Quick Finder
There was plenty of action going on. The difference to the winter season was that they mainly transported overburden instead of coal. In addition we saw some movements of temporary track, to fit it to the on-going backfill process. We saw a lot of engines working and captured the numbers of 25:
|
SY
|
|
The pattern of operation was unchanged from my former reports. (Autumn 2003 and Winter 2003, including map) The shape of the locomotives and the shape of the track was better than in recent years. But, the time-keeping was as poor as ever. For example, only two of four scheduled trains during daylight managed to run really in daylight, although one appeared only ten minutes after sunset.
Locomotives in use:
Huanan has a much better hotel now including hot shower. We met several Japanese and British gricers who used motorbikes to get to the best positions above Tuoyaozi. However, I had a short ride on a back seat of one of those motorbikes and felt very unpleasant (unsafe). I prefer to walk alongside the line.
The time table of the railcar is unchanged (see my elder reports).
The most unpleasant development is the arrival of the first diesel. This 2004 built diesel is used for all passenger trains. It's DFH5 4010 in green livery. At one side of the cab the number plate says 0104 which is wrong for sure.
Traffic levels and operation pattern are unchanged.
We noted the following locomotives:
DFH5
SY
The future is diesel. The whole mine system will be dieselised by June 2005.
Although it was said this mining system was not worth further visits we found it quite interesting. The number of steam trains is limited now but they're still running passengers with SY. Dieselisation will not be continued in the next few months. The BJ's are not able to handle the same load as an SY over the gradients. Especially the gradient to the dump beyond Zaojiatun is still steam only. It was said the management is searching for more powerful diesels which can take over all duties. However, at the moment the financial situation of the mine railway doesn't allow to purchase additional diesels, even used ones.
I'll go there again as long as they do not have more than three diesels in use.
Business as usual. But:
Baiqi has 7 DF4D, 13 DF4/DF4B and 14 QJ in daily use. They will receive another ten brand new DF4D for a price of about 5 Million RMB per unit end of October 2004. After these locomotives arrive they'll send ten to twelve DF4/DF4B to Daban. There they will replace QJs. The diesel locomotives are already purchased. The expected delivery date was mid October according to sources from Daban and end of October according to officials at Baiqi.
The maximum load on the section Baiqi - Haoluku for a QJ is 2.300 tons, for a DF4B 2.800 tons and for a DF4D 3.000 tons.
In October 2005 Baiqi is planning to get additional diesel locomotives to replace all remaining steam including the shunting locomotive.
 |
|
On their way to Baiqi QJ 6987 is passing a small leven crossing. Nothing special so far, but: have a look at the picture at the wall! A British made diesel loco! In JiTong officies you can often see pictures of the French TGV as well.
|
Locomotive roster of Baiqi, 30.09.2004
|
DF4
DF4B
DF4D
|
QJ
|
September 30th Daban introduced the regular use of diesel to Haoluku (over the pass). All trains to Chabuga returned to steam. As long as they have only four diesel locos this is not really a problem, but they'll get more very soon, see Baiqi.
Daban will get a stationary filling station for their diesels very soon (which means during 2004).
The passenger train was re-scheduled. The train is now some 40 minutes faster on the steam section! The only times I could gather are for 6052: Galadesitai 22.37/22.40, arrival Baiqi 05.38 and for 6051 Daban departure 6.25, Gulumanhan departure 6.59.
The Mafia at Jingpeng is still active. They use the well known 4WD Mitsubishi number D 20814. On our third day they arrived in the evening at our hotel. My national guide didn't allow me to beat them (i.e. to use the only "language" they understand) so I emptied half a water bottle on to the boss of the Mafia. So they left without collecting fresh extortion money to change his clothes. In the late evening they returned to menace our guide while we were asleep. But - we had changed the room! So they called our room instead of the room of our guide. Such a shame. They left the hotel again without money. Later the night they came back. Now together with a police car (with one of the bribed policemen). As they called the wrong room another time, they weren't successful. I unplugged the telephone line ...
Next morning at 5.30 they arrived again. Discussion about handing over money didn't last very long, a stand-by heavy Manfrotto tripod may be one of the reasons. It was our last day at Jingpeng, they didn't follow to Daban. Anyhow, if the American group paid according to their demands they will have collected 18.500 Yuan (over 2.000 US-$). The only good thing is that steam will last less than one year and the extortion will come to a natural end. Hereafter these evil guys will have to work to earn money. I hope they have to work really hard in future!
The only advise I have for now: keep your wallet closed, they have neither the right nor the power to force you to give them money for nothing. If you travel with a local guide prevent the Mafia from getting in contact with him/her. Let him/her sleep in another hotel for example.
A warning should be given as well. At the western end of Reshui at the northern side of the road the Huan Bao Binguan (Huan Bao Hotel) opened in May 2004 for the public. This hotel is more expensive than the Longchuan and offer less service (for example, they do not serve you hot water which is the minimum service in China) and will charge you for towels which were not in your room to start with. These all are reasons enough to avoid a stay in this hotel. But, they also have excellent relations with the Mafia which means they will call them when you arrive, give them the number of persons in your group, the room numbers, the days you want to stay there and the time you ordered the morning call for. Once again: Do not stay in the Huan Bao Hotel!
Jingpeng – still worth a visit! If you are afraid of being to late, you may be right if you have spent several weeks there already. On the other hand, even if 50 % of the trains are diesel the Jingpeng Pass is well worth a visit. At the moment there are no written regulations about how or where to use the diesels. So everything can be changed within days. We had an average of 14 trains over the pass during daylight. So if there would be only five with steam (which will be realistic if all new ten diesels will be used on the section Daban – Haoluku), you would have the same amount of steam as you had in 1996. According to reliable sources (Daban/Huhehaote) steam over the pass will continue at least until April 2005. The number of steam hauled trains will be reduced, but the show will go on. There is no better place in the world for real steam action (if you know one, please let me know). So use the last steam winter at Jingpeng, go there as long as it's worthwhile! Join one of the tours offered by various tour operators (would be nice if you would join one of mine of course) or make a budget tour on your own (nearly all the information you need is available on my sites (trip report section) or can be found by using the links on my start page to the sites of Hans Schäfer (all about JiTong), Rob Dickinson (International Working Steam Locomotives) and Florian Menius (QJ-Country).
Another reason to go there: The sections Chabuga – Daban (beginning October 2004 returned to 100 % steam) and Haoluku – Baiqi offer much more potential than the usual Jingpeng visitor know. On my tours I very rarely met other railway enthusiasts there. Of course, there are no tunnels and no hairpin bends on viaducts, but there are shots possible which are more typical Mongolian than in the 50 km "ghetto" between Reshui and Jingpeng.
© FarRail Tours - e-mail: Bernd Seiler - zurück zu FarRail Tours
Click here to return to FarRail Tours