In the DPRK, the portait of the late president, Kim-Il Sung, is very visible at every station, in every public building, and even in the dining cars. Photo: Shinkichi Fukuda
Excerpt of the book "Tales of Asian Steam - Dampf Erlebnis Asien" by Florian Schmidt, Bernd Seiler and Cyrill Basler, page 154 - 158
|
|
|
In the DPRK, the portait of the late president, Kim-Il Sung, is very visible at every station, in every public building, and even in the dining cars. Photo: Shinkichi Fukuda
|
Forget Y2K, this is "Juche 89". The Gregorian calendar has been sidelined by the Juche era- starting from 1912 in honor of the birthday of the late President Kim Il Sung, founder of the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (DPRK), and his ideology of self-reliance. North Korea is undoubt-edly the world's most sealed-off society: people are barred from international travel, the existence of the internet is not known to ordinary citizens, and TV and radio sets are exclusively pre-tuned to broadcasts glorifying Kim Il Sung, the "Great Leader", and his son Kim Jong Il, the "Dear Leader". Those few (carefully screened) foreign visitors allowed to visit select areas under the strict supervision of politically trained guides are strictly prevented from making contact with ordinary North Korean peo-ple. Railways and rolling stock, considered military equipment, are obviously off limits, and reliable information about the North Korean railway administration "Zozon Cul Minzuzul Inmin- hoagug" (ZC) is hard to obtain. An assessment of this railway system is hence an almost insurmountable challenge, and pictures of North Korean steam locomotives are about as precious to the gricer as a "Penny Black" to the stamp collector.
DPRK officials steadfastly deny the existence of steam locomotives, although research with North Korea's (foreign) locomotive manufacturers, combined with pictorial evidence, suggests that up to 400 of them are still puffing around on North Korean standard gauge tracks. Con-firmed are numerous 2-8-2 "Mika Sa" from the Japanese colonial period, similarly looking examples of the Chinese "Jie Fang 6" class and Alco/Baldwin-made 2-10-0s. The latter were delivered to the port of Vladivostok in 1944/45 under Lend & Lease Arrangements, where they served the far eastern Soviet Union as Ye class, before being transported to the newly established DPRK. Probably via the USSR and China, an unknown quantity of USATC 2-8-0s of the famous S-160 class found their way to North Korea while the socialist countries of Eastern Eu-rope delivered 20 Skoda 4-8-2s (475.1 class), 25 MAVAG 4-8-0s (424 class) and three Chrzanow 2-6-2s (Ol 49 class). However, no western eye has ever spotted these engines in action.
Another interesting subject is North Korea's narrow gauge railways. Built to support industrial forestry and the construction of massive hydroelectric installations, these lines lead through very sce-nic, mountainous territory. Steam power is said to be still in existence. In 1982 a rare delegation of foreign experts in forestry reported a stock of more than 80 engines, comprising 0-8-0s built in China back in the 1960s and 1970s, 0-8-0s from the USSR and pre-World War II 2-8-2T engines from Japan. Although most of these locomotives are believed to be still in action, only the existence of the 2-8-2Ts serving the Musan system could be verified more recently.
No doubt, there is a lot to discover on the tracks of the DPRK. It seems, however, unlikely that a regime, obsessed with the idea of maintaining the "purity" of her peoples' minds by preventing contacts with foreign visitors, will allow travel off the established route Sinuiju - Pyongyang - Kaesong anytime soon. The ZC will hence remain a mystery for the time being.
 |
|
Cross-border freights between Namyang and Tumen were occasionally hauled by Korean 2-10-0s. During World War II several hundred of these engines were shipped from the US to the Soviet Union under "Lend & Lease" arrangements. After the war some of the so-called "Soyuznitzy" (Allies) locomotives were forwarded into Kim Il Sung's newly established people's republic under reconstruction and solidarity aid. The engines were widely used in the Soviet Union where they became known as the Ye class. Upon arrival in Tumen station in January 1993 the crew takes a break. Does the driver know that his engine was built by the "class enemy"? Photo: Florian Schmidt |
Bernd Seiler:
An exceedingly cold morning greets us on 17 January 1995. Surprise is written all over the face of our cab driver when he learnt of our request to be driven to Weizigou - at 05.45 in the morning! The aim of our trip is a sunrise shot of the early Mudanjiang-bound passenger on the bridge behind Qi Shui. When we ask to be dropped at a level crossing on the Mudanjiang line in the middle of nowhere his face mutates into a Chinese question mark: "This is not Weizigou". Of course it is not, but how could we possibly elaborate on the direction in which we are travelling without mentioning the next city en route?
However, he understands our request to return to Tumen once we have photographed the trains. We trot along heading for the bridge. The river is frozen, the sun must soon rise somewhere in the river valley. Suspecting record-low temperatures I placed our "weather station" in position. While we are still searching for the best photo position a Tumen-bound passenger crosses the bridge. It is a bit too dark for a shot, but we give it a try. With the ultimate spot yet to be identified we hear our QJ-hauled passenger departing Qi Shui. Just in time the sun emerges from the morning mist - but not in the assumed place! Immediate re-location! Wrapped in heavy winter clothes I run across the frozen river, on the foundation of the old bridge to take a shot into the morning sun. Nothing exciting, but better than nothing.
On our way back to the cab I check our "weather station", a tiny bimetal thermometer attached to my camera bag. Minus 27° centigrades, not that cold after all. Back in the car, a Lada, all metal and glass items get immediately steamed up. Great heat, we think, but the thermometer refuses to exceed 10° centigrades.
When our cab driver is about to turn into Tumen's station forecourt we tell him to go straight on. In total disbelief he asks: "Namyang?" Well, they won't let us go all the way but the direction is correct. "Dui" we answer, straining our sparse Chinese vocabulary. Shortly thereafter we get off at the railway bridge to North Korea. We commence our ascent on the famous hill that provides a fantastic view over Namyang. Unfortunately, the morning mist is still present. In addition, the thriving industrial city of Tumen pollutes the entire area, creating typical winter smog.
 |
|
Namyang (North Korea) and Tumen (China) are separated by the Yalu river. In the morning of 17 January 1995, a Korean Mikado crosses the border bridge towards China, i.e. against the grade. Photo: Bernd Seiler |
We do have one even bigger problem, though: lack of time. Since we have to catch the only daily through-train to Mudanjiang (and haven't bought the tickets yet) we fix our departure time at 08.30 hours. On the other side of the river, Namyang comes to life, the first school children leave home, a lonesome tractor put-puts away, and the border guard walks up and down, obviosuly freezing. Only the station appears deserted. No engineering train like yesterday, no telling steam clouds, everything appears to be quiet. Eight o'clock and no action. Frost penetrates my Canadian shoes. Better to leave my hands buried in my pockets. Our weather station reports minus 23° - almost oppressively hot for a Manchurian winter. We hear the children play in Namyang. Behind us, in Tumen station, QJ and JS do their shunting work. Only the North Korean railways seem to over-sleep. 08.15 hours. We start to walk the famous figure eights, but that is not getting us any warmer. The heating season had actually commenced before sunrise but the pocket warmers remain in the camera bag to extend my batteries' lives at the expense of my fingers.
08.25 hours. Still no action. The sun is now in optimal position, the mist is thin enough and we are about to freeze. Given the low traffic density on the frontier road we probably have to walk all the way back to the hotel. Time is now surely running out. 08.30 hours. OK, five more minutes. Still no railbound movements in Namyang. Five minutes run out quickly. But all of a sudden a steam engine opens a valve and blows a thick cloud of smoke into the sky. The engine appears to be in the station and may depart soon.
New departure time: 08.40 hours. However, after another five minutes without any movement we have to return to the hotel to pick up our belongings to make it to the station. Time consuming shunting manoeuvres are probably on the agenda before the train will commence the short journey across the bridge into China. We descend from the hill and are lucky to immediately flag down an empty motorcycle rickshaw. While we are discussing efficient ways of squeezing two well-wrapped Europeans, plus camera bags, into the rather small vehicle, we hear a whistle on the other side of the river. A scream - and the North Korean locomotive accelerates with a thundering noise. In light of our inexplicable hectic rush, (it's just an ordinary freight train leaving, after all) the rickshaw driver looks about as stunned as we do. From our present position, the river bank, trees obstruct the view of the bridge. And now? Just avoiding a massive adrenalin build-up we decide to tackle the hill again. While we are still climbing the locomotive turns into the long curve heading towards the bridge - and what a train she is hauling! At least 25 cars, not the usual caboose ride. After having gained some more altitude our climb has to come to an end. The Korean Mikado and her heavy load charge the grade onto the bridge. Cameras out, telelenses mounted, focus, and finger on the release! I change the aperture between the shots, not taking any chances. When the film roll is full I change the camera and start the whole procedure again. What a fantastic show - at about 20 km/h the JF6-style engine pounds across the bridge, exhausting a mountain of steam, only to vanish between the Chinese border posts. 08.48 hours! No time for high-fives. With stiff fingers we put our equipment into the bags. On the way back to the hotel we begin to warm up. After several hundred meters of strenuous marching a rickshaw eventually comes to our rescue. We just make the train to Mudanjiang, luckily the ticket counter happens to be relatively empty.
 |
|
Displaying her full power, JF6-style Mikado 6123 heads towards the Chinese bank of the Yalu river. 17 January 1995, Photo: Bernd Seiler |
Do you like to experience a JF in action? Click here!