Desert Steam Train, Jordan

A Desert Steam Train beautifully set against a vista of the otherworldly red sands of Jordan. The Nippon Sharyo business finished construction of the steam train in 1953, and it was delivered in 1959. This is a 4-6-2 oil-burning steam locomotive. Together, the engine and its gasoline tender measure a little over 19 feet. The locomotive weighs 51 tonnes when empty of fuel and water.

This train, so the story goes, appeared in the 1962 picture “Lawrence of Arabia.” It looks like the same train from the movie screenshots, as far as I can tell. This train is also an intrinsic part of a fun tourist attraction!

A journey back to 1919

In 2020, the non-profit Jordan Heritage Revival Company (JHRC) was founded. The aim of this group is to bring to life the country’s rich heritage through re-enactments and boost tourism. At the same time, the company benefits local communities by employing local Wadi Rum Bedouins for their visitors experiences.

This is where this Desert Steam Train comes in. In this historic re-enactment, travellers are transported back to 1916 and into the world of Lawrence of Arabia. It is a Turkish train that has Ottoman soldiers on duty. Tourists board the train at Wadi Run station, after which the train travels 10 kilometres backwards towards the Desert Highway. The train sets off, and the experience starts at a leisurely pace, passing Wadi Rum station and heading another 5 kilometres into the desert. The train comes to a stop, and Bedouins mounted on horses and camels attack the train! There is a gun battle, the Ottomans are defeated, and the Bedouin storm the train before disappearing into the desert. The train then returns to the station.

Does the desert steam train still run?

It appears that a diesel locomotive replaced this engine as the main tourist train around 2005 or 2006. The diesel engine is cheaper to run, approximately half the cost. One factor is that the diesel engine can be driven by a driver from Aqaba, 50 miles (75 kilometres) away. On the other hand, three drivers from Amman have to travel around 200 miles (320km) when the Desert Steam Train is required. The steam train is apparently still in use, occasionally, but only in special situations. These are usually when a film studio hires the steam train for filming or some other special charter.

Note – When the diesel train is running, the direction of travel is reversed compared to the steam train. The diesel train travels forward 10km to the Desert Highway, reverses for the main re-enactment journey, and returns to Wadi Rum driving forward.