March 1, 2004
Stealing big stuff in Ukraine
Things really seem a bit out of hand when you read about this:
Metal thieves have stolen an historic steam locomotive from an open-air museum in the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. . .It was found at a metal scrap yard outside the city, already cut into pieces. The locomotive was said to be the first ever built in Soviet Ukraine back in 1924, so experts could not put a price tag on it. . .
Experts doubt that it could ever be put back together.
Metal theft is a serious issue in Ukraine, where statues, wires and even sewage hatches have been stolen for sale as scrap. Just a week before the latest incident, it was reported that thieves had stolen an 11-metre steel bridge in western Ukraine, cutting a local town off from the outside world.
Posted by David on March 1, 2004 2:28 PM
Although an endangered species, steam locomotives remain alive and working in many parts of the globe:
Real Steam is in full retreat all over the world. I believe the following is the short list of countries where there is traditional revenue earning steam and, in most cases, the amount is very small, usually industrial and may be even seasonal:Asia: China (industrial/provincial railways), India, Indonesia (seasonal industrial), Myanmar, Pakistan, Vietnam (industrial).
Africa: Botswana (industrial), South Africa (industrial), Zimbabwe.
Americas: Brazil (industrial) Cuba (seasonal industrial), Guatemala (potentially), Paraguay (definitely!).
Europe: Bosnia (industrial), Czech Republic (industrial fireless), Germany (some of the Saxon narrow gauge services are pretty real), Kosovo (industrial), Poland, Romania (industrial), Serbia (industrial), Slovenia (industrial fireless).
More details and great photos -- love that sugar mill -- at International Working Steam Locomotives 2004.
It is long extinct, but the greatest saurian steam engine of them all was the mighty Corliss.
Posted by: Peter Shriner on March 3, 2004 12:43 AM
cronaca.com