China - Steam
Gallery Reformatting Complete
02/10/22 17:08
The remaining photo galleries have now been reformatted and uploaded with a number of additional photos added, mainly images that appeared in trip reports but failed to make it to the galleries for some reason. A photo index page in the new style has also been added. Your browser should redirect you automatically but if it doesn't, use the link below.The new photos page has been moved into a new section called Collections, which will contain collections of photos that are linked by a common theme but don't fit neatly into the country based structure.
go to photo galleries
China : Photo Galleries : Nancha Pictures
07/07/21 09:46
Nancha was one of the best places to see steam at work in China in the late 1980s. There was an almost continuous procession of QJ hauled freights on the Harbin to Jiamusi main line but the most spectacular workings were on the steeply graded branch to the north where the heaviest trains were double headed and banked. As well as QJs, high deflectored JS still worked some traffic. This update adds 39 pictures taken around Nancha in 1988 and 1989 plus a few others taken elsewhere around the same time.go to New Photos
go to Harbin Bureau : Nancha Area photo gallery
China : Photo Galleries : Changchun Pictures
22/03/21 13:01
A selection of 17 photos, most taken around Changchun in 1988 and 1989, and featuring RM and SL Class Pacifics as well as JF Class 2-8-2s and the inevitable QJ Class 2-10-2s. There are also a handful of pictures of SYs including a brand new loco awaiting painting at Tangshan.go to New Photos
go to Shenyang Bureau : Jilin Area photo gallery
go to Shenyang Bureau : Changchun Area photo gallery
China : Photo Galleries : Baotou Pictures
10/03/21 08:13
A selection of 27 photos featuring 10 different classes of steam locomotive, taken in various locations between 1988 and 1991, with around half from Baotou Steelworks when the ET7 and XK13 tanks were still active. There are also some pictures from the CNR depot at Baotou and a few Pacifics and QJs around Changchun and Jilin, some of which are better renderings of images published before.go to New Photos
go to Baotou Steelworks photo gallery
go to Hohhot Bureau : Baotou Area photo gallery
go to Shenyang Bureau : Changchun Area photo gallery
China : Photo Galleries : Tonghua Pictures
27/12/20 10:03
Some seasonal snow scenes from the Tonghua area of north-east China 30 years ago, when everything was still steam worked. It seems a world away now in these times of Covid lockdowns and travel bans.go to New Photos
go to Tonghua area photo gallery
China : New Harbin and Lanzhou Bureau Pictures Added
15/11/20 14:13
Added a new gallery for pictures from the Nancha area of Heilongjiang. Only a handful of pictures there at the moment with more to follow when the opportunity arises. Also added a few extra pictures to the Jiamusi, Mudanjiang and Harbin galleries and more to the Lanzhou - Wuweinan gallery. Plenty of QJ shots and one DFH3 diesel. go to New Photos gallery
go to Harbin Bureau : Nancha Area gallery
go to Harbin Bureau : Jiamusi Area gallery
go to Harbin Bureau : Mudanjiang Area gallery
go to Harbin Bureau : Harbin Area gallery
go to Lanzhou Bureau : Lanzhou - Wuweinan gallery
China : Zhongwei - Gantang Photo Gallery Added
13/11/20 16:44
The next instalment in the Chinese photo saga, a few pictures from the Zhongwei - Gantang line, a section of the long route from Beijing to Lanzhou via Inner Mongolia. Westbound trains face around 60km of 1 in 80 gradients as they climb out of the Yellow River Valley and onto the fringes of the Gobi Desert. It was a spectacular place to see single, double and sometimes triple headed QJs hard at work in the early 1990s. The first diesels arrived in late 1993 and electrification followed shortly afterwards.go to New Photos gallery
go to Zhongwei - Gantang Line gallery
China : Misc Industrial Photos Added
12/11/20 21:59
Yet more Chinese pictures including a few taken at Tangshan Works in 1988 when it was building new SYs. There's a new Tangshan Locomotive Works gallery and a few newly processed pics added to existing galleries.go to New Photos gallery
go to Tangshan Locomotive Works gallery
China : Shenyang Bureau Photos Added
12/11/20 16:09
More Chinese pictures, mainly from the Tonghua and Jilin areas in the late 1980s and early 1990s and a mixture of steam and diesel subjects.go to New Photos gallery
go to Shenyang Bureau : Tonghua Area gallery
go to Shenyang Bureau : Jilin Area gallery
China : Baotou and Changchun Shed Shots
13/09/20 20:39
Added a selection of pictures taken at Baotou and Changchun depots in the late 1980s and early 1990s, mainly of QJs. There are also a couple of pictures taken inside Changchun Works.go to New Photos gallery
go to Hohhot Bureau : Baotou Area gallery
go to Shenyang Bureau : Changchun Area gallery
China : More JiTong Railway Photos Added
13/09/20 11:35
After a major exercise to track down and file numerous film images scanned over the last decade or more and prepare them for publication, the first 38 pictures are now online. This batch were all taken on the JiTong line in Inner Mongolia between 1996 and 2002, when QJ Class 2-10-2s ruled the rails.go to New Photos gallery
go to JiTong Railway : Chabuga - Daban gallery
go to JiTong Railway : Daban - Haoluku gallery
go to QJ Class gallery
China : Nov/Dec 2019 Photos Added
03/04/20 12:25
A large selection of pictures from my latest trip to China in late November and early December 2019 have been added to the photo galleries. The vast majority are steam shots from Sandaoling but there's also a shot of a new long-distance EMU at Beijing.
go to Sandaoling Mining Railway gallery
go to Beijing Bureau - Beijing City gallery
go to Sandaoling Mining Railway gallery
go to Beijing Bureau - Beijing City gallery
China : Latest Trip Report
29/03/20 20:42
The report from my latest trip to China in late 2019, only 3 months late this time. Once again the destination was the opencast coal mine at Sandaoling, just about the only place where real working steam locomotives can be seen these days.
go to Sandaoling Soldiers On report
go to Sandaoling Soldiers On report
China : New Photos Added
11/10/19 13:53
A selection of pictures from my late 2017 and late 2018 trips to China have been added to the photo galleries. There are steam shots from Sandaoling and a few from Wujiu plus a few diesels and electrics, mainly around Beijing.
go to Sandaoling Mining Railway gallery
go to Wujiu Mining Railway gallery
go to Beijing Bureau - Beijing City gallery
go to Beijing Museum gallery
go to new photos
go to Sandaoling Mining Railway gallery
go to Wujiu Mining Railway gallery
go to Beijing Bureau - Beijing City gallery
go to Beijing Museum gallery
go to new photos
China : Another New Trip Report
09/10/19 17:54
Another very late report from a trip to China, this time in November and December 2018, so less than a year late! This time the visit was just to the steam worked mining railway at Sandaoling.
go to Another Fling to Sandaoling report
go to Another Fling to Sandaoling report
China : New Trip Report
05/10/19 14:31
Very late but hopefully still of interest to some. This report dates from a trip to China in late 2017, visiting the mining systems at Wujiu and Sandaoling, both of which feature working steam, and including some observations of the current main line scene, principally around Beijing.
go to Steam, Snow and Sand report
go to Steam, Snow and Sand report
China : Nov 2016 Trip Photos
10/03/17 23:15
33 new pictures from the November 2016 trip to China have been added to the photo galleries. Lots of steam and plenty of diesels as well, plus a single electric.
go to Pingzhuang Mining Railway photos
go to Beijing Bureau : Central Beijing photos
go to Wujiu Mining Railway photos
go to Harbin Bureau : Haila'er Area photos
go to Sandaoling Mining Railway photos
go to China photo galleries
go to Pingzhuang Mining Railway photos
go to Beijing Bureau : Central Beijing photos
go to Wujiu Mining Railway photos
go to Harbin Bureau : Haila'er Area photos
go to Sandaoling Mining Railway photos
go to China photo galleries
China : New Trip Report
14/12/16 15:16
The steam age is rapidly coming to an end in China but, even at the end of 2016, there was just enough activity to justify another visit. This report covers a three week trip in November and early December to see the SY Class 2-8-2s on the mining railways at Pingzhuang and Wujiu and the JS Class 2-8-2s in the opencast mine at Sandaoling. Observations of diesel and electric locos on the national system and industrial lines are included as well.
go to The End Of The Line? report
go to The End Of The Line? report
China : Photo Gallery Changes
17/07/16 13:09
The transfer of Chinese pictures to the new format galleries is now complete with over 1100 photos transferred and another 150 photos added, some of which have never been published before, while others have only appeared in trip reports. The pictures span a period of over 30 years, although those from the 21st Century predominate, and cover main line, industrial and forestry operations, steam, diesel and electric, so there should be something for everyone. There are almost 100 galleries organising the pictures by different categories, such as location, loco class or train type.
go to new photos
go to China : photo galleries
go to new photos
go to China : photo galleries
China : Photo Gallery Changes
06/07/16 21:09
The massive task of converting the China photo galleries to the new format has started with four industrial lines, Fushun, Fuxin, Pingzhuang and Sandaoling. A total of 73 new photos taken over the last couple of years have been added to the new galleries. The old galleries will remain in place until the transfer is complete but won't be updated.
go to new photos gallery
go to new China photo galleries
go to new photos gallery
go to new China photo galleries
China : New Trip Report
14/12/15 16:05
Real working steam locos are becoming very hard to find, even in China, but two of the remaining operations are still exceptionally good. This report covers a 3 week trip based around visits to the steam worked mining railways at Fuxin and Sandaoling in November and December 2015. The mining line at Pingzhuang and Fushun’s Old Steelworks were also visited, with mixed results. The report includes observations on the main line, all diesel or electric these days.
go to Steaming On report
go to Steaming On report
China : Baiyin Photo Gallery Updated
15/01/15 17:18
The Baiyin photo galleries have been updated with an additional 34 pictures from three trips in 2009, 2010 and 2014, showing steam and diesel locomotives on freight and passenger trains on this interesting industrial system in western China.
go to Baiyin Mineral Railway gallery
go to Baiyin Mineral Railway gallery
China : New Trip Report
16/12/14 10:56
With the Rongshan NG line back in action and a new steam worked line due to open at Sandaoling, November 2014 seemed a good time to visit China again. In the event we missed out on both but still had a very rewarding trip. This report covers what we saw at Fuxin and Sandaoling, neither of which disappointed.
go to report
go to report
China : New Trip Report
20/03/14 17:53
This illustrated report covers a two week trip to the Baiyin and Tiehejinchang lines in China's western province of Gansu from 3 to 17 March 2014.
Both lines visited use a mixture of steam and diesel traction and, with steam in rapid decline, things didn't turn out exactly as anticipated.
go to report
Both lines visited use a mixture of steam and diesel traction and, with steam in rapid decline, things didn't turn out exactly as anticipated.
go to report
China : New Trip Report
18/01/14 11:54
A trip to photograph steam locomotives on the best industrial lines, including the huge opencast coal mine at Sandaoling, the largest industrial steam user, with around 17 locos required in traffic every day, and the last large scale user of JS class 2-8-2s. The SY worked Fuxin and Pingzhuang mining systems and the old steelworks at Fushun also featured. Diesels and electrics were not ignored entirely with visits to Beijing's main station and to the Fushun Mining Railway, with its remarkable electrics.
go to report
go to report
China : Benxi Steelworks Gallery Added
28/02/13 22:26
Following a request for some photos of XK2 0-6-0s, I've done some scanning and added a Benxi Steelworks gallery with a few pics from 1992 including an XK2, a fireless, a rare standard gauge DFH21 diesel and an EL1 electric.
go to Benxi Steelworks gallery
go to Benxi Steelworks gallery
China : Industrial Photo Gallery Update
30/12/12 14:19
The Chinese Industrial Railway photo galleries have been updated with more than 70 pictures from the November 2012 trip to Bajiaotai and the mining railways at Fuxin, Pingzhuang and Sandaoling.
go to China Industrial Railway galleries
go to Fuxin Mining Railway gallery
go to Pingzhuang Mining Railway gallery
go to Sandaoling Mining Railway gallery
go to China Industrial Railway galleries
go to Fuxin Mining Railway gallery
go to Pingzhuang Mining Railway gallery
go to Sandaoling Mining Railway gallery
China : New Trip Report
05/12/12 17:48
The last few years have seen many of the best Chinese steam locations dieselise, electrify or abandon their rail systems altogether. Just enough survived to justify one last trip in November 2012. This report covers what we found at Bajiaotai, Fuxin, Pingzhuang and Sandaoling during an 18-day trip. There are also extensive observations of the current Chinese rail scene from journeys totalling over 6000km.
go to report
go to report
China : Pingzhuang and Sandaoling Photos
26/01/12 21:43
The China photo gallery updates continue with a new gallery covering the mining railway at Pingzhuang and a major update of the Sandaoling gallery with photos from visits in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
go to Pingzhuang gallery
go to Sandaoling gallery
go to Pingzhuang gallery
go to Sandaoling gallery
China : Chengzihe and Didao Photos
09/01/12 19:43
Two of the Jixi galleries have been updated with new photos, covering the Chengzihe and Didao mining systems in 2010. Jixi was an outstanding place for steam photography with some of the best industrial backdrops anywhere in China, attractive scenery and plenty of action.
go to Chengzihe gallery
go to Didao gallery
go to Chengzihe gallery
go to Didao gallery
China : Fuxin, Fushun and Fula'erji Photos
08/01/12 12:07
More updated photo galleries featuring the mining railways at Fuxin and Fushun and a completely new gallery of photos from Fula’erji.
go to Fuxin gallery
go to Fushun gallery
go to Fula’erji gallery
go to Fuxin gallery
go to Fushun gallery
go to Fula’erji gallery
China : Beipiao and Beitai Photos
04/01/12 13:32
Two new photo galleries have been added to the China Industrials section, covering visits to the Beipiao Mining Railway in late 2010 and to Beitai Steelworks in late 2011.
go to Beipiao gallery
go to Beitai gallery
go to Beipiao gallery
go to Beitai gallery
China : Huanan Photos
02/01/12 22:10
The Huanan photo gallery has been updated with many more photos from trips in winter 2009 and 2010. This narrow gauge forestry line was very difficult to photograph successfully, with frequent closures and chronically unreliable engines but it had real character. Now that it’s closed, I’m really glad that I made the effort.
go to Huanan gallery
go to Huanan gallery
China : Loco List Update
29/12/11 10:32
The loco lists have been updated with data from reports posted up to 21 December 2011. Lots of historic data from the 1980s has also been added. Of note during 2011 was the withdrawal of all but one of the remaining QJs, leaving only QJ 7129 at Sishui Cement Works in use until the surprising resurrection of long dead QJ 6652 for use as stationary boiler at Xi’an Bei CRH depot. There were a surprising number of new locations reported, although none come close to replacing some of the great operations lost over the past few years.
Also notable was an increase in the number of locos being preserved in one form or another. Some of the locos concerned haven’t been reported for years, if at all. Where, for instance, was RM 1247 hiding for over 30 years before it resurfaced outside the new Shenyang Railway Museum? What other gems could there be out there waiting to be discovered?
Additions to the historic lists include the first report of an active FD in the north-east, albeit as a stationary boiler at Sujiatun, a pre-production QJ in service, also at Sujiatun, SL6s at Huhehaote, RMs at Xi’an and lots of JFs, JSs and QJs.
Many thanks to all those who supplied reports, sightings, information, links to photo sites or Chinese forums etc. Without your help, the list wouldn’t have reached over 43000 entries covering 7200 locos at more than 600 locations. Keep those numbers coming.
go to Loco Lists
Also notable was an increase in the number of locos being preserved in one form or another. Some of the locos concerned haven’t been reported for years, if at all. Where, for instance, was RM 1247 hiding for over 30 years before it resurfaced outside the new Shenyang Railway Museum? What other gems could there be out there waiting to be discovered?
Additions to the historic lists include the first report of an active FD in the north-east, albeit as a stationary boiler at Sujiatun, a pre-production QJ in service, also at Sujiatun, SL6s at Huhehaote, RMs at Xi’an and lots of JFs, JSs and QJs.
Many thanks to all those who supplied reports, sightings, information, links to photo sites or Chinese forums etc. Without your help, the list wouldn’t have reached over 43000 entries covering 7200 locos at more than 600 locations. Keep those numbers coming.
go to Loco Lists
China Trip Report : Coal Steel and Steam
11/12/11 09:05
Chinese steam may be in terminal decline but there are still a few high quality operations good enough to justify another trip. This report covers a very productive three week trip to the north of the country in November 2011, concentrating on the industrial railways at Fula’erji in Heilongjiang, Beitai and Fuxin in Liaoning and Sandaoling in Xinjiang, with brief visits to Shenyang, Fushun and Pingzhuang as well.
go to report
go to report
China Trip Report : Industrial Survivors
20/12/10 14:12
A marathon three-week trip to northern China in Winter 2010, visiting the best of the remaining steam operations at Sandaoling, Jixi, Huanan, Tiefa, Fuxin, Beipiao, Pingzhuang, Yuanbaoshan and Hongmiao. Despite the decline in steam working over the past year, we still saw almost 60 locos in steam.
go to report
go to report
China : Loco Lists Updated
06/07/10 12:49
The Chinese Loco Lists detail the whereabouts of individual Chinese standard gauge steam locomotives over the past 30 years, based on sightings reported by visiting foreign enthusiasts and, increasingly, Chinese enthusiasts. While the lists are far from complete, they do contain information on over 7000 locomotives of more than 50 classes, from industrial 0-6-0 tanks to the mighty QJ 2-10-2s. The list have now been updated to include sightings up to May 2010.
go to the loco lists
go to the loco lists
China Trip Report : Jixi and Baiyin
11/04/10 15:30
It’s getting harder to find photogenic, busy, steam worked industrial systems in China. Both the systems we visited in early March 2010 were under threat of modernisation in the near future. The best part of the Jixi system is expected to be electrified during 2010 and Baiyin received its first diesel a couple of weeks before our arrival and a second was being commissioned while we were there. The steam action was still excellent but it felt like the end was getting close.
Go to report
Go to report
China Trip Report : Coal Lines - East and West
05/12/09 17:23
The days when steam locomotives were easy to find are long gone and the best locations are often far from each other. On this trip we set out to visit two of the furthest apart, the opencast coal mine at Sandaoling in the north-western province of Xinjiang and the narrow gauge coal railway at Huanan in eastern Heilongjiang. These are two very different operations yet they share some common features beyond the fact that they both haul coal, most notably the use of banking engines.
Go to report
Go to report
China Trip Report : Industrial Steam East and West
21/03/09 16:10
The opencast coal mine at Zhalainuoer is probably the greatest steam spectacle left in the world today but it won’t be for much longer. Railway operations within the big pit are expected to cease later this year and diesels are currently being acquired for the surface lines as well. The opportunity to visit Zhalainuoer in March 2009 for one last time was just too good to miss. We also visited Baiyin, a much smaller operation but with a reasonably long main line featuring semi-desert scenery and steep gradients.
Go to report
Go to report
China : Bei'an Steam Pictures Added
21/02/09 19:52
Pictures of China Railway steam around Bei'an in 1999 have been added to the Bei'an gallery. Subject matter includes high-deflector QJ and JS hauled trains, glints and silhouettes at the depot and even a couple of vintage diesels.
Bei'an pictures
Bei'an pictures
China : Photo Gallery Updates
11/02/09 17:03
Pictures from my November 2008 trip to the Huanan Forestry Railway and Jixi Mining Railways have been added to the appropriate photo galleries.
Huanan pictures
Jixi pictures
Chengzihe
Didao
Donghai
Lishu
Huanan pictures
Jixi pictures
Chengzihe
Didao
Donghai
Lishu
China Trip Report : North East Steam
06/12/08 13:40
A short trip to two of the best surviving steam operations. We planned to start with a couple of days at Jixi, a coal mining centre employing more than 20 SY class 2-8-2s, and then to move on to the narrow gauge operation at Huanan, potentially the best surviving narrow gauge line in China but notoriously unreliable these days. Things didn't quite go according to plan!
Go to Report
Go to Report
China - Loco Lists Updated
14/07/08 11:48
The Loco Lists have been updated to include sightings up to June 2008. The inclusion of historical data continues but progress is very slow. It can take hours to pin down a single sighting because many of the locations listed are very obscure. In contrast, entering 40 numbers from a web report of Sandaoling only takes a couple of minutes.
Many thanks to everyone who submitted reports to Steam_In_China and SY Country or e-mailed me directly with information or links to items on the Chinese bulletin boards. It's thanks to you that the list now contains details for around 400 industrial and local railways and 6900 individual locomotives.
Lists by Class
Lists by CNR Location
Lists by Other Location (Industrial, Mining, Local Railways etc incl Museums)
Many thanks to everyone who submitted reports to Steam_In_China and SY Country or e-mailed me directly with information or links to items on the Chinese bulletin boards. It's thanks to you that the list now contains details for around 400 industrial and local railways and 6900 individual locomotives.
Lists by Class
Lists by CNR Location
Lists by Other Location (Industrial, Mining, Local Railways etc incl Museums)
China - Main Line Galleries
01/07/08 20:09
The China Main Line Galleries have been reorganised on a CNR Bureau basis. Many of the pictures have been published before but there are quite a few brand new pics and others that have been re-scanned or otherwise improved. In particular, there are fresh scans of 35mm slides from 1984/5, using a proper film scanner this time, not a flatbed, and a new gallery of pictures from the spectacular Datong - Qinhuangdao coal line. In total, there are over 200 photos covering a wide variety of steam, diesel and electric classes in Harbin, Shenyang, Beijing and Lanzhou Bureaux.
go to the galleries
go to the galleries
China - JiTong Pictures
22/06/08 16:11
It's taken a long time but I've finally got round to organising all the JiTong railway pictures in the same place. There are almost 200 pictures in 14 galleries covering the line from near Fuxindi, east of Chabuga to near Majiazi, west of Jingpeng. In addition to the pictures in the old Tractive Efforts galleries and those already on Railography, there are many previously unpublished images. This is just the tip of the iceberg and covers the line from early 2003 onwards with a handful of scans from 2002 and 2003. This was the ultimate main-line steam spectacle in more ways than one. Enjoy!
JiTong photo galleries
JiTong photo galleries
Chinese Pictures Added - March 2008
17/05/08 13:52
Pictures from my March 2008 trip to Baotou, Gongwusu and Baiyin have been added to the photo galleries.
Baotou photo gallery
Gongwusu photo gallery
Baiyin photo gallery
Baotou photo gallery
Gongwusu photo gallery
Baiyin photo gallery
Chinese Trip Report (Steam Along the Yellow River) - Feb/Mar 2008
16/03/08 06:12
After three successful spring trips to North-East China, it seemed time to do something different. This time we travelled west from Beijing to visit three steam operations along the Yellow River. The steelworks at Baotou is largely dieselised but still employs a number of SYs. Further west at Gongwusu, a quiet and rarely visited coal mining system uses a couple of JSs. Our final destination was the mine and smelter complex at Baiyin with its very active fleet of SYs.
Go to report
Go to report
Chinese Pictures Added - Mar & Nov/Dec 2007
01/01/08 20:33
Pictures from my November/December 2007 trip to Jixi and Nanpiao have been added to the photo galleries. There are also some shots from Jixi, Hegang and Zhalainuoer in March 2007 that somehow got missed in earlier updates.
Hegang gallery
Jixi-Chengzihe
Jixi-Didao gallery
Jixi-Donghai gallery
Jixi-Hengshan gallery
Jixi-Lishu gallery
Nanpiao gallery
Zhalainuoer gallery
Hegang gallery
Jixi-Chengzihe
Jixi-Didao gallery
Jixi-Donghai gallery
Jixi-Hengshan gallery
Jixi-Lishu gallery
Nanpiao gallery
Zhalainuoer gallery
Chinese Trip Report - Nov/Dec 2007
30/12/07 10:44
This trip turned out very differently to the one we planned. The idea had been to get some shots of Huanan in the snow and have another go at Huludao before the diesels arrived. As we were in the area, it seemed sensible to spend a few days in Jixi as well. In the event, there was no snow and Huanan wasn’t running any trains. Huludao had two brand new diesels and no steam on line work. Fortunately JIxi didn't disappoint and Nanpiao proved to be an acceptable alternative to Huludao.
Go to report
Go to report
Chinese Trip Report
05/04/07 16:42
This visit to China started with a few days photographing modern traction around Beijing, including SS4Gs on the busy Datong - Qinhuangdao coal line and 8Ks on the Fengtai - Shacheng route. The remainder of the trip was spent in the North-East visiting three of the surviving steam-worked colliery systems at Jixi, Hegang and Zhalainuoer.
Go to the report
Go to the report
Chinese Photos - Daban - Chabuga
04/02/07 19:19
The JiTong Railway's Daban - Chabuga section was the last place in the world that you could see main line steam in action. It isn't as spectacular as JIngpeng Pass but it was still well worth visiting. The landscape is attractive and varied with enough bridges, curves, semaphore signals and hills to keep visiting photographers busy. These galleries contain pictures taken on the line between 2003 and the end of steam working in 2005.
Tongliao - Chabuga photos
Chabuga - Daban photos
Daban Depot photos
Tongliao - Chabuga photos
Chabuga - Daban photos
Daban Depot photos
Chinese Trip Report & Photos - Steam in Sichuan - January 2007
20/01/07 17:14
This report covers a visit to the south-western province of Sichuan in early January 2007. After searching out working steam in the Chengdu area for a couple of days, we headed south to the narrow gauge line at Shibanxi. This is a superb railway with excellent scenery, steep gradients, good photo locations and appalling weather. If only the sun shone a bit more it would be close to perfection. To find out what makes it so special, read the report and look at the pictures.
Go to the report
Shibanxi photos
Go to the report
Shibanxi photos
Even More Chinese Industrial Steam Photos
26/12/06 13:09
This update contains the remaining industrial railway pictures from Tractive Efforts together with a good selection that haven't been published before. Locations include Baiyin, Dahuichang, Dayan, Hegang, Tongchuan, Yaojie, Yuanbaoshan and a gallery of photos from miscellaneous locations.
Baiyin photos
Dahuichang photos
Dayan photos
Hegang photos
Tongchuan photos
Yaojie photos
Yuanbaoshan photos
Miscellaneous photos
Baiyin photos
Dahuichang photos
Dayan photos
Hegang photos
Tongchuan photos
Yaojie photos
Yuanbaoshan photos
Miscellaneous photos
More Chinese Industrial Steam Photos
16/12/06 19:46
As part of the migration from Tractive Efforts to Railography, four more photo galleries totalling almost 60 pictures have been added to the Chinese Industrials section. As usual, these contain a mixture of previously published material and new images. The operations covered are at coal railways at Meihekou, Nanpiao, Pingdingshan and Sandaoling.
Meihekou photos
Nanpiao photos
Pingdingshan photos
Sandaoling photos
Meihekou photos
Nanpiao photos
Pingdingshan photos
Sandaoling photos
Chinese Trip Report and Photos
10/12/06 16:11
There's still plenty of steam working on the industrial railways of north-eastern China and this report covers a visit to three centres in November 2006. Jixi is the largest coal mining centre in the north-east and home to several busy steam worked colliery systems. Huanan is at the other end of the volume scale, a scenic narrow gauge line that hauls tiny volumes of coal out of the hills. Fuxin was once a great mining centre but has been in steep decline for several years. Despite this, there's still enough traffic to keep more than a dozen steam locos busy working between the remaining mines and power stations.
Go to the report
Jixi - Chengzihe photos
Jixi - Didao photos
Jixi - Hengshan photos
Jixi - Lishu photos
Huanan photos
Fuxin Photos
Go to the report
Jixi - Chengzihe photos
Jixi - Didao photos
Jixi - Hengshan photos
Jixi - Lishu photos
Huanan photos
Fuxin Photos
Chinese Photos - Weihe and Tiefa Galleries Added
13/11/06 16:28
Two more photo galleries covering the Tiefa Mining Railway and the Weihe Forestry Railway have been added. Most of the pictures were previously on Tractive Efforts but many have been remastered. There are some previously unpublished pictures as well.
Tiefa Mining Railway
Weihe Forestry Railway
Tiefa Mining Railway
Weihe Forestry Railway
Chinese Photos - JiTong Railway - Galadesitai to Dabaliang
05/11/06 16:44
The JiTong Railway was a dream come true. A brand new steam worked main line with an incredibly photogenic mountain section that opened just as the rest of China dieselised. For nine glorious years we scrambled up the hills and exposed miles of film and terabytes of memory recording big steam's last stand. This gallery contains photos taken on the east side of Dabaliang (Jingpeng Pass) during the last few years of steam operation as well as a few pictures of current diesel workings. Many of these pictures have been transferred from Tractive Efforts but a few are published for the first time.
Galadesitai - Dabaliang photos
Galadesitai - Dabaliang photos
Chinese Photos - Lanzhou-Wuweinan
13/10/06 20:26
A gallery of photographs taken on the Lanzhou - Wuweinan line in northwestern China. Many of the pictures are from 1989 when the line was single track, steeply graded and steam worked. By September 2006, when I next visited the area, a completely new, double track, electrified railway on an easy alignment had replaced the original route and some of the photos show the current situation.
Lanzhou - Wuweinan photos
Lanzhou - Wuweinan photos
Chinese Steam Photos
02/09/06 21:00
More pictures from the mine railways around Jixi, this time the busy SY worked Chengzihe system north of the city.
Jixi - Chengzihe Mining Railway photos
Jixi - Chengzihe Mining Railway photos
Chinese Steam History and Locomotive Profiles
31/07/06 14:04
Some background information on the development and use of steam locomotives in China together with detailed profiles of 16 significant classes. These include historical and technical details and photographs.
Locomotive Profiles
Locomotive Profiles
Chinese Locomotive Lists
29/07/06 21:59
The Chinese Locomotive Lists, the most comprehensive database of locomotive sightings on the web with data on the whereabouts of around 6500 Chinese steam locomotives over the past 30 years, is now available on Railography. The lists, which were part of my Tractive Efforts website, have been updated with sightings from recent trips as part of the transfer.
Locomotive Lists
Locomotive Lists
Chinese Steam Photos
26/05/06 14:46
Two of China's surviving steam worked mining railways and very different operations. Zhalainuoer is probably the most spectacular steam location left in the world today, a huge opencast mine worked by a sizeable fleet of SY class 2-8-2s. Lishu is much smaller but is set in attractive rural scenery. Many new photos have been added to those previously published. These galleries will be the first of many to be transferred from Tractive Efforts.
Jixi - Lishu Mining Railway photos
Zhalainuoer Opencast Coal Mine photos
Jixi - Lishu Mining Railway photos
Zhalainuoer Opencast Coal Mine photos
China North East Trip Report
15/03/06 23:15
Return to SY Heaven. Report of a return visit trip to some of the main industrial steam centres of the north-east including Meihekou, Jixi and Zhalainuoer. Includes Jiaojie Ironworks, a JF guarding the Russian border and the Iron Bull of Jixi.
China New Huanan Photos
08/12/05 20:29
New Gallery Added - Pictures from the Huanan section of the September trip added.
North West China Photos
08/12/05 20:12
New Gallery Added - Pictures from the North West Frontier trip added.
North West China Report Added
01/12/05 19:42
New Report Added - North West Frontier. A trip to see industrial steam in Xinjiang and Gansu, visiting Yamansu, Sandaoling, Yaojie, Tiehejinchang, Liujiaxia and Baiyin.
China Loco List Updates
21/10/05 11:30
Class and Location Lists Updated.
Autumn China Trip Report
29/09/05 22:49
New Report Added - Main Line Steam Finale - A final visit to the JiTong line followed by a few days on the Huanan narrow gauge.
JiTong Steam Finale Pictures
20/09/05 00:08
JiTong Finale pictures added.
More Loco List Updates
03/07/05 13:05
Class and Location Lists Updated. Loco Finder page added to Gricers Guide.
Gricer's Guide and Loco Lists Updated
10/05/05 19:24
Class and Location Lists Updated. Modified Gricers Guide Index Page.
More China Loco List Updates
09/04/05 23:32
Class and Location Lists Updated.
China Loco List Updates
27/03/05 16:35
Class and Location Lists Updated.
More China Maps and Photos
25/03/05 22:00
Jixi Didao and Jixi Lishu detail maps added.
March 2005 Photo Galleries added.
March 2005 Photo Galleries added.
China Steam Location Maps Added
19/03/05 09:14
Jixi Overview Map, Meihekou Mine Railway Map added. High Definition Meihekou Map added.
China Trip Report Added
18/03/05 17:46
New Report Added - Manchurian Industrials - A successful trip to Meihekou, Jixi, Dayan, Jalainur and Dahuichang in early March 2005.
China Loco Lists Expanded
20/02/05 23:05
Location Lists expanded to almost 300 operations in two series, CNR Bureaux and Non CNR Locations including industrial and local railways and museums. Cross linking added between location and class lists.
Bryan Acford China Report
13/02/05 19:41
Bryan Acford's report of his trip to Pingdingshan, Yuzhou, Xingyang, Tiefa, Lindong, Yuanbaoshan and Pingzhuang in January/February 2005.
Loco List Updates
13/02/05 10:19
Number Lists updated. More historic data added. More Location Lists added
Lindong Pictures Added
27/01/05 21:51
Lindong Pictures added to December 2004 photo gallery.
Gricer's Guide Updates
26/01/05 16:59
Number Lists brought up to date.
Class Profiles added for FD class 2-10-2s, KD6 class 2-8-0s, KD7 class 2-8-0s.
Number Lists added for FD, KD6, KD7 and 42 other classes.
Location Lists section added with rosters for individual locations.
Class Profiles added for FD class 2-10-2s, KD6 class 2-8-0s, KD7 class 2-8-0s.
Number Lists added for FD, KD6, KD7 and 42 other classes.
Location Lists section added with rosters for individual locations.
Video and Number List Updates
17/01/05 12:07
Number Lists updated. 4 new Bryan Acford movies added.
Central China Pictures
14/01/05 21:45
Central China Winter 2004/5 pictures added.
Central China Report
11/01/05 18:50
New Report Added - Central China - The Xuzhou area and Pingdingshan over the New Year.
Jingpeng Photos Added
25/12/04 15:43
December 2004 photo gallery added - Jingpeng Pass initially
Jingpeng Farewell Report
15/12/04 23:31
New Report added - Farewell to Main Line Steam - The JiTong Railway in December 2004.
Chinese Pacific Photos
12/11/04 16:19
Pacifics gallery added. A photo feature on the last years of the SL6 and RM pacifics.
SL Added to Gricer's Guide
08/11/04 10:46
SL6 Class Pacifics added to the Gricer's Guide.
RM Added to Gricer's Guide
06/11/04 12:37
RM Class Pacifics added to the Gricer's Guide.
Link Updates
05/11/04 19:40
Links page updated.
Link to Toshyuki Agura's website added (http://rose.zero.ad.jp/agura/index.html).
Links to TravelChinaGuide Rail and Air timetables added.
Links to Wunderground weather pages added (NE, NW, Cen, SW, SE China).
Link to Toshyuki Agura's website added (http://rose.zero.ad.jp/agura/index.html).
Links to TravelChinaGuide Rail and Air timetables added.
Links to Wunderground weather pages added (NE, NW, Cen, SW, SE China).
More Bryan Acford China Video's Added
31/10/04 11:16
Six new movies from Bryan Acford, shot on our September trip to the JiTong Railway and Huanan, plus two from the Weihe Forestry Railway in 2000.
Gricer's Guide Updates
12/10/04 12:25
ET7 class 0-8-0Ts, GJ class 0-6-0Ts, XK2 class 0-6-0Ts, XK13 class 0-6-0Ts added to the Gricer's Guide.
Gricer's Guide number lists updated.
Gricer's Guide number lists updated.
Bryan Acford China Video Added
08/10/04 15:32
Shangdian Single - Added Bryan Acford's video clip of QJ 7041 approaching Shangdian in Feb 2001.
China Loco List Update
08/10/04 14:40
Latest info added to Gricer's Guide number lists.
China Loco List Update
05/10/04 01:28
Significant update to Gricer's Guide number lists. All published lists brought up to date and additional historic data added.
China Photo Gallery Additions
02/10/04 15:48
September 2004 Photo Galleries added. 27 Pictures from Yuanbaoshan, Jingpeng Pass, Lindong and the Huanan narrow gauge.
Autumn China Trip Report Added
27/09/04 23:24
September 2004 Trip Report added. A trip to Yuanbaoshan, Jingpeng Pass, Lindong and the Huanan narrow gauge.
More Gricer's Guide Updates
22/08/04 21:23
Experimental Location Based Rosters added to the Gricer's Guide.
QJ Class vital statistics now differentiate between 8 & 12 wheel tender locos.
QJ Class vital statistics now differentiate between 8 & 12 wheel tender locos.
China Locomotive List Update
21/08/04 09:19
Gricer's Guide Locomotive Lists brought up to date.
More Bryan Acford China Videos
17/08/04 15:58
Five more of Bryan Acford's video clips added to Movies section.
QJ Added to Gricer's Guide
17/08/04 12:15
QJ Class 2-10-2s added to Class by Class. Minor mods to other classes.
Updated Gricer's Guide index page.
Updated Gricer's Guide index page.
JS Added to Gricer’s Guide
06/08/04 22:12
JS Class 2-8-2s added to Class by Class (part of A Gricer’s Guide). Minor mods to other classes.
More Gricer's Guide Additions
28/07/04 13:04
More Classes added to the Gricer's Guide, Class by Class section: JF class 2-8-2s, JF6 class 2-8-2s and YJ class 2-6-2s. Update to SY class 2-8-2s.
Gricer's Guide Additions
30/06/04 21:33
The latest addition to the Gricer's Guide is Class by Class, a series of profiles of China's major steam classes. These will consist of a brief description of each class and a list showing the location of those locos reported over recent years. The series starts with profiles of two of the more significant industrial classes; PL2 class 2-6-2s and SY class 2-8-2s.
A Gricer's Guide to Chinese Railways
05/05/04 22:01
A Gricer's Guide . . . A new section for background information on China's railways. Initially, there's a page on Chinese Locomotive Numbering and another detailing the major Steam Classes.
Bryan Acford Video Clips
16/03/04 14:59
Movies Section added with Bryan Acford's Feb 2004 Video Clips.
Tiefa and Nanpiao Maps
07/03/04 20:58
Tiefa & Nanpiao Maps added.
Bryan Acford Trip Report
07/03/04 11:24
Bryan Acford's February report added. Beijing Museum, Dahuichang, Lindong and Reshui.
China Industrial Railway Photos
06/03/04 12:54
February Trip pictures added.
China Industrial Railways Report
03/03/04 16:53
February Trip Report added. A visit to industrial railways at Tongchuan, Pingdingshan, Nanpiao, Huludao and Tiefa and the railway museums at Beijing and Shenyang.
More China Pictures and Site Changes
04/02/04 11:32
Redesigned Tractive Efforts Interface uploaded.
More and bigger Summer 2003 pictures uploade
More and bigger Summer 2003 pictures uploade
Misc Additions
30/12/03 02:43
Bryan Acford's Chabuga and Pingzhuang maps added
Weihe and Tiefa pictures improved. Additional shots added to Weihe photoset.
Photo Index enhanced.
Weihe and Tiefa pictures improved. Additional shots added to Weihe photoset.
Photo Index enhanced.
Winter China Trip Report
28/12/03 11:39
December trip report added. Nanpiao and the JiTong Railway.
Bryan Acford Autumn Report
25/09/03 17:37
Bryan Acford's additional September 2003 notes added.
Autumn China Trip Report
17/09/03 14:14
August/September 2003 trip report added.
New China Trip Report and Photos
12/03/03 10:22
February/March 2003 trip report added.
Tiefa photos added.
Weihe photos added.
Links Page modified to open links to other sites in new windows.
Tiefa photos added.
Weihe photos added.
Links Page modified to open links to other sites in new windows.
New China Photos and Links
01/01/03 17:31
Winter 1984/5 Photos added to Photo Index.
Personal Favorite Photos added to Photo Index
New Link to QJ-News newsgroup added to Links page.
New Link to Bernd Seiler's FarRail site added to Links Page.
Personal Favorite Photos added to Photo Index
New Link to QJ-News newsgroup added to Links page.
New Link to Bernd Seiler's FarRail site added to Links Page.
Misc Updates and Corrections
11/12/02 23:27
Yuanbaoshan map updated
Pingdingshan map updated
September/October 2002 trip report updated with further info on Pingdingshan from Bruce Evans and Li Weishu and corrections to Yuanbaoshan section.
Minor corrections to Pingdingshan photo page
Pingdingshan map updated
September/October 2002 trip report updated with further info on Pingdingshan from Bruce Evans and Li Weishu and corrections to Yuanbaoshan section.
Minor corrections to Pingdingshan photo page
New China Trip Report
09/12/02 14:55
November/December 2002 trip report added.
A trip to Jingpeng, Lindong, Pingzhuang and Yuanbaoshan
A trip to Jingpeng, Lindong, Pingzhuang and Yuanbaoshan
More Chinese Photos Added
19/11/02 11:23
Dahuichang photos from autumn 2002 added
Jingpeng - Shangdian photos from autumn 2002 added
Galadesitai - Shangdian photos from autumn 2002 added
Daban - Galadesitai photos from autumn 2002 added
Jingpeng - Shangdian photos from autumn 2002 added
Galadesitai - Shangdian photos from autumn 2002 added
Daban - Galadesitai photos from autumn 2002 added
Chinese Photo Galleries Added
15/11/02 22:21
Photo Index added
Pingdingshan photos from autumn 2002 added
Pingzhuang photos from autumn 2002 added
Pingdingshan photos from autumn 2002 added
Pingzhuang photos from autumn 2002 added
Chinese Maps Added
01/11/02 11:20
Pingdingshan map added
Yuanbaoshan map added
Pingzhuang map added
Yuanbaoshan map added
Pingzhuang map added
China Trip Report Added
11/10/02 19:18
September/October 2002 trip report added - an autumn visit to the Ji-Tong Railway, Pingdingshan and the Chifeng area mine railways.