JFs at Tongchuan, April 1999

Roland Earl has followed up my March visit and reports:

On my own, I visited Tongchuan between April 20 and 23, 1999. This is a summary of the observations.

Tuesday April 20th

I travelled from Beijing Xi on TN K41 (hard sleeper fare 265Yuan) to Xi An arriving on time in rain at 0740 hours. When I had left Beijing it had been raining, at times with hail.

On escaping the hordes of touts that infest Xi An, went upstairs to the booking office which opened at 0830 hours. At the foreigner's window where the lady dragon spoke some English, she would only book a hard sleeper on the Thursday, as I intended to return to Beijing on Friday evening. I could, however, book a soft sleeper then, which I agreed to do at 420 Yuan. Interestingly, some young Dutch people who shared my soft compartment on the Friday evening had been given the same story.

I then walked across to the bus station to take the 0900 bus to Tongchuan fare 12.50 Yuan, arriving 1130 hours. I made the minor mistake of staying on the bus too long as the two star Tongchuan Hotel is only approx 600 metres north of the Tongchuan Nan station. Checked in at a single room rate of 180 Yuan, including breakfast. Refurbishment of the restaurant is now complete and it looks quite plush but the meal prices are generally reasonable.

There is also the Wu Yi Fandian on the opposite side of the main road from the main Tongchuan station, some 100 or so metres south. It was not investigated but bears consideration as the two star Tongchuan hotel is relatively poor value.

Still raining, but went out to explore. At Nan:

JF4025 departed funnel first north at 1410
JF4022 arrived tender first at 1445
JF4022 departed funnel first north at 1515
DF7 3134 arrived at 1555
DF7 3134 departed at 1635
JF4025 arrived at 1715

saw in steam JF's 2368, 2182, 2365 and the next day 2113

QJ's 6531 and 6550 never moved at all despite being in steam while QJ6718 did some shunting and transfers to Tongchuan station.

Wednesday April 21

Dry, hazy and some sun

Took bus No 1 to the bridge over the river and walked all the way to the first loop, some five Kms. Railway staff gave conflicting information on train movements, all wrong.

The first train was DF7 3134 up hill at 1515
Then a JF tender first up hill at 1535
DF7 3134 downhill at 1830

There were other trains after dark.  That evening stars were evident!

Thursday April 22

Fine reasonably clear warm day.

Again walked up from the river bridge receiving the usual conflicting advice, to a Chengde type location downhill from the loop.

Trains seen were:

JF dep funnel first from Nan at 0650
JF 4025 arrived tender first Nan at 0730
JF arrived funnel first Nan at 0920
JF arrived tender first Nan at 1000

At the phot spot were seen:

JF tender first at 1120 up hill
JF tender first at 1145 up hill
JF funnel first at 1205 up hill
DF7 3134 down hill at 1215

Walked the long 4 Kms to the tunnel and with the help of railway staff walked through the 740 metre long curved tunnel. Before reaching the tunnel saw JF 2113 funnel first down hill at 1300 and another JF tender first came off the Wangshiwa branch and through the tunnel while we were still walking through!
Waited above the tunnel mouth for the next train bound for Tongchuan due at 1500. The Wangshiwa branch diverges almost immediately outside the tunnel mouth. At 1610 there arrived from the Dong Po direction a 10 car freight hauled by 2365 and banked by another JF. The banker cut off and disappeared in the Dong Po direction. The train awaited the arrival of DF7 3134 at 1620 which headed off for Wangshiwa.
I then walked south to the main road, some two or more Kms and took a taxi back to the hotel.
At 1800 a JF arrived funnel first at Nan

Friday April 23

It was bleak and it started raining at 0830 with electrical storms.

Checking Nan before the rain started, showed five JF's and almost no empty wagons.

I checked out of the hotel and took a minibus departing 1000 for Xi An (fare 15 Yuan) that arrived at 1130 hours. Still raining, walked across to the station and took refuge in the soft class waiting room. It was still raining when we left on TN K42 at 1702 hours.

Was it worth it? The scenery is quite good. The track between the first loop and the junction is totally inacessible from the road. Haze/smog is a real problem as is the 50% tender first running. Also the apparent variability in train operations from day to day makes planning nearly impossible unless there is a way of cracking how the train operations are organised.

Conclusions

Visit it now, as one or two more diesels would eliminate steam as the diesel hauls nearly twice the load of the JF. Allow preferably five days for a visit account weather and the variability of operations from day to day.