LATE STEAM IN ITALY

摘要

At this distance in time, it may come as a surprise to some readers to learn that steam locomotives remained active in parts of Northern Italy until as late as 1980, although on a gradually reducing scale, such that for the last few years, they were largely confined to shunting. It is perhaps the more surprising steam lasted as long as it did, as the country had been electrifying its railways since the end of the 19th century and had very little natural coal under its soil.