Eritrean steam sunrise

Eritrean Railways

Eritrean steam sunrise

Eritrean steam sunrise

11 Dec 2014 17 2 837
1915 built small Mallet 440-008 may be leaking a lot of steam but it still performed well with this short freight approaching the summit of the line to Asmara at sunrise. Sadly this may be its swansong as the future of steam operations on this line is in doubt unless coal supplies can be secured.
Run dry

Run dry

02 Dec 2014 8 2 781
A lonely water column awaits the traveller on the trackbed of the old railway at Zazzega between Keren and Asmara. At the top of a long climb at 1 in 30 for eastbound trains it would have been a welcome sight for hard pressed loco drivers. The torpedo tank that had supplied this column was nearby having been tumbled from its mountings.
Nefasit departure

Nefasit departure

05 Dec 2014 11 1 1065
A local girl watches Mallet 442-59 make a spirited start towards Asmara from the village of Nefasit on the Eritrean Railway.
Devil's Gate

Devil's Gate

10 Dec 2014 14 1 836
One of the signature views for the Eritrea Railway is the Devil's Gate at Shegereni. This is one take on the subject with a Mallet passing with a short freight.
Bridging the valley

Bridging the valley

10 Dec 2014 27 7 926
Double-headed Mallets climbing towards Asmara and crossing the viaduct west of Arbaroba on the Eritrea Railway.
Climbing beyond the village

Climbing beyond the village

06 Dec 2014 4 1 644
A Mallet with a short freight train digs into the steep climb above the village of Nefasit on the Eritrean Railway.
Water stop

Water stop

12 Dec 2014 2 1 473
Local people fill their containers at a spring close to the line above Arbaroba on the Eritrea Railway.
Approaching Devil's Gate

Approaching Devil's Gate

12 Dec 2014 25 3 721
A freight working dashes along the ledge high on the mountainside on the approach to Devil's Gate on the Eritrea Railway.
Steaming on the edge

Steaming on the edge

12 Dec 2014 7 1 419
Eritrean Railway Mallet 442-55 dashes along the ledge towards the Devil's Gate with a short freight. It's a long way down if it comes off the rails!
Sunrise at the summit

Sunrise at the summit

12 Dec 2014 2 401
The sun rises behind a train on the Eritrean Railway close to the summit just before reaching the capital city of Asmara.
Crossing the viaduct

Crossing the viaduct

10 Dec 2014 6 3 506
On the climb towards Asmara a train headed by a pair of Mallets crosses the viaduct west of Arbaroba on the Eritrea Railway.
Back to Asmara

Back to Asmara

10 Dec 2014 3 295
Light is fading and the sun is setting as a pair of Mallets head for Asmara having completed the main climb from Arbaroba on the Eritrea Railway.
Nefasit

Nefasit

05 Dec 2014 8 2 336
A Mallet leads its train on a brisk start out of Nefasit on the Eritrea Railway. The prickly pear is even trying to establish in the village.
Arbaroba viaduct

Arbaroba viaduct

05 Dec 2014 4 2 386
A train accelerates over the short viaduct at Arbaroba on the climb towards Asmara on the Eritrea Railway. A Mallet locomotive leads the way.
Mallet in charge

Mallet in charge

05 Dec 2014 7 1 304
Train leaving Arbaroba on the final climb towards Asmara on the Ertitrean Railway. The Mallet locomotives on this line were once very capable but are now very run down.
Asmara departure

Asmara departure

04 Dec 2014 3 174
Breda built locomotive with a short train leaving the main station in Asmara, Eritrea. Six of these locomotives survive here but only two may yet be steamable.
Water supplies

Water supplies

04 Dec 2014 3 1 248
Water tower at the railway repair works in Asmara on the Eritrean Railway.
Asmara sunset

Asmara sunset

04 Dec 2014 10 3 226
Heading back to Asmara on the Eritrean Railway.
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