Steam in Eritrea 1999

Bernhard Odehnal of Vienna sent me this report in February:

"Since I just came back from a two week-trip to Eritrea, I thought, I could provide you with new informations about the railway there:

The line is now reconstructed from Massawa up to Ghinda (70km) and Ghinda is now the base for all engineering works. The two Fiat railcars, two Breda 0-4-0, two Mallet 0-4-4-0 (442.54 and 442.59) and one Krupp Bo-Bo Diesel are kept there. There are trains running from Monday to Saturday from Ghinda to Massawa and back. They usually leave about 6.30 a.m. and arrive in Massawa about noon. According to the railway staff in Ghinda they are only a test drives. The trains I saw consisted of two or three freight vans and the engine 442.54. In this freight vans also passengers were carried. There are not many indications of reconstruction-work on the section Ghinda-Asmara so I guess it will take few more years until the trains run up to Asmara. But the railway workshops in Asmara are very active. When I was in Ghinda on the 5th of Feburary, I saw just by chance the delivery of the 442.55, which was carried by semi-trailer-unit from Asmara to Ghinda. I was also offered a trainride in a freight van to Massawa, but then our train with the 442.54 and 442.55 went only to Baresa (about 12km from Ghinda) and returned. It was the first day of the new war with Ethiopia and I guess they were afraid, that the port of Massawa and the railway-line could be bombed.

I also took pictures of the Mallets in Ghinda and Baresa and of the Fiat railcars in Ghinda. If you're interested I could scan and file them to you."

(Alas, the promised pictures never turned up. RD)