What was the last compound steam locomotive in regular service anywhere? What was the last single-driver steam locomotive in regular service anywhere?
I thought most Garratts were simple, except for a couple early ones with the cylinders facing the center of the engine.
Since Chinese steam is American-style (2-cylinder simple), compounds aren't going to be found there. I believe some 0-4-4-0T compound Mallets worked at a sugar mill in Java into the early 2000s. As for singles, I'm pretty sure thsoe vanished long ago. I found out that the last in Britain was retired 70 years ago, but I'm wondering if Java might have had them longer. It was known for ancient steam from all over the world. You have to realize, there isn't much steam left in the world. China has the vast majority - hundreds, maybe over a thousand, but almost if not all of a few classes. The SY industrial 2-8-2 is the majority of what's left; there are also some JS (older mainline 2-8-2s) downgraded to industrial use, and some C2 30" gauge 0-8-0s. Maybe still some QJ 2-10-2s and GJ 0-6-0T shop switchers. Indonesia, specifically Java, is the only other place I can definitely say still has any quantity of steam. A few dozen 24" and 30" gauge engines working at various sugar mills. Then into less certain places... Cuba might have one steamer left, also at a sugar mill. I thought all remaining Garratts in Zimbabwe were retired in 2006, but I can't say for sure. Myanmar had a few Pacifics and Mikados not long ago, but I don't know the current situation. North Korea had steam a little while ago, but information from that country is very rare. And that's all the possibilities. All the rest of the world is fully dieselized or electrified. Don't offer India; steam is effectively dead there. The last mainline steam went in 2000. The Darjeeling Himalayan still has steam... but only for tourist trains. The other trains were taken over by diesels in 2005. The last industrial steam engine in India (at, you guessed it, a sugar mill) was retired late in 2006.
I believe there are still steamers in commercial service on the recently reborn railroad of Erythrea, northeastern Africa (one may have a look on the matching photo catalog of Railpictures.net). Dom
http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=165770 " It's a superb line with original locos but sadly only ever sees charter and tourist trains." Unless regular services have been reinstated since then....
