Vanishing Steam: A Photographer's Odyssey Around the World

Eric Langhammer has been riding the rails around the world for a quarter-century in search of the last steam engines. Now on the brink of extinction, these magnificent mechanical beasts can still be found at China's Jingpeng Pass and throughout the faded cities of Cuba, as well as in the ancient capitals of Romania and Turkey. To capture the elusive creatures, the photographer has weathered everything from sub-zero temperatures to Cold War political situations. His travels have taken him across the European continent to the arid landscapes of India and Pakistan and to the tropical outposts of the Far East.

In this romantic photoessay with its dramatically lit images, Langhammer documents the twilight days of steam locomotives-as well as his own quixotic quest.