Last WW2 German Trains Still in Service 

I live in Tuzla - Bosnia and Herzegovina and know of this perfectly. The reason why they use steam trains is simple. Coal mines in Bosnia are facing a management crisis caused by corrupt political party's that have been robbing coal mines for years. This resulted in coal mines being almost bankrupt and the status of miners really uncertain as well. Few months ago they had protests in capital of Sarajevo, but to little effect. Therefor the only way mines can supply coal to the coal run power plant is by using steam trains because they don't have to pay for a diesel that is too pricey (especially today after Russian sanctions where 1 liters cost almost 2 euros) and on top of that, they are running only 3-4 miles from mining site to the power plant coal accumulation and back. So it isn't that big journey either. However there is a good thing and a bad thing regarding this. Bad thing is that crews of these trains really have to put in effort and it's hard work. Good thing is that they love their trains and mechanics working on servicing these trains are second to none. They create all the spare parts themselves and are keeping them afloat and in good shape. And it has became a tourist attraction as well. Where else can you see Kriegelocks working as intended? If you ask politely, crew will take you for a ride and even let you operate it for a short bit under supervision if you really want to! Bosnian people are kind and honest. We have had really tough times upon us! We welcome everyone who is interested in us, to come and visit us!

Interesting German "throw away engines" designed to last 10 years are still in service. Imagine the quality built into the "not throw away" engines.

Designed to work for 10 years, in service for 80 years - that's a statement of quality. Great show Mark, thanks a lot.

I used to run the railway troop in Moenchengladbach (Germany) in the late 1980's. The most reliable locomotive we had was a 1937 built Deutz, which still had the Adler mounted high on the bonnet. When all our modern loco's were out of service for lack of spares or whatever, the Deutz was the 'go to' unit. It never failed to run and was always ready for work. It was also the most popular with the crews - go figure!

I served in the U.S. Army in Germany from 1972-1979. I was in Armor and Cavalry and we frequently loaded all our armored vehicles (Tanks and Armored Personnel Carriers) on to Bundesbahn railcars to travel from our barracks to the training areas in Grafenwohr and Hohenfelds. We were low priority and these trains were always pulled by slow moving World War Two steam engines. We made frequent stops along the way to allow faster priority trains to pass and it always brought great excitement to the kids who lived in the towns where we stopped. They would come running to trade what they had for of all things C-Rations. In exchange they would bring pastries, breads and other foods and even bottles of beer which I am sure they swiped from their dads or grand dads beer stash. They loved those C-Rations and chocolate candy and my platoon always had plenty of extra of both to pass out on the trip. Great fun and at 68 years of age great memories!!!!

Hats off to all those rail man around the World who have dedicated their working lives in blood, sweat, and tears (coal dust as well) operating these fascinating machines!

For the people who are confused about what's happening at 3:30 the train is on full brake, they usually slide a bit from the load, length, and their velocity before coming to a full stop, it's usually around a kilometer and a half.

A few years ago I travelled across Poland by train. Somewhere along the way we passed a truly massive train graveyard full of the biggest black steam engines I've ever seen.

My grandfather was a locomotive driver in the Reichsbahn and later in the West German Bundesbahn, from the mid 1930s until the late 1950s. Never drove anything but steam engines and probably a number of Kriegsloks. My father told me he was popular with the stokers as he had an light hand on the throttle, thus saving fuel and making the stokers work a bit easier. During the war he would drive supply trains for the eastern front. Apparently he never talked about that time except one thing: That he always had an explosive charge with him to blow the engine up if it was about to be captured.

I visited Tuzla in 2019 for the sole purpose of seeing these locomotives in action and I was not disappointed!

As an American soldier, I saw these Steam Locomotives running in West Germany in the early 70's in the Railyard in Ulm, Germany. One of my Army Buddies actually was a "Steam Tractor Enthusiast" and went down to see them run and to take photos. The crews even asked him up into the Cab for a closer look. It was quite a thrill for him.

I was a British soldier based at a NATO unit in the 1960‘s the steamers that were still in use then where magnificent monsters of German engineering.

Good build quality even after the situation turned against Germany is impressive. The fact that the Yougoslav and Bosnian mechanics and engineers managed to keep them going for 70+ years with limited spares is astounding. They are very skilled in their craft.

The haunting sound of that locomotive whistle and the smokestack exhaust is in many of the great WW2 movies.

Hey if it works... On the one hand I am amazed that they're still going, on the other hand the role they are used for makes perfect sense. Hauling coal from mines to a coal fueled power plant using coal fueled engines is perfectly reasonable as it eliminates the logistics of supplying other fuel or power, which helps to offset the higher maintenance costs of these veteran machines.

There is couple of 52 series steam trains that are still in service in Poland. We actually used many of them. There are actually 3 that are operational ( 2 Polish build and one German build in which I had a pleasure to ride) and there are 2 being restored. They were known as Ty-2 ( Polish build were known as Ty-42) and they played a huge role in rebuilding the country.

The class 52 was built in almost any locomotive factory in German occupied countries during the war. Many were completed using existing parts shortly after the war and quite some were built entirely new after the war. That's why nobody knows how many were actually built. It is a simplified version of the civilian class 50, that arguably was one of the finest steam loco designs ever made in Germany. Some say it was the single finest. It was sturdy, economical, easy to operate and to service. it was strong and fast enough to haul a wide variaty of different trains and was able to go backwards as fast as it could forward. And it was able to be used virtually everywhere due to only 7.5 metric ton wheel load while most designs of comparable power were limited to main lines due to their 9-11 ton wheel load. Almost every 52 that was service in post war Germany experienced major redesigns, not only undoing the wartime simplifications but further improving the original design improving their fuel economy and power. Improved 50s and 52s were among the last steam engines being phased out of both the German and East German state railways. In contrast the Bosnian 52s still are mostly in their original shape, proving how sturdy and long lived the design is even without major improvements. In an environment where workforce is cheap while modern workshop machines and tools are rare and expensive and where coal and water are cheap and available in virtually unlimited amounts while every drop of diesel fuel has to be imported, steam locos still are more economical than diesel locos. That is especially true for coal mine railways.

Between sheer age, the allied air blitz against any moving German locomotives during WWII, and the Yugoslavian civil war it’s nothing short of a miracle that any of these old beasts still run, much less do work on a daily basis.

I was in a military police unit in Germany, in 2004 we did a rail escort mission for 12 train cars of high explosive cargo to Tuzla rail yard for Eagle Base and we saw one these huge steam trains hauling 20 cars brimmed with coal. Our driver to Eagle spoke English and he refered to it as "the iron horse" we were all smiles and my buddy Max filmed it with a crude early digital camcorder. It was a great time, I still have a shirt I traded my black beret for with some Slovenian Police.

Thankyou Dr Felton. My favourite history channel does a steam locomotive video. Some really nice footage there. Always loved these kriegslok. Magnificent machines! Good to know I still have a few years to see them in operation. Let’s hope they make it into preservation when they are finally retired.

I have no idea where you get this footage Mark, but you do us all proud. Long may you work and be successful to bring all of this to the world.

My dad was 15 near the end of WW2 and and he and his friend roofed their apartment building with emergency shingles. Despite the fact that they were low quality shingles that were laid by kids (all the men were fighting) they lasted 40 years.

As a (almost pensioned) railwayworker I find this a very interesting video. Also becouse 5 generations before me my family were working for the Dutch railroads. My grandfather and grand-grandfather were drivers on stream locomotives during ww2 and told me a lot of the hard times they had. Thanks.

When I was serving in the Belgian army in the eighties there was a small detachment working out of the barracks at the “Fortress of Kapellen” near Antwerp, they were part of the military railroads. Their duty was to take military wagons loaded with tanks, artillery pieces, etc. Back and forth from the military camp of Brasschaat to the civilian railroad in Kapellen, a traject of about 8 to 12 km through a nature reserve. They did it with an old German diesel locomotive, a spoil of war, and when you looked at the right angle in the sun you could still see the eagle and swastika emblem on the flanks of the loc overpainted in green. No idea if the locomotive and the detachment still exist, but I did a few rides along with the locomotive and it was epic. Thanks for your informative channel!!!

You've done it yet again. Found something that most of us would never have imagined possible. I'm no steam enthusiast, but I cannot help but admire the strength of these old machines to keep on moving so many years after their expiry date. They sound pretty terrifying don't they.

Having had the pleasure (and pain) of working on commercial steam in the UK and being a lifetime devotee of Steam in all forms I cannot emphasize just how good the Fitting Staff at the works really are. Those locos sound spot on (I shut my eyes and listen to the exhaust as I can 'see' it better that way), clean beats, no sound of bad rings, no extraneous blows or leaks. Kudos to the Staff, respect to the original builders and I salute the original Design team. They are truly magnificent beasties. Can I have a go, please, Mister?....'.

The way oil prices are going, we will need temporary steam engines in many countries

Sorry will try that again. Fantastic. Bloody lovely. I am a fireman at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, a party went from our railway to work the lines for a week. Something I wish I had done. Credit to the engineers and engineering, great video Mark

@ 3:37 note the reversing engine SLIDING to a stop! Nice way to flat spot all 10 pairs of driving wheels! Mark from Melbourne Australia

One small addition. As far as I know, the reason the BR50 was chosen over the more powerful BR44 was that the axle load of the BR50 is only 15t rather than 20t of the BR44. This makes them more suitable for less well build or maintained tracks. BR50 is the non-simplified version of the locomotive. P.S.: Great to see the locomotives in action, thanks!

Even as not a rail channel Mark knows what we want and cranks the volume up for those steam sounds! Awesome video, there's a brilliant model kit of this locomotive by Trumpter that I'm putting on my model bucket list.

Your videos, research and delivery is always on point.

It's so beautiful to watch them run after all this years. Doesn't matter what, steam powered locomotives are always the most classy and beautiful, even the working-horse kind of one.

WWII AND Trains!? You sir have my attention! Honorable mentions to the numerous German Kriegsloks, American S160s, British 8Fs and Black Fives, and scores of other wartime locomotives that have had (and still have) second lives in tourist and museum operations.

I love to learn and so naturally I love this channel !!! Cheers my friend , have a great day !

I find it very astonishing, that these trains still run! Great work of art on all sides. Although I am not a train-fan, I like to see things from times long ago still doing the job they were made for. Thank you very much for this report.

I have a (U.S.) locomotive engineer license and am qualified on steam. Steam locomotives, although extremely labor-intensive, have an inherent long life as long as they are maintained and overhauled regularly. Under pressure, water boils at a higher temperature than it normally would, so a catastrophic boiler failure due to poor maintenance or poor operation is usually spectacular. As long as these machines are maintained correctly and operated correctly they can have an almost indefinite life. Thank you for a fine video.

I understand their supernaturally long survival is due to the fact that they run on the very product the mine extracts (thus negating the need for an expensive fuel supply) but in 2022 this is absolutely astounding. Worth a trip just to see them working... the only time I had a trip on a train that was in revenue service with a steam loco pulling it, was in 1975 from Padua to Venice (and already a rare curiosity back then) even if some shunting work was still done there by a few old locos, soon retired . Great!

You have to post more video's. If I see a Mark Felton video I know I have to view it. Best history channel on RU-vid.

Magnificent engines. The heritage steam railway business is booming in the West, and these engines are sure to be a huge tourist attraction if marketed properly. I hope they are cherished and find an extra lease of life through tourism. Well done to the mechanics for looking after them so well.

The skills needed to keep those running is just amazing, a true art.

Kriegsloks formed the backbone of most eastern bloc and even non-aligned countries’ freight hauling motive power, mostly from Poland to East Germany and around Europe after the war, as Mark had noted. the austerity of the design can’t go unrecognized, and the same can go for the American and British wartime austerity designs. Definitely an episode I was hoping to see at some point!

Thank you Mark! Another Awesome video!

Thanks for the video! I like that RU-vid auto translates the huffing and puffing - and the whistle of the locomotives as [Music].

Hats off to the folks that keep these locomotives running. It's really becoming a lost art.

I'm born in '74,I remember this loco,was so popular in the past,in Polish notional railway. My grandad was a driver on one of. Than you Mark!

It warms my heart to see old machines still putting in work.

Thankyou, a great mini doco on these locos. I hope when they finally do rellace them that they are not scraped but are preserved

Mark I think we all agree the History channel needs you. You’re such a bright and incredible storyteller that deserves nothing but the very best! God bless!

Back in 1990, just after the wall came down, I went to Poland and East Germany. First thing I noticed when I crossed the border to Poland were all the steam locos. And same in E.Germany. Such a feeling of going backwards in time. It was awesome.

As a high school student, I worked after school at Inland Steel as a mail boy. I watched the plant cut huge pieces of steel to make one side of a huge locomotive. It took 2 cranes to lift each piece. It was amazing to watch.

These engines are incredible! Who would have thought they would still be operating for eighty years! Thanks for creating this documentary!

That these locos are still working is also a testament to the workers who maintain and repair them, and to the company management who are committed to this work.

Keeping history alive and working for a living, a win win situation.

A brilliant video, great visuals, editing, sound, script and narration. Fascinating. Well done.

Shocking!! Thanks so much for the info.

Perfect example of great engineering, great maintenance, and doing with what you have. Great pieces of history. Thank you Dr Felton

WOW, 80 years on service, of these locomotives could talk about all the times they have seen by. I hope that they continue to be in service for a long time.

4am, still awake, and this popped on my feed. Oh the RU-vid gods know exactly what I like!

Really cool. Thank you!

I just love the sound of steam locomotives. And to think these are archaic steam technology still functioning in the 21th century, is astonishing. Gotta hand it to quality German engineering.

Shows the advantage of steam technology, it is relatively easily maintained compared to internal combuston. Hats off to the mechanics and engineers maintaining these locomotives.

Magnificent machines! Hope to see more railway related documentaries from you!

Wanted to see these locomotives in action, good narration too, thanks.

Amazing! Still in service almost 80 years after they were built. You certainly dig up some great stories and videos. Thanks.

Wow, Mr Felton has become my top 3 WW2 documentarian ever. RU-vid has a standard bearer right here, never ever get bored with these and love the differant subjects that not many cover

I,m very happy for this.Thanks for all.

Great video, was very surprised coming into Zagreb in the Fall of '87 to see old steam locomotive out on the rail yard.

There are a lot of German ww2 trains still left, especially in the narrow gauge, mostly part of the Heersfeldbahn. On the Austrian 760mm network there are quite a few of these. Like the class HF130C and a few steam locomotives. One of these HF130C is actually still in commercial use at the Pinzgauerlokalbahn in Zell am See as a shunter.

I think this is the most iconic sound on earth. I'm so glad I lived in an era where you could experience these monsters for real. The sounds, the smells and that haunting whistle at night 😁

A testimate to how well built steam locomotives are. An old documentary said "theres nothing better then a pair of husky haulers heading out of town to the tune of out of beat exhaust" love double heading. Thanks Mark!

The fact that these trains still run after being built as throw away units are a testament to the skill and determination and pride of people who can make it thru almost any situation on what seems at times to be just pure will and devotion to each other.

Despite what the Germans thought about and did in war, they have produced some of the very best engineers and scientists the world has ever seen, ever

The sound of the steam whistle of the Kreigslocs are iconic, and chilling at the same time

Great video. Always nice to see older technologies in action.

Mark, this is fantastic! Who would have guessed that these old iron horses would still be working. Great subject for a video!

When I was on deployment in Bosnia in 2000 I got to see these locomotives when I was pulling security at a rail head in Tuzla. They also had at least one or two smaller locomotives. The Kriegsloks operated during the night while the smaller ones operated during the day.

Remarkable. Thanks for posting this.

Another great video Mark, I've just subscribed to your channel, and shared a link to your channel.

My grandpa would LOVE this! He was a WW2 veteran AND a train engineer!

i've seen the plumes of steam they produce in footage from train being strafed by fighter pilots from WW2, but to see the sheer amount of thick steam that machine produces is insane. Really cool to be able to see one operating with quality footage.

Thank you for the video.

Steam locomotives are so much more fascinating than any other type of locomotives. Thanks for uploading!

My Step Father was driving one of those Kriegslocks The 52 Series for a Decade when he came home from the Gulag in 1955. He would get wet in his Eyes seeing that Video, if he would still live. Kudos to these Bosnians for keeping them running!

Actually about the 10 year thing: the Class 52 steamers art the number 1 most preserved german steam locomotives, since they were well kept by the gdr-Reichsbahn, that sold a lot of them in the 90s, this is allso because of the great simplification and ease of maintinance compared to other german steam locomotives.

If the class 52 us still going strong after all this years, this is a sign of a very takented and enthusiastic wirking maintenance crew, which is takinc care! Go on Running!

my grandma and granpa are living next to one of the coal factory where one of these trains are used. I always go down to the tracks and watch the train do its work, sometimes i even hop in with the drivers and toot the whistle and maybe drive the train myself.

The sight and sound of those trains helps us imagine what it would have been like during the war, loading the trains at the factory, or being wounded and waiting on the platform to be evacuated, or being sent to the front, or, worst of all, to a death camp. Thank you for this video.

I've never seen them in person, but Bosnia cares for our WW2 stuff. We have tons of WW2 and earlier locomotives still in tact (original) at various places.

Great video!

Woooah intresting best video by mark so far

3:29 "er, sir why aren't we stopping?" "I'm giving her all she's got!"

Even Germany's disposable wartime technology has better longevity than most!

Thanks I enjoyed the video and history lessen. Keep the trains running. I enjoy the sound.

The billowing smoke of the engine in the last scene reminded me of going to see a Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4 as it passed through my home town. I rode my bike down to a pedestrian over pass to get the full effect of the train passing under me. Gack!

Proof that just because something is old or considered obsolete, it can still have practical use and value.

It's absolutely harrowing to ponder what those trains may have been hauling during World War 2. I've seen one of the box cars trains like this pulled up close in a museum and it is absolutely haunting when you know the history behind it.

Amazing. I remember these engines coming past where we lived in Vienna in the 60s (the Verbindungsbahn between the Westbahnhof and Sudbahnhof). They pulled trains scheduled to connect to Hungary and points south. I had assumed they were American, like some of the trams at the time. Unforgettable.

Superb maintenance n incredible use, thanks

Fascinating story - very rare to see steam locomotives still doing "real" work these days. I'd be interested to see the cost-benefit analysis that has gone into keeping these rather than buying diesels. Typically they're regarded as too expensive to operate, mostly in manpower and maintenance, and these days secondhand diesels could surely be had quite cheap. But if skilled labor is cheap, coal even cheaper for those who run the mine, and diesel fuel expensive, then I guess it could come out ahead. Plus I get the sense it would be easier to fabricate replacement parts in-house for a steam locomotive than would be for a diesel. With enough time and patience a skilled machinist could make any part ever needed for a steamer, while a diesel if some parts aren't available - not made in decades and spares run out - you're more likely out of luck. Steam locomotives would certainly be more "apocalypse proof."