@agturcz @KolekNiewiary There used to be a steam train that went by my office window in the early 2000s. But that was a posh, overpriced one that people would dress up for.

But you're both right tho. Regular steam trains aren't as ancient as I thought.

@davidnjoku @agturcz @KolekNiewiary the wealthiest countries where labor was most expensive (such as the US) transitioned away from steam in the 50s or 60s. Some parts of the world kept steam running as late as the 2000s, and China most recently announced it withdrew its last steam locomotive in 2023 (and we'll probably see a similar news story in a few years when they find another remote short line that hasn't yet dieselized)

Also of note, there's a coal mine in Bosnia that still runs steam locomotives built by Nazi Germany: https://youtu.be/zXz2YSv-GbI

But that line in Bosnia is basically the only revenue steam service left in the world now. On the upside, steam excursions and railroad preservation seems to be on a strong upswing right now, despite *everything else*