What will happen to the steam trains kept in operation by enthusiasts, on secondary lines that attract millions of tourists every year?

It is a question that we struggle to answer, as the energy crisis triggered by the war between Ukraine and Russia and the subsequent embargo by the European Union on Russian coal, has seriously difficulty in the circulation of steam trains.

The progressive closure over the years of European coal mines, dictated by the need to reduce the climatic impact of this fossil source, has created a dependence on those countries that they continue to produce it like Russia.

Today the historic railways have very low coal stocks and the difficulty of finding the new raw material, in other countries, is dictated by both the lack of availability on the market , due to both of the strong international demand for energy, both because the quality of the coal needed to run the trains must be such as to be able to develop a specific calorific value.

We do not think that historic railway lines are a small thing in the tourism economy, as there are about 150 historic companies that run their trains in Great Britain alone for about 900 Km., contributing to the tourism industry and to the maintenance of many jobs.

Alternative fuels that have a reduced environmental impact are being tested to meet the coal shortage and to save historic railways.

These new fuels have been developed from mixtures of anthracite, coal dust and molasses, the latter acts as a binder, thus creating the conditions for performing combustion and traction.

Initial results were encouraging, although tests are still needed to assess the impact of these fuels on vulnerable parts of locomotives, such as fireplaces and boiler pipes. .

Automatic translation. We apologize for any inaccuracies. Original article in Italian.

Photo: WP.F.