This report covers the FarRail Tours September/October 2002 China journey.
This report has two parts:
Quick Finder
The administration of Jixi coal mines operates several more or less independent coal mines. Every mine has its own loco stock, only in case of heavy overhauls etc. do they exchange locos with other Jixi Coal Mine Bureau mines.
More pictures are here (gallery Jixi).
The Jixi mines are all connected via CNR. In the east the smallest system can be found at Donghaikuang. The mine is quite small and has only two SYs. Donhaikuang has a four track layout. The mine is linked with the CNR at Jidong (zhan) station. For the first kilometres behind Jidongzhan Donghai mine CNR track is used, passing a large bridge over the river Muling He and separating from the mainline a few km later. Then the line turns northbound. Eight kilometres before the mine it crosses the main road to the east, a toll road. Just before the level crossing, a branch road follows parallel to the line towards Donghai. The line climbs from Jidong towards Donghai. On the last 6 km before Donghai is reached, a second SY is required for empty trains with more than 45 wagons. This happens about three times per week. Trains are on demand, normally at least two pairs per day. SY's facing south, i.e. all uphill trains are tender first. The line is about 20 km long. Positions can be found near Donghai where the line separates from the road and on the CNR bridge. For a good picture of the bridge you should climb up on the roof of a house just beside the track. This position is good for chimney first loaded trains to Lidong. For the empties the bridge is not that good, only when you have clear weather with good visibility, you can go up a hill at about 1 km distance to have a good overview over the wide valley.
The staff is very friendly and you can take pictures along the line and in the mine without problems. At the station you can ask for trains and about the demand of a second loco for the next incoming train.
Locos are:
SY 0639 and SY 1341.
This system has three mines and one ex-mine used for selecting the coal. The centre of operations is this selecting station because nearly all trains will go to this station after coming out of the mines.
Kilometre 0 on this system is at Chengzihe Nanchang station, less than 1 km from the selecting yard at Chengzihe Beichang. At the lower level of Chengzihe Nanchang the stabling point can be found. The stabling point consists of an interesting sand tower, some water cranes and an out-of-use coal installation. Free access to Nanchang and Beichang wiith kind staff.
Information about trains is best obtained in Chengzihe Dongchang, also called Lijing. Lijing means loading point for coal and you will find this name on several coalmine systems. In Dongchang all the locomotive crews have to be ask for the day's duties here. They will be there (with their locomotives, of course) from 7.30 to 8.00 am and between 7.30 and 8.00 pm. Before this the locos are both at Nanchang, lower level, at the stabling point taking water and sand. This is the best time for pictures at the stabling point. In Dongchang dedicated visitors can gather all necessary information here. Staff here is friendly too, you should bring some coins and/or cigarettes as gifts with you.
The link to the CNR is 6 km from Nanchang. Some positions can be found, including a bridge but nothing very exciting. Beside Dongchang the mines at Zhengyang and Xinghua are served by Chengzihe system. Zhengyang is a reversal station. Foreign visitors are definitely not welcome at Xinghua however, you can get ordinary pics there only. Free line shots in the fields are possible between Xinghua and Zhengyang.
Xinghua has a new built electrical (overhead wire) narrow gauge railway to bring the unused stones to the dump. This narrow gauge railway (opened in 1992) is visible from the road to Donghaikuang.
While Nanchang, Beichang and Dongchang are easily reachable by foot you should hire a taxi to visit Zhenyang and Xinghua.
The best on this system is the stabling point with much action short before the locos are going to Dongchang.
In Jixi Xi you can find the workshop of the whole system. All locomotives from the Jixi Mining Bureau come here for repairs and overhauls. I don't know whether they are able to make heavy overhauls. The repair shop is southwest of the CNR station.
Chengzihe locos are:
SY 0590, 0863, 1018, 1058, 1437 and 1544.
Pictures are here (gallery Jixi).
The map is out of scale. Some stations are wrong. Erchang (Hengshan mine system) is north of the CNR-line Hengshan - Jixi. You can photograph this mine from the new road Hengshan - Jixi. There is another mine in between the lines Hengshan - Jixi and Hengshan Xin - Zhongxin.
The original copy of the map I have is in such condition that even local loco drivers couldn't read the Chinese characters. So we had to ask for every station name. Maybe there are some corrections necessary.
Didao is north-west of Jixi. The brand new Mudanjiang - Jixi - Didao - Qitaihe - Huanan - Jiamusi highway passes nearby. From this road you can see the power plant, which is served by Didao coal mine. Didao is about 12 km west of Chengzihe.
The coalmine is called Lijing and just some 500 metres away from the large Didao selecting station. This was a former mine which seems to be out of use. It is called Hebei Zhan. All trains have to pass this station. At the northern end of Hebei, the trains from Lijing reverse. The interchange with the CNR is in Lanling, according to the official map. In fact, we found the CNR link in Didao station. It is about 3 km south of Hebei station. On the eastern side of the track a road follows the line. In Hebei the selecting station can be found as well as the management, the stabling point and a coal dump. The latter two are at the southern end of Hebei station. The stabling point is small but scenic. On the top of the coal dump is a track on a steep gradient. The system is using self-unloading wagons, some with brake cab at one end.
Beside Lijing another mine is at Wangjia, just beside Didao CNR station. The Jixi - Didao - Hebei road crosses the track just at this mine, so it is easily found. The distance Hebei - Wangjia is about 4 km and another 4 km further the power plant is situated. The Chinese name is Dianchang (= power plant). There was another small mine in Liujing (situated at the Wangjia - Dianchang line), but appears out of use now. The system does not supply much coal to the national railway. Most of the coal goes to the power plant or on the dump.
Every driver we saw seems to want to be an express train driver. All trains thrash along the tracks, we saw accelerating or braking trains only, nothing in between! This should be best for sound lovers, but the photographer should be aware that the fast trains whirl up much coal dust.
The large installation in Hebei is pleasant with the small stabling point there. The line between Wangjia and Hebei along small houses is a good photo spot as well. However, Didao management do not like visitors. They do not want to be photographed as they think this under-developed part of China should not be documented nor published. As long as you avoid staying in Hebei there should be no problems. If you like to go there you should choose national holidays or Sundays. Loco staff though were helpful, and also the signal box staff in Hebei.
Locos in Didao are:
SY 0407, 0950, 1205, 1213 and 1446.
Pictures are here (gallery Jixi).
Mashan is west of Lanling. This mine was closed several years ago. It is not for sure that the name of the mine was Mashan. Mashan is the nearest CNR station.
Xinfa is a recently opened new mine between Jixi Xi and Lanling on the northern side of the CNR line. Nothing is known about this mine. I guess this mine is operated by either Chengzihe or Didao Coal Mine Administration.
Hengshan is south of Jixi. CNR station and Coal Mine stations are close together. The mine's station is called Hengshan Xin. This is the place were you find the main signal box and the staff changing point. Here you'll get all information for the upcoming operation. Similar to Chengzihe, all locomotives and their crews will meet there at 8 am and 8 pm. After they have handed over the locos to the new crews all locomotives will be coupled together. This train of locomotives will then go through the stabling point, which is an old mine in Da Hengshan, some 1 km west of Hengshan Xi. Although Da Hengshan can be reached by road you had better go without taxi and follow the track by foot. Or ask the loco drivers for a cab ride. On the road you will lose too much time. In addition the last several hundred metres of the way are very poor.
Mines served by Hengshan are in Shannan, about 4 km south-west of Hengshan, Erchang, about 1.5 km northeast of Hengshan, in Zhongxin, a huge mine 2 km west of Hengshan, in Zhangxin, some 8 km further to the east, in Erdaohezi and in Xiao Hengshan. Both Xiao Hengshan (also called Lijing) and Erdaohezi are branches of Zhongxin and two km far from it. The whole system seems to be as busy as Chengzhihe. The staff from the loco and the staff manager were friendly although we had to explain what we are doing here. They are afraid that foreigners thinking China is a poor and under developed country. Not many enthusiasts found the way to Hengshan until now.
What makes this system worth a visit is the existence of trains with three locomotives. Yes, after the loss of Shenmu – Dongsheng and Chengde, here is another place offering trains with two locos plus a banker! This event starts in Hengshan Xin and will last up to Zhongxin. The grade is worth a visit although it is not easy to take pictures there. At the start houses are close to the line, and close to Zhongxin the track is hidden by bushes and trees. Behind Zhongxin trains are seperated into two or three parts. One part of the train (in our case the banker took the train) heads to Zhangxin. This line is scenic. First the line falls to Erdaohezi (not the mine, this is another place) and than a steep gradient follows up to the mine of Zhangxin. Many small and micro coal mines long the rail give additional photo potential.
The mine in Erchang is best visible from the new road high above the mine. From there you can see another mine between this mine and the line to Zhongxin. The name of this mine is unknown. It's only several hundred meters away from Hengshan.
All SY's face east, so the trains Hengshan - Zhongxin - Zhangxin run chimney first. We did not explore the line to Shannan and Xiao Hengshan.
Locos at Hengshan are:
SY 0341 (under repair in Jixi Xi), SY 0746, 0804, 0898, 1340 and 1369. According to the staff there is no QJ in use as reported before. Although it was said that all traffic between Hengshan and Jixi is CNR diesel we found SY 0804 in the yard of Jixi and later in Hengshan Xin Zhan.
Pictures are here (gallery Jixi).
Xinfeng is a small system, which was not visited this time. The line is connected with CNR in Lishun, west of Jixi. Known mines of this system are Liukeng, Bakeng and Sankeng on the western line and Taiping, Pinggang and Wangliang on the eastern part of the system. Loco numbers are also unknown. The system is also served by SY's.
Another unidentified coal loading station is further west just beside the CNR. It might be that this mine is served by CNR diesel shunters.
Huanan is situated on the Jiamusi - Mudanjiang CNR-line. The system starts in the north eastern part of the city in Linyajü and goes to the east. The loco facility consists of three parts: close to the station are the wagon repair shop and the railcar shed. South west of the station, two loco sheds can be found. The older of these is out of use. In the newer one is space for six C2-locos on two tracks. Unusual for forestry railways you will find a turntable in front of the railcar shed. The turntable is used exclusively for the single remaining railcar and is not able to take the 28 tonne weight of a C2 locomotive. The locos have to turn over a triangle further to the south-west.
The state of the loco shed and all the scrap between the track in the wagon repair shop gives the impression that the system is soon to close. The buildings have holes in the walls and no windows. They are partly covered by torn plastic. between the remaining tracks are stabled hundred of new concrete poles (to spoil the last photo spots).
The line runs in an west - east direction.
More pictures are here.
The station list:
abandoned:
Locomotives are not allowed to go further than Hongguang coal loading point. Only the railcar served the last kilometre to the old station.
There are triangles in Huanan, Xiahua, Li Xin and Hongguang. The triangle at Hongguang is out of use. Huanan, Xiahua and Li Xin have watering facilities. The latter also has a coaling facility. Similar equipment in Xiahua is now out of use.
This system is a former forestry railway built in 1953. The main lines were the 60 km Huanan-Qixing line and the 85 km Huanan–Xiahua–Shengli line. Both lines went to forested areas. After the forest was logged out the line to Qixing was closed in 1990 and the line to Shengli in 1994 .The Hongguang–Qianjin section was closed in 1990. The remaining line exists thanks to the small coal mines around Hongguang.
The rolling stock consists of one railcar, six 0-8-0 C2 locomotives, about 10 timber transport wagons some and 50 coal wagons. Some of the coal wagons were rebuilt on the bogies of former timber units. In 2002 there was not a single wagon or locomotive in nice shape, all were shabby and rusty. At the beginning they used 18tonne light three coupled locos, which were replaced by the C2's in the late 1980s. All the C2's have the small three-wheel tender, in former times they had four wheel tenders in use. The maximum number of allocated locos was 12, the manager told us. The best times of the system were from the mid 70s to the mid 80s. Atfer this timber transport reduced and the small coalmines around Hongguang became the most important factor for the railway.
The remaining line is one of the most beautiful narrow gauge railways in northern China. The first 25 km to Xiahua are rural and flat with a parallel dirt road all the way. Dajingang is a closed station with the siding out of use. At Xiahua a four track layout exists including a triangle and unused water and coal facilities. These were designed for the locos for the main line to Shengli. Beyond Xiahua the line gains height slightly and the first gold washers in the riverbed come in sight. After a short climb the line falls to Tuoyaozi station. This station has one siding in use but is officially out of use and not staffed anymore. Tuoyazi is the last village along the line until Hongguang. Hereafter the steep climb starts and locos have to work very hard to keep the wheels moving. A normal train consists of eight to nine coal wagons. Occasionally they carry timber wagons in the train during the logging season in winter. The line becomes spectacular about three kilometres behind Tuoyaozi and reaches the forested area. Near Lazifang, a single house in the middle of the steep gradient, the line climbs through deep cuttings and on sharp curves. There is even one position where you can see two levels of the track. The summit of the line is reched three kilometres before Li Xin, where all locos and the railcar use the triangle to turn. The railcar goes the last 11 kilometres backwards, the locos tender first. Around Li Xin were the logging areas in the last years of timber transport. From Li Xin a line went northwards 5 kilometres to Wanniangou on the eastern side of the creek. Between Li Xin and Hongguang were another three branches to the northern forests, one with a length of one kilometre and two of six kilometres length each. Hongguang is a village surrounded by small coalmines. The village is also reachable by an unpaved road from Huanan. One kilometre before the terminus are two coal sidings and a small station with a loop. Loaded trains run with one loco to Li Xin where they take water. From Li Xin to the summit loaded trains are often banked by a second loco.
Normally the system produces four to seven return trips per day. Beside this, there is the passenger service by the railcar, which departs around 8.00 in Huanan and reaches Hongguang at noon. After 10 minutes, the railcar starts the way back. If you want to take pictures of the line you have to use this railcar because the lack of any road access to the scenic part in the middle of the gradient. It is possible to use (basic) private accommodation in Li Xin and guesthouses in Tuoyaozi and Hongguang (even more basic). The dedicated photographer should consider that sunlight is almost all the way from the "wrong" side because the best photo spots are from the hills on the northern side of this charming railway.
There are no plans for closing this line. Coal traffic is at a constant level and timber transport is a small surplus in the economy of the line. Since 2001 the government decided that only 3,000m³ timber is allowed to be cut every year in the Huanan forests, so timber transport may be a rare experience these days. However, the shape of the rolling stock is neither in visual nor technical condition to give this system a good forecast, although the track is in good condition compared with other forestry railways. There are no big bridges or expensive engineering buildings along the line, so from this side there is no reason for closing the line.
Locomotives in Huanan: (all C2)
04, 011, 041, 044, 168
In addition two C2 frames were found in the shed area together with two four axle tenders numbered 2007 and 2011 and two other three axle tenders.
This seems to be a new discovery although there have been reports with only a few details about a JS-operated standard gauge line several years ago. Huanan is situated on the CNR Mudanjiang - Jiamusi line in Heilonjiang province.
More pictures are here.
The line serves a number of quarries in Xiangyang (also called Xiangyangshan) and serves several cement factories in and around Huanan. The line was opened in 1972 - inauguration was on October 15th 1972. Traction was initially JF, later JS. In 1999 the railway purchased two QJs (QJ 2989 and 6259, both with large 12 wheel tenders). Unfortunately, the management has decided to change to diesel. Two used diesel locomotives have been bought from Mudanjiang and will be put into service during the coming Spring Festival (starting on February 1st, 2003).
The line is 31 km long. There are no stations along the line just a small siding for railcars at km 15, called Shiwugongqü. From Huanan the first part of the line is flat. Starting at km 13 it climbs moderately up to km 18, followed by a sharp descent to km 24. Another steep gradient follows, starting with a hairpin curve up to km 27, followed by some 1,000 meters more or less flat before the line drops down to the quarries at the village of Xiangyang. The gradients give an outstanding potential for exciting pictures. Often the speed of climbing trains falls below pedestrian pace. Near the summit the driving wheels of the loco tend to slip. Maximum load for a QJ are 24 empty wagons to Xiangyang, twelve loaded wagons to Huanan.
Road access: Follow the new toll road (I believe it is road number S 309) along the narrow gauge line. Stay on that road at Touyaozi (where the road leaves the narrow gauge railway). Between road km 21 and 22 there is an unpaved dirt track to the right, signposted to Taipingcun. After 1.5 kilometres you will reach the village of Huayang. From here you can to walk to the summit (about 2 km). If you stay on the road you will see another unpaved way to the right at road km 25. This way leads you to the railway at railway km 25. From the level crossing you can walk in both directions. For the tender-first empty trains you may walk from the main road km 26 to a small hill on the southern side of the railway. From there you have a view over fields, a village and a small lake in the backdrop. The road crosses the railway between km 27 and 28. The village Xiangyang is on the left hand side. The way to the village and the station Xiangyang is very poor. Behind the village the limestone quarry appears in sight.
Normally there are two return trips per day. Trains run on demand. The empties from Huanan run tender-first, the loaded trains are chimney-first. Normally one QJ is in use only.
If you are planning to go to China this autumn/winter don't miss this railway! I haven't heard a QJ working so hard since Nacha was dieselised!
As reported. Plenty of action. Pictures are here.
We found the following steam locos:
SY 702, 705, 709, 710 with tender of 707, 711, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 719, 724, 725, 726, 729, 730, 731, 732, 734, 735 and 736 all in use.
The total number of steam locos is 32, formerly they had 36.
Diesel locos:
The steelworks owns over 20 diesel locos. We saw DF5 (?) 3802 in the chemical plant near by and DFH21 2101 (built in 1986) at one of the ash dumps. The DFH21 was reported as metre gauge loco, in fact what we saw was a standard gauge loco. Most of the diesels are operating on the other side of the river and not inside the steelworks. So the visitor may miss them during an ordinary stay inside the steel mill.
Electric traction:
More than 40 electric locomotives are in use. We saw:
Chinese type ZG 80-1500: 817 (dumped, out of use) 819 (in use)
(East-) German 4-4 El1 type: 1001, 1002, 1005, 1009, 1012, 1014, 1015 and 1018, all in use except 1009: heavy overhaul in the shed.
(East-) German 4-4-4 El2 type: 1514 and 1516, both in use.
Museum steam:
In the steam shed we found XK 28, PL2 50 and the fireless locomotive no. 5. These three locos are in good external condition but not serviceable. The other fireless loco, no. 9, was in the chemical plant and in good external condition too, although not very clean.
The steelworks itself has about 40,000 workers, in the whole steel/chemical complex 80,000 are employed.
A surprise: the same workers who were talking about the closure of the factory (to reduce pollution in the Beijing area) told us now that no plans for closure are known yet actually. C2 no. 1 and no. 2 performed the normal workings with starting the afternoon trips before 1.40 pm on October 5th.
It's a very difficult system if you like to be informed about trains in advance. The station master of Yuanbaoshan Xi, the main station on the whole system where the loco shed is located, decides how trains will run. But he never knows it far in advance. Best time for asking is at 7 am, when the shifts are changing. The power station will not inform the station master of Yuanbaoshan Xi in advance, when they deliver empty wagons or need loaded ones. When they come out (with one of their own diesels) the station master has to react and supply new coal for the power plant.
The line to Fengshuigou is more or less boring, the lines to Majiawan in the south-west and the line to the northern mines are better. Beside Fengshuigou four mines at the northern line are served by the railway: Erjing, Sanjing, Sijing and Xuangan. The allocation of the missing Yijing mine is uncertain but I can imagine that this is the nowadays closed open cast mine. On the line to Anqinggou we found the unused railway station Gongyezhan. This station was the starting point for the closed line to the open cast pit which branches off east of Gongyezhan at the line to Fengshuigou/Anqinggou.
The Yuanbaoshan mine system was planned with much more exploration than it has at present. Because of problems with the ground water level the system never gained the planned extension. A conveyor system was installed from Xuangan to the power plant just south of the Yuanbaohan Xi station but never put into service. Because of the lower quantity of coal the railway is still in use and will remain the transportation system for the future. Due to the low level of coal exploration the railway staff is paid very low in comparison to the standards of other systems. Given this it is quite wonderful how the railroaders care for the railway, keep the locos in good external condition and be friendly to foreign visitors. An example: the station master of Fengshuigou has an income of 400 Yuan per month (i. e. 50 Euros).
Locos seen:
JS 6066, 6244, 6245, 8216, 8249, 8250. Not seen (because I was too tired and too lazy to enter the shed) but reported: 6246, 8246 and 8418.
Because Hans Schaefer visited this place nearly the same time we did I will let him report about the detailed news. He's more familiar with this railway and went to the head office of the railway in Hohehote, so I expect a more detailed report about JiTong than I could offer.
We had contact with the Jingpeng Mafia. They waited in the hotel lobby at about 10 pm. After a bargain (not very friendly from my side) we could manage to avoid any payment to this persons (three, one was identified as driver by the pictures provided by Hans Schaefer on his website). However, our guide was not very happy with this solution (kicking off these corrupt robbers). The Keqi travel agency is in charge of all tourist groups in the region and has the power to control all national guides. Given this they are able to make bad reports that could affect the national guide's permission. All Chinese guides are afraid of such a report. In case of bad reports their rating in the CITS-system will be lowered and they could earn less money, are not allowed to lead foreign group anymore or even lose their job. This is the reason why no Chinese guide will be sign the letter Hans published on the internet.
We asked the Mafia boss from Keqi travel to show us his permit for collecting money. All what we were shown was a copy of a letter which nothing said about his right to charge foreign tourists. Also a list of official fees was not shown to us on demand. He showed his ID card and his official travel agent identification to us.
The Mafia came back in the night. They put our guide under pressure and made the usual psychological terror. I did not know about the return of the Mafia boss, so I could not do anything to avoid supporting the corruption. Our guide paid finally a "fee". However, the robbers got less than a quarter of the demanded money. This is the final proof that clearly shows that this can not be an official fee. You never can bargain about an official fee!
Dear reader, if you have contact with the Mafia, please let it be known at least to the embassy of your country and the Chinese embassy. I'm going to write a letter in German language and will post it to the internet community. Let us not wait until JiTong is diselised and his "job" comes to an end by itself.
Although it is known that steam disappeared after the electrification of their line we could see a steam train in the station! There are still two lines without overhead wires. Further investigation is welcome!
The line was closed in August. There is no hope for operation anymore. The tracks are already lifted at many places. This work will be done by trucks, not by the railway itself. So there is no chance to see a dismantling train.
