Florian Schmidt wants to save the trains. His race against time and technological obsolescence has taken him from Malakwal in northeast Pakistan to Jingpeng in Inner Mongolia as he stalked and photographed working steam locomotives in their native habitats. For Schmidt, director of Asian debt markets for HSBC, the book represents the culmination of a lifelong passion for iron horses. While a teenager, he went on train-spotting expeditions across Eastern Europe, braving interrogation by border guards and even detention in Hungary on suspicion of being a spy. In 1999, Schmidt quit his previous banking job to devote himself to his book project.
Some men remain boys all their lives.
Schmidt figures his quest was completed just in time. While there were about 1,500 steam trains in Asia at the start of 2000, he estimates that number has shrunk to about 300. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines .