An undated AP video of the Uzbek end of the Friendship Bridge. “Kharitom” is another variant spelling of Hairaton, Hayratan etc to add to the list…
AP
“Two ancient steam engines…”
Some things that touring President Eisenhower and his retinue didn’t have a chance to see during their six-hour trip to Kabul last December:
[…]
The country’s only railroad – well, railroad equipment. Two ancient steam engines and tenders given Afghanistan by the late Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany. The train used to make miniature runs from the Parliament building to the palaces in the center of town. Now there’s not even a track and the engines are kept as curiosity pieces.Source: Contrasts Plentiful In Afghanistan, AI Goldberg of AP’s Moscow staff, in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune of 1 February 1960.
Another mention of there only being two locomotives in the past – however today there are three locomotives in the museum. It might be noted that the Kaiser had abdicated in 1918, while the locomotives date from 1923.
Freight trains at Mazar-i-Sharif
“Afghanistan joins railroad era _ 100 years late” an Associated Press article by Kay Johnson, dated 10 March 2012, with photos of trains near Mazar-i-Sharif taken by AP’s Mustafa Najafizada on 6 March 2012.