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A clear morning, following a light dusting of snow the previous night,
sees QJ6985 westbound at Langxiang, on the busy double-track mainline from
Jiamusi to Harbin.
7:28 on 23 October 1989. |
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Just west of Langxiang, standard gauge and narrow gauge railways ran parallel for a few kilometres on opposite sides of a river, providing an opportunity to photograph either line from some vantage points. This view of an empty narrow gauge log train was shot from a hill above the standard gauge line. |
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Although there was no standard gauge engine shed at Langxiang, timber traffic from the large mill was sufficient to warrant the stationing of a shunting locomotive, provided by nearby depots such as Nancha. JS5636 rests between duties on 24 October 1989. |
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More action on the mainline at Langxiang.
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Ground signals add just a touch of colour to an almost monochrome picture, yet this scene is bursting with life. A track gang is hard at work and a QJ rolls off shed, while a JS shunts the hump in smoggy industrial surrounds at Jilin in 1989. |
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Just seven weeks prior to its retirement,
SL620 on train 537 from Changchun to Jilin, departs Tumenling,
as a passenger marches from the ground level platform.
6:51 on 9 November 1989. |
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Early morning sunlight has lifted the temperature to minus 10 degrees C,
and QJ6895 puts on an awesome show as it powers to the summit of the 1 in 37 climb
north from Nancha.
7:54 on 31 October 1991. |
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A combination of fading light, polluted air, and the grain of Kodachrome 200 gives an almost surreal appearance to Nancha yard, as a QJ gets another load rolling towards Harbin. |
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In this 1st November 1991 scene, QJ2680, working one of the many heavy timber trains from the Wuyiling branch, has been joined by QJ1987 up front and QJ283 at the rear to assist over the hill into Nancha. Note the snow on the timber load, and the passenger riding midway along the train. |
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Typical of many Chinese local services, train number 572 accelerates away
from a regular stop with no platform, 47km north of Tumen, near the Xinxing Spiral.
12:55 on 4 November 1989. |
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Having just departed Chaihe, a passenger train on the forestry railway
crosses the bridge a few kilometres from town.
15:26 on 7 November 1991. |
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The busy and scenic Hunjiang Ironstone Railway was a popular destination for steam enthusiasts, prior to its electrification in the early 1990s. Here 762mm gauge 659 traverses the escarpment on the eastern branch on 12 November 1991. |
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The standard gauge at Hunjiang also offered plenty of steam action, with JS class locomotives being the predominant form of motive power. Train 571, heading for Songshuzhen on the Baihe line, with two of the aforementioned engines up front, crosses the river just north of Hunjiang on 17 November 1991. |
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At Dayangcha, north of Hunjiang, JS5047 waits in the loop for an opposing train. |
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Two year old JS8188 shunts the sidings at Baiyinxi (formerly Dijiatai) on 27 November 1989. Newer JS were built without smoke deflectors. |
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Between Zhongwei and Gantang the spectacular climb from the Yellow River valley into the Tengger Desert saw most freight trains double headed, but occasionally up to four locomotives could be seen working together. Here a triple header drops downhill between Changliushui and Mengjiawan on 26 November 1991. |
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Proof that mile long vapour trails and thick black smoke are not necessary for good photographs, QJ6110 + QJ6541 accelerate uphill from Mengjiawan in typical fashion. Can anyone suggest what that wheelset is doing perched on the tender of the second locomotive? |
