steam destinations, go while you still can. 

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Excellent!  Please put up more of this.

What a great scene.
Bob

Three  more as requeted. The first one features the slightly smaller class 440. I also forgot to mention the track gauge in case anyone is interested. It's 950mm. 

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Location, Location, Location!  These shots all have great location, and features that make them nice, even though I am not that fond of tank engines.
One wouldn't know these were charter pics with all the everyday things going on. Nice captures.
Greg
 

Thanks Greg. On some of the charters, the organizers have paid small sums to locals (lots of money to them) to be "passengers" on the photo trains. That also adds to the illusion that they are real working trains. 

Great work on a wonderful trip.    Thank you.

There was a kid that did a program on this country at Winterail a few years ago and the interest has really taken off since then.

Thank you for these photos, an interesting country. I found it interesting that in the last photo it looks like buildings were built under the arches of the railway bridge.

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Thanks Greg. On some of the charters, the
> organizers have paid small sums to locals (lots of
> money to them) to be "passengers" on the photo
> trains. That also adds to the illusion that they
> are real working trains. 

Geez, I just noticed they are both 4 cylinder engines.  Wonder what that sounded like storming up the grade, and starting up!!??
Greg