Goodbye, steam trains

Sandaoling in Hami prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has the biggest open air mine in northwest China. Six steam trains are still used here, however, they will be gradually replaced by new electric locomotives this year. At the beginning of this century, steam trains in other parts of China gradually retired, but steam trains are still used in Sandaoling for coal transportation because new locomotives are not ready.

Local residents said that some foreign steam locomotives and even a special train for Dowager Empress Cixi are preserved in the train garage.