Does China still use steam locomotives?

China continued to build mainline steam locomotives until the late 20th century, even building a few examples for American tourist operations. China was the last main-line user of steam locomotives, with use ending officially on the Jining–Tongliao Railway at the end of 2005.



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Railfan & Railroad stated in 2022 that the only places on earth to see steam locomotives in revenue freight service are small switching operations in China, North Korea and Bosnia, but that these were sporadic at best. Tourist locomotives are still in regular use.

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The last meter-gauge and narrow-gauge steam locomotives in regular service were retired in 2000. After being withdrawn from service, most steam locomotives were scrapped, though some have been preserved in various railway museums. The only steam locomotives remaining in regular service are on India's heritage lines.

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Does Russia still use steam locomotives? No. The last one was manufactured in 1953. They've been replaced by other types of locomotives with efficiency rates higher than 13%.

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The last steam locomotive built for mainline British Railways was 92220 Evening Star, which was completed in March 1960. The last steam-hauled service trains on the British Railways network ran on 11 August 1968, but the use of steam locomotives in British industry continued into the 1980s.

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Puffing Billy is the world's oldest surviving steam locomotive, constructed in 1813–1814 by colliery viewer William Hedley, enginewright Jonathan Forster and blacksmith Timothy Hackworth for Christopher Blackett, the owner of Wylam Colliery near Newcastle upon Tyne, in the United Kingdom.

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The Fairy Queen is the oldest running train in the world. As the Guinness Book of Records documented, the Fairy Queen in India is the steam locomotive with the oldest running history worldwide.

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The Steam Locomotive Depot (Polish: Parowozownia Wolsztyn) is the only one in Europe, and probably even in the world, still operating steam locomotive depot, from which steam locomotives are issued almost every day to run scheduled passenger trains, most often on the route from Wolsztyn to Poznan, Leszno or Zbaszynek.

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West Somerset Railway - The longest Heritage Railway in England.

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But when the price of oil started to fall in the 1960s, and so-called 'dieselisation' began, it marked the beginning of the end for steam. Diesel engines were faster, easier to maintain, and cleaner.

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One of the most beautiful steam locomotives ever built, the S1 was designed by Raymond Loewe. Poor balancing caused wheel-spin and only one was ever built, for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1939.

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The 241 P 17 steam locomotive, a listed monument, is the largest steam locomotive in Europe. It was built between 1947 and 1949 by the Schneider company in Le Creusot.

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