Steam in Paradise in China 2003/4

Report from Ian Wright who took part in the "Steam in Paradise" tour to Mongolia over Christmas/New Year 2003/2004.

Daihuichang Limestone Railway, Beijing.

Operating "as normal" over the afternoon December 21.

Zhungeer.

Visited December 21/22/23/24.

All locos allocated here were in use. Traffic was very variable but heavy. On 2 days most trains operated during the hours of darkness. On the other 2 we saw a loaded train every hour.
The only sections that were poleless were
(a) about 1 mile from Zhungeer yard to the first viaduct.
(b) about 2 miles, either side of Fuxingchang loop (about 35 km from Zhungeer). This section has several good vantage points in both morning and afternoon. Fuxingchang can be reached by a dirt road, that was passable in a 12 seater mini bus, from the main road but the route is quite difficult to find. The staff at the loop were quite helpful.

Pingzhuang Colliery, Chifeng. Still using JS and SY class on engineering trains. If the weather is calm the "big pit" maybe obscured by pollution that collects in it.

Yuanbaoshan Colliery, Chifeng. 4 JS were seen in steam. A good glint shot of the evening passenger was gained on a river bridge about 3 miles east of the junction. On reaching the colliery the JS pulled the stock from the "station" forward a further half mile, passed the colliery.. This loco then returned, tender first, with a loaded coal train. The passenger stock returned with a second loco that pulled a rake of empties about an hour after the passenger.