I could not believe this when I found it. I am sure there is an explanation of some kind. Apparently, the locals are used to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3AGjCKwpt8
These gates are faster but watch the steam smoke after the steam train passes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWwTtYick0o
There was a steam locomotive like that sitting in Florence station in 2004 when I was there that was obviously not a derelict. It was funny how the infrastructure of steam was present everywhere in Italy back then. Water towers, water columns at the ends of the platforms and so forth.
A couple of things.
First video, man that's a looooong time between the gate drop and the train!
Better safe than sorry, I suppose. Looks like the locals don't seem to mind. Matter of fact, those bikers seem to appreciate the "breather." Gives them a chance to drink some water and BS for a bit.
Second video, WOW! That's a helluva lotta smoke coming out of the tunnel! Looks like the engineer didn't throttle down and use the momentum of the train to drift through. At least that's what Steve Lee said you're supposed to do, where practicable anyway.
Or maybe they've got a tender full of really bad coal. Italy's coal ran out decades ago, as far as I know. Any coal they use now has to be imported, so who knows where it came from?
Both videos, that's some beautiful masonry work on those tunnel portals! But then, that's Italy, I'd expect that.
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