Polish Steam Twilight (1990)

The sun is setting on the glory of Polish steam. Experience the feel and detail of daily steam operation practiced by railway personnel long steeped in this noble tradition. We are in the southwest corner of Poland, near the Czechoslovak border, at the Wolsztyn steam center.

First, in the rich verdancy of the mid-summer, we’ll take the local train (eight stops in 19 miles) through a lush and hilly countryside of villages, farms, and charming wooden depots.

Next is a series of runs on various lines in the cold bleakness yet stark beauty of the Polish winter, with snow-dusted forests and ice-laden roads. Share the thrill of operating these diverse steam locomotives with crews to whom these skills are second nature.

Indeed, these are no museum trains. This is the nuts and bolts of steam railroading just as it was when steam ruled the world. The talented Desti film teams have captured the essence of man and machine, the laying on of oil and grease, the refueling of coal and the constant attention to mechanical perfection.

Much of the splendid action preserved in this video is gone today. The Polish State Railways have undertaken a dramatic modernization program with only scant provision for steam.

The film's final image is a breathtaking night shot of a passenger train departing Wolsztyn, all steam and smoke in the frigid night air, its yellow lights piercing the gloomy blackness. What a sight!

Put on your thickest woolens! Bring a warm hat! Here's your ticket for the last of Polish steam!

(Captured from VHS tape)