TWELVE DAYS IN CHINA

On Saturday morning, February 12th, I headed out to the Chicago area and to Bob and Sue Jordan's house. They live about an hour north and west of O'Hare and had very graciously asked me to spend the night at their house and then in the morning Sue would drop the two of us off at the airport and we would be on the way to another adventure. We met up with John Biehn and Ken Strom who were also flying on the same plane. All went well until we got on board the airliner. We were flying nonstop, Chicago to Beijing, about a 13 hour flight but they had to replace a part on the airplane before they could refuel and then a child on board went into convulsions. The child and family and their bags got off the airplane and then an oxygen bottle got replaced and finally after two and a half hours we turned a wheel.

Beijing time is 14 hours ahead of Chicago time, so when we arrived it was late afternoon on Monday in Beijing. We met up with Ken Storey who flew in from Vancouver, Canada and our guide Allen, our driver and the bus. Here is a group photo (N348-12) that was taken later in the trip by Allen with the five of us posed at Linxi. We rode to Chengde, spent the night and then on Tuesday went on to Reshui and to the west side of the Jingpeng Pass. On this part of our trip we stopped and photographed a Christian church at a village called Daxiwan. It was the only church that we would see on this trip. In Daban we stopped at a crossing and looked into the yard where several working steamers were parked and on the left a steam shovel was working. After setting and jostling around on one's butt for a couple of days it was at this point that I had to do a reality check. Was I dreaming? Have I died and gone to steam heaven? No, when I stepped off that bus it was more akin to stepping out of a magic time machine and into a steam fans wildest dream. (N342-02)

While at Daban we saw a diesel, number 0582, leave with a train, QJ's 6884 and 7048, moving lite out and back into the yard, a doubleheader diesel leave with a train and 6884 again go by lite. We stayed the night in Reshui and woke up Wednesday morning to a fresh snowfall. This area is very arid, so having snow on the ground is rather rare.

We photographed a doublehead diesel train on the SiMingYi bridge and then at the Shangdian station where there are two passing sidings we saw several diesel moves. We followed one of them east and shot it at the San Di crossing and then went on east to Linxi. Our guide had checked with the train gods and we were expecting to meet up with a westbound steamer. Our bus was parked on a street with the Linxi rails on one side and a row a houses on the other. The folks who live in those houses were rather inquisitive about these strange looking guys hanging around on their street. John and I both had candy with us to give to the kids and the people were, in general, very friendly. A young lady, with an older man, approached us and said "welcome to my neighborhood" and after talking to us for a while and introducing us to her father she said "welcome to my house." We met her mother and took pictures (N348-14), had a bite to eat which included some pears that had been processed or aged in a way that made them look somewhat translucent. They were sweet and very juicy once you broke the skin. I also had a glass of warm yellowish looking Mongolian tea.

At about 2:30 in the afternoon our steamer arrived under a bright blue sky. Two QJ's, 6639 in the lead followed by 7009, coal cars, a few tanks and loads of poles of various sizes. They were stopping at Linxi for water, to service and inspect the engines and to push coal forward in the tenders to make it easier for the firemen to keep up while they are assaulting the upcoming climb to the summit (N329-24, N330-07 and N329-21). We followed the 6639 west and photographed it on the "S" curve east of Galadesitai, and again as it passed by Reshui and out onto the Reshui Bridge where I conned a couple into standing in my photo and watching the train go by (N329-37 and N331-03). Shot again at the road crossing near SanDi, then a diesel coming out of tunnel 5 headed downhill and then the 6639 arriving at Shangdian.

We again spent the night at Reshui and on Thursday morning had word of an eastbound coming toward the pass. We went west and could see a plume in the distance so Ken Strom and I went up hill above the SiMingYi Bridge while the other guys climbed up above tunnel 4. Two QJ's came at me from my right, across the bridge in front of me (N331-27) and circled around behind me as they climbed their train, boxcars up front and tanks on the rear, toward tunnel 4. The sun was barely above the hill for this shot so it was a good start for the day until the bus took us to pick up the guys at tunnel 4. As we were waiting for the fellows to climb down off the hill a group of people from TouDi village were hauling a casket up out of the village and across the road to a final resting place.

The train that we just shot would be at the summit and then drifting down hill with not much smoke and steam so we headed for Daban and on the way shot a diesel train on the Reshui Bridge. Heading east out of Daban were a pair or QJ's, 7104 and 6850. We shot them leaving Daban, again at a crossing east of Daban and again just west of Gulumanhan. Then at the same location shot a westbound doubleheader with the 7081 in the lead. Then came a westbound pair running lite led by the 7037, then a herd of sheep led by a shepherd headed south (N332-29) and finally an eastbound doubleheaded train with the 7105 in the lead (N332-33). On the way back to Daban we went up on the hill and shot another pair of westbound QJ's running lite.

We stayed the night at Daban and on Friday morning found that there would be a steam train headed west toward the pass. From the overpass on the west side of Daban we photographed the 7164 and the 6986 as they took their train west. Further west, at another crossing, I found some interesting props in the yard behind the gate tenders home. The pump and the power line feeding the gate tenders home would be silhouetted in the morning light (N333-17). Shot again at Linxi, on the river bridge east of Galadesitai (N334-04), at Galadesitai (N334-20) where we also saw a diesel go east. We shot it twice near the San Di village, once crossing the river bridge and then at the road crossing. More shots at tunnel 5 (N336-11), and then one more time as it was drifting downhill on the SiMingYi bridge.

Saturday, 2-19, no westbound steam today, so we will be photographing between Daban and Chubaga. A short distance east of Daban there is a nice hill where we shot a doubleheader going east with the 7037 in the lead and lots of smoke blowing into the picture. A bit west of Gulumanhan we shot the 7037 again (N335-30) and then a westbound 6763. Another westbound, with the 7040 in the lead, followed by the 6828, shot from the east end of Gulumanhan (N336-33). Went west of Gulumanhan on the hill and shot the 7040 again. Then we went to Baomutu for an interesting shot of an eastbound (N337-09). The train is silhouetted and the cross wind is so strong that the smoke makes it look like the train is backing up. Next another westbound at the east end of Gulumanhan with the 6925 in the lead. This next photo (N337-27) is of a train with a single QJ, number 7030 on the Lindong bridge but because of the wind and the smoke you can not make out those details. Another single locomotive, 7002, leaving Lindong (N339-11). One more location for the day, east of Lindong, on a curve that put the sun on the subject and the smoke behind it (N337-37). I believe the engine was 7104.

Sunday, 2-20, 8:15 AM. A single engine freight sets at Yamenmiao, the first station east of Lindong with QJ 6751 in charge. A passenger train with QJ 7010 makes a brief stop at Yamenmiao and at 8:26 is under way (N338-07). Due to stops and the difference in grades the passenger train travels a greater distance than we do on the road and we get another opportunity to shoot it at Diaojiaduan and then again at an overpass a bit before arriving at Chabuga. Next, a westbound doubleheader coming out of Chabuga. Some of the fellows shot from the overpass and Bob and I went a bit further west to shoot from an area with a village in the background. Then a westbound 7063 with shots at the overpass and then with the village in the background and one more time at a crossing between Diaojiaduan and Yamenmiao with the chickens sheltering from the wind behind the gate tenders house (N338-22). Sometimes when I have to wait for the train to come I do what I call waiting for the train shots, here are a couple of those (N348-20 and N348-23). Next a 7112 leaving Chabuga. At the Chabuga Depot we saw a QJ number 6900 with no ears (smoke deflectors) setting behind the depot with the sun right behind it, so did not get a good shot. Then a shot of the 7010 backing onto its train at the Chabuga Depot. We went out a few miles from Chabuga and up on a hill near the track workers building and shot the passenger train going by (N338-32) and then at Yamenmiao shot the 7010 again. At the first station east of Lindong, caught the 7010 again with the semaphore and glint (N339-28).

On Monday, 2-21 at Lindong station we shot a freight train at the west signal with the 7030 in the lead. It was waiting for a passenger train to come east into the station and when it arrived it had the 7010 in the lead. I shot the meet (N339-33) and then the departure of the passenger train (N340-08). Going west on the railroad from Lindong there is a station called Dariqiga and then the rail curves to the north, west and south to run around the base of a mountain. As it curves back to the west it crosses a river on a bridge that railfans refer to as the Lindong bridge. There is a new highway somewhat to the south of the railroad that is not yet open to traffic but is used by local traffic. We got on the new road and went to the Lindong bridge area where we shot a doubleheader drifting downhill across the bridge and then the 7030 that we saw at Lindong coming up hill (N340-22).

At this point I have the answer handy, so you are allowed to ask the question: Who would go all the way to China just to take pictures of trains? In the next photo (N340-16), I am standing on the new road with the rail and the Lindong Bridge off to my left. There are two buses uphill behind me and four buses in the picture. All six buses have brought railfans to that area to photograph steam trains on the Lindong bridge. Beside our group from North America I know that there were people there from England, Germany and New Zealand.

Next I moved to the other side of the river, still near the new highway and shot a train drifting downhill and then one going uphill. Next near the Dariqiga crossing we saw a westbound engine, lite, and then a westbound doubleheader drifted by. We went up on that previously mentioned mountain and I took what I consider to be one of the best photos of my trip (N343-03) and the photo I used to lead into this What's New story. We went back to the Lindong bridge and walked to the far side of the bridge to take advantage of the afternoon light on the bridge. A train came uphill with two engines and only five cars (N341-09). It looked like the 7164 was doing all the work and the 6986 was just going along for the ride. Then a doubleheader drifted down hill .We went back to the Dariqiga crossing and shot the 6978 and the 7037 taking a train west in good light and good wind. We walked west from the crossing into the curve and got a glint shot on the sides of the 6925 and the 6828 as they drifted east through the curve. That night we did night shots at Daban (N341-29 and N343-10).

On Tuesday, 2-22, we started out at Daban with some interesting yard shots (N342-06, N342-09, N342-10, N342-12, N342-15 and N342-29) and then we were treated by some colorful dragon people who were there as part of the on-going Chinese New Year celebration (N342-25 and N342-28). We went east to the hill and shot an eastbound train with the 6851 in the lead followed by the 7105. Shot this train again a bit west of Gulumanhan (N343-13). We went back west to the Baomutu crossing and shot an eastbound with 7119 in the lead and 6828. Our blue sky and unending supply of QJ's is turning into a travel day. We are heading back to Daban and then south to Chengde to spend the night.

Wednesday, 2-23. A very early rise and then motor from Chengde to Beijing, Fly China Air, flight 1331 to Zhengzhhou. As I moved into my window seat on the left side I saw a young boy peaking through between the seats. I leaned over a bit and winked at him and he immediately winked back. It was a short flight but Lin made it even shorter (N343-24). At Zhengzhhou we met up with our second guide, a different driver and got on a different bus and on the way to Pingdingshan. We went to an area called Xuezhuang to catch a passenger train and had a number 6288 diesel powered coal train come by first and then the steam powered passenger train (N344-05). The locomotive on this train, engine number 8065 is a model JS, a 2-8-2 and I believe that this is the first steamer that we have seen on this trip that was not a QJ. The sky was not very bright and blue in this area so I had loaded a roll of Agfa Scala, black and white slide film, into one of my cameras. Next we went to the mine number 5 rail entrance where steamer 8031, another model JS 2-8-2 was switching and then a new DF7 diesel number 0003 arrived with a train of empty coal cars. Lots of people shots on this day: In (N343-30), our guide Allen watches as a lady fills a type of pocket bread with a mix of lamb and I'm not sure what else for our lunch. During lunch a flurry of activity near our bus (N343-31) as onlookers come by to look at those strange looking guys from North America. The crossing guard at mine number 5 poses for me to take his picture (N343-36) and along side the crossing guard's building the China Rail Mine number 5 recreation center (N343-33).

My notes and photos show that during our two and one half day stay in the Pingdingshan area we saw at least eighteen different steamers, two new DF7 diesels and a few older diesels. We also saw a lot of people, a lot of traffic, a lot of fireworks and a lot of dirt, all under a rather polluted and cloudy sky. Our guide Allen had gotten permission to get us into the shed, an area that the engines come into each morning to pull ashes, take on water, service the locomotives and change crews. There was no facility there to fill the tenders with coal but with 40 coal mines in the area and their primary job of servicing those mines, it is an easy guess as to where they get loaded with coal. On Thursday morning, 2-24 we spent time at the shed and then in the maintenance shop. On Friday morning we spent time in the rail yard that lies between the shed and a mine loading area. In the afternoons we photographed the local passenger trains and visited several mines. This resulted in a lot of roster shots and a lot of poorly lit shots along with some settings that were not the most scenic but if you want to record the activity here it is probably not going to get much better.

The railroad serving this area is known as the Pingdingshan Coal Co. Railway and in our travels we encountered three different models of steam locomotives in this area, the SY 2-8-2, the JS 2-8-2 and the QJ 2-10-2. Most of the locomotives that we saw there were the model JS. These were built between 1950 and 1988. Model JS's that we saw there are numbered 6225, 6253, 8030, 8031, 8054, 8057, 8062, 8065, 8338 and 8421. Here are photos of the JS6225 (N346-21) with side dump cars, the JS8065 (N350-25) with a passenger train, the JS8338 (N350-37) with coal cars and a front vertical of the JS8030 (N345-10). We encountered five QJ locomotives in the Pingdingshan area, the 2035, 6450, 6480, 6813 and 7186. There were 4,714 QJ locomotives built between 1956 and 1988 and 95% of them are gone. The 2035 and the 7186 had no smoke deflectors on them which is kind of rare for the QJ. For photos of the QJ I have the 6813 in the dead line (N346-14), the QJ2035 lite (N346-25) and the QJ7186 working in helper service on a coal train with the JS6225 in the lead. We saw only one model SY locomotive working in the area, the 1209. The SY locomotives (N346-36) were built between 1960 and 1999 and they have a smaller tender than the JS models. Two of the last produced were purchased new by American tourist lines, the Knox & Kane Railroad in Pennsylvania and the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad in Iowa. One more photo of the SY1209 doubling up a coal train (N347-09).

A few photos taken in the shed area (N344-26) servicing the locomotive, (N345-05) taking on water, (N345-19) wiping down the wheels for the photographer, (N344-30) a work train with a steam shovel pulls out on to the main and (N345-08) a lady rakes through the dumped locomotive ashes collecting bits of coal that are not completely burnt. In the shop area (N345-23) a welder at work and (N345-24) a hard hat that looks like an upside down woven basket. During the afternoon one shot of a new DF7 0003 (N343-35) that was taken at the rail entrance to mine number 5 and the passenger train at Xuezhuang (N350-09) with a cute little girl that we convinced to stand and wave as the train went by.

Thursday, 2-24 was the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration and on that evening we saw the biggest and longest fireworks display that you can imagine. It went on for hours. On Friday evening we went to the train station and spent the night riding in a sleeper on a train to Beijing. We arrived at 5 AM, went to a hotel to clean up, re-pack for the flight back home and to have breakfast. Then, with a few hours in Beijing remaining, it was off to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The huge monument in the center of Tiananmen Square (N352-04) and a large sculpture representing labor (N352-03). Another group photo including Mao and a security guard (N352-06), from left, Ken Storey, Ken Strom, John Biehn, Herb Sommers and Bob Jordan. The building in the background is the entrance to the Forbidden City which is where we were headed next. Construction of the Forbidden City started during the Ming Dynasty in 1420 and went on for about 200 years which helps to explain how it got to be so vast. You go through a gate and you are in a courtyard surrounded by buildings, you go through another gate and you are in a courtyard surrounded by buildings, and so on and on and on. It is huge with much of it under reconstruction. One of the courtyards (N352-13), an incense burner (N352-15) that had something to do with fertility rites and a hallway leading to another courtyard (N352-24). As we were leaving the Forbidden City I grabbed a shot of a couple of trolleys (N352-37), rubber tired buses that were a reminder of my childhood. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe to buy some shirts and then headed to the airport for the flight back to 2005. In all, it was a grand trip that I am really glad that I went on.

I would like to give credits and thanks to two different web sites that I used to obtain useful information that helped me in my writing of this China story:

Hans Schaefer's home page:

http://home.c2i.net/schaefer/index.html

Tractive Efforts Homepage by Duncan Cotteril:

http://www.railography.co.uk/tractive-efforts