Found this recent photo on the internet this afternoon:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 323&nseq=0

The 0-8-0 in the photo is live (from a second photo in the sequence) but not sure of the circumstances. Is this a preserved steamer on some type of fantrip? What is that unit at the rear; a diesel? What about the stack fire? Is there some type of railroad preservation movement in the Ukraine?

Thanks for any info!

Les

Here's what I'm finding with some quick searches:

http://www.steamlocomotive.info/country ... ch=ukraine

Most of the locomotives seem to be listed as part of a reserve fleet. Apparently there was a lot more of steam operation in the 1990s and the early 2000s than there is today. Comments with one of the videos puts the end of steam operation as being in February of 2008, on a "tourist train."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_2w5zjiZxg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZaVbIER3Fc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arato3tHe24

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUllrf2OxcA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pMzWEi4f1k

There doesn't seem to be too much available on the internet or in videos of Ukranian steam. Below are some other links that I found in the search.

http://www.farrail.net/pages/touren-eng ... -engl.html

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... motive.jpg

http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/europe.htm#Ukraine

Apparently Ukraine's South Western Railway ran a scheduled steam operation in 2012.

http://nerht.heritage-railways.com/es/E ... tar047.pdf

There is or was a "children's railway" in Kiev that had at least one steam locomotive in service:

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-1064253 ... gauge.html

The "children's railway" seems to be a concept unique to former Soviet bloc countries. These railways also make me recall the thread here on "Are Park Trains Real Trains?" In the case of these "children's railways," that was certainly true!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children's_railway

Those interested in railway artillery will find these two photos interesting:

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/45234694

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/45234891

Postcard, with a collection of railway-themed stamps, suggesting there is some sort of rail enthusiast population there.

http://mypostcardproject.blogspot.com/2 ... raine.html

We'll close with going a bit off-topic, but still of interest: While looking for still more in the way of Ukranian steam, I came across this--an apparently fairly large railway museum in Tashkent, Uzbekistan:

http://www.comtourist.com/history/tashk ... ay-museum/

Perhaps an international reader can provide further information on railway preservation in the Ukraine.