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Steam locomotives Of China


Brian Hawkins

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  • 8 months later...

Great albums mate! Thanks for sharing.

 

Tell me, are there any steam trains still running in the PRC and if so, do they only pull freight now please?

 

............

Time is running out. Maybe around 150-200 locos only at work at industrial locations spread around the country.

 

Latest news can be found at the SY country web site http://www.sy-country.co.uk/

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Hello urbancohort,

As bingley hall say's, time is indeed running out for Steam in China, he's estimate of maybe 150-200 Locos remaining in sevice in industrial locations over the whole of China is, i think a very fair figure.

Sandaoling opencast mine is without doubt the best location for working steam left anywhere in the world today, with 20-25 JS 2-8-2's to be seen at work in and around the huge pit.

Two locations that still run a passenger service with steam that i know of are, Yuanbaoshan, with two return trips a day with a JS 2-8-2, these trains are usually run as a mixed and are the only such trains still running in China today, the other location still using steam passenger trains is Bayin, here they use SY 2-8-2 locos and these trains are worked very hard by the crews and make for a wonderful sight and sound in the mountains of the area.

One narrow gauge line survives in China today at Shibanxi, this railway uses 0-8-0 locos and until recently coal trains could be seen on the system, today only passenger trains are in daily service using a mixture of very antiquated rolling stock built by the railway and in recent times they have built tourist coaches, as the Shibanxi railway is looking at the tourist side of things.

Is China worth visiting to see working steam ? my ansewer is YES, but you will need to go NOW !

As bingley hall says, a very good website to keep up to date with Chinese steam is, SY country by Dave Fielding also the steam in China Yahoo newsgroup.

Bachmann China do a very good range of Ho steam, diesel and electric locos as well as a good variety of rolling stock but i do not know of any company producing N Gauge

Regards,

Brian Hawkins.

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  • 10 months later...
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi,

Not many tour groups are visiting China for steam nowadays because of the sad decline in working steam in the country, however, a well recommended company who still makes the occasional visit is FarRail, run by a very enthusiastic German gentlemen by the name of Bernd Seiler, I met Bernd several years ago in Jixi, his command of the English language is excellent and he has many contacts throughout China, his tours are not cheap but travelling with Bernd will be a fantastic experience and you be shown the best of the remaining  steam left in China today.

Here is a link to the FarRail Tour Calendar http://farrail.net/index.html

If you decide on a visit to China with Bernd, you will not be disappointed.

Brian Hawkins

http://brianhawkins.smugmug.com/

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  • 2 years later...

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