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Will this soon be all that's left of steam on the Chinese narrow gauge? Dahuichang no. 4 in store at the Ffestiniog Railway in North Wales in April 2007 as one of their double Fairlies runs past.
Photo: James Waite |
Contents
There are only a very few steam operated narrow gauge lines still remaining in China and it's quite possible that their numbers will be reduced still further by the end of 2007. With this in mind it seems strange that this tour attracted only a small number of bookings and yet my next narrow gauge tour to China in March 2007 was sold out within a few days of its launch. Maybe it's a quirk of human nature that we tend to leave things until almost too late. The chapter of steam operated narrow gauge lines still in commercial use throughout the world will be closed very soon. Yes, there are a few still left, in Serbia (Kostolac, only banked trains), in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Banovici, shunting only), in Romania (Viseu de Sus with occasionally use of steam) and the German narrow gauge lines. Only in China you can still experience daily regular steam hauled freight trains on narrow gauge lines. All the five surviving lines offer a variety of photo opportunities in scenery which is often spectacular. All have different operating systems, all have their own charm. The rolling stock is different on each line. Even though the locos on all the lines are the ubiquitous C2s they don't all look the same as there a numerous variations between the locomotives on each line.
Nowadays the tourist operations in central Europe and the UK far outnumber the last commercial steam survivors in China. A single German tourist narrow gauge line can probably see more photographers daily as all the real operations in China do in an entire year.
I can't do more than to ring the bell. It's high noon for the world's last real narrow gauge steam operations. I try to give on this site all the information available about these fantastic lines so you can travel there independently if you want to avoid groups. Only one thing you need to keep in mind when travelling to the narrow gauge lines in China: no-one can give you a guarantee that you'll see a particular line in operation. Four of the five survivors are colliery lines and reduce their services when demand is slack or at holiday times. Only Shibanxi still runs a regularly timetabled passenger service. If all goes well you'll see steam on all five lines. You just need luck.
The following survey covers the narrow gauge lines from south to north. There are more details about the lines in the previous trip reports on this site.
As mentioned above, Shibanxi (sometimes called Shixi or Shixizhen) is the only steam operated narrow gauge line in China which has a regular passenger service. The line is 20 km long, the second longest of the surviving lines. The coal mine at the far end does not always produce coal and has in the past been closed altogether, so steam freight trains are subject to cancellation from time to time. The passenger trains run to a fixed timetable and generally it is rigorously adhered to. Operation is very slick – as soon as the engine has run around the train's off – no hanging around for tardy photographers! Travel in the bogie car and you may well be sharing your space with one or more pigs. Sadly they're on their way to the slaughterhouse – single tickets only for them!
Ticket prices: for foreigners multiply the price for Chinese nationals by five. The railway has published a small book about their line. It contains pictures, historical details and information about the places of tourist interest around Shibanxi and is well worth buying. You can get your copy from www.lokomotive-fachbuchhandlung.de.
The management here have been threatening to close the line for years. On our December 2006 tour we got the feeling that this time they really intend to carry out their threat and close the railway soon. The 7.5 km long line is very beautiful but offers usually only one and just occasionally two trains in the morning. The loco was rusty and filthy – so much so that you even couldn't read its number. At the end of December 2006 another visitor was told that the line would definitely close in one month's time. Another month!? After all what they told me since my first visit in 1999 I wont believe any date for closure until the tracks have gone. However, if you want to see the huge stone viaduct or the amazing market place where they have to move their stalls every day to let the train through you should book your flight soon.
Although a new road has been built from the city to the China Railways station which crosses the Xingyang narrow gauge line close to the main yard a brand new level crossing has been installed. This means that hopefully the line should continue in operation for a while. The main problem for the visitor are the times when the trains don't run, when the weather is too wet to work in the clay yard, the yard is overstocked with bricks or there’s a technical problem with the locomotive. There are so many reasons for not operating trains that it's almost a wonder that sometimes they do!
The management of the line told us that the railway should remain in service at least until Autumn 2007. After then it's likely that they'll close the railway. Even a complete closure of the brickworks is under discussion. The brickworks haven't made a worthwhile profit for several years. If the brickworks shut down then of course the railway will go as well.
Sadly this line is rapidly turning into yet another Chinese money-making machine. The kindness of the railwaymen which many of us has experienced in the past now seems to be just a memory. Now they want to charge you even if all you want is to see the normal regular service train. At present the money demanded is small, 30 yuan (rather less than 3 euros) per enthusiast, but it's started to be unpleasant. You can even charter trains here. We met a visitor who had paid money without any complaint, who "arranged" a cab ride (also probably not free of charge) and so on. Very sad! On the other hand - who has the power to "protect" the Chinese against their own business sense? I guess no-one.
The operation is unchanged. The railway seems to have a reasonably secure future which is understandable considering the terrible condition of the road. But the future of steam is certain as well - it will all end up in the blast furnace! The management plans to acquire diesels between 2009 and 2010. Do you hear the church bells toll for the death of steam? The closure of the forestry lines in Suileng and Xinglongzhen by the end of the 2007 logging season may give the railway earlier access to second hand diesel locomotives. Its finances are not especially sound and used diesels instead of new ones would probably be an attractive option.
Currently they still give their C2s full overhauls in their own workshop. It's well worth taking a close look inside to see how they overhaul locomotives. It's a miracle that the locomotives are able to haul trains almost without complaints.
The line was opened in 1960 with 12 steam locomotives. Its length is 11.6 km. All the steam locomotives are still there though some only as hulks after years of being stripped of parts to keep the others going. The mine at the village by the workshops (the village is called either Yinghaomeikuang, i.e., Yinghao coal mine or Huangmen) was shut down between 1994 and 1998. The name of the mine itself was Xiaolongmiao. Because of the gradients they hauled only three loaded wagons between Xiaolongmiao and Xiangyang, the station where the trains are made up for the main run to Yinghao. You'll still find these short trains of three loaded wagons running from the surviving mine at Liangjiawajing. The locomotives have to work hard to get these three wagons up the steep grade to Xiangyang. At Xiangyang trains are made up from eight to ten loaded wagons for the run to the unloading point near the state railway station at Yinghao.
The small depot/stabling point close to the railcar depot is closed and the the track has been lifted. The locomotives are now serviced in the walled and guarded depot area. You won't get access to the depot. Fortunately one of the best shots you can make is the water crane just at the entrance to the depot. No-one seems to have any issues with railway enthusiasts taking pictures from the gate into the depot.
The pattern of operation is unchanged. The ticket price in the railcar – multiply the price for Chinese citizens by 10 to 20 (depending on the attitude of the railcar driver). So the return trip may cost you the monthly income of a railway employee: 300 yuan or almost 30 euros!
The coal mines at the end of the line near Hongguang are all below the size the government regards as economically viable. In December 2006 the licence to run these mines was withdrawn due to security concerns. The mine owner hoped to get the licence back by January 9th but this was refused. This caused what was probably the first period in the life of the line without any coal traffic short before the Chinese New Year holiday break. Only the railcar was active on the line before the service was completely stopped at Chinese New Year.
It was said that they'll re-open the line for coal traffic in March 2007 provided they get back their mining licence.
There was a rumour in Huanan about diesel locomotives. The last Chinese forestry lines at Xinglongzhen and Suileng are due to close at the end of the 2007 logging season and the men thought that some of the diesel locomotives from these lines would come to Huanan. Whatever happens it seems more than possible that we are about to witness the end of the world's last steam hauled and banked narrow gauge line operation on this beautiful line.
Despite all this many locomotives were steamed in December 2006, all in good external condition. All C2s:
Let's hope that the winter of 2006 was not the last one for steam operation in the forests of Huanan!
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