China Steam Finale - Tiefa (Diaobingshan) 2011
This video primarily shows passenger trains hauled by SY class 2-8-2 steam locomotive on the Diaobingshan (formerly Tiefa) mining railway.
This mining railway is located 70km north of Shenyang in Liaoning Province, NE China. At one time this system operated a large number of steam locomotives but as in most of China, this has decreased. All freight is now diesel hauled but a steam passenger service for still operates on certain lines.
The railway's main purpose is to carry coal from the mines in the area to the nearby power stations and to Tieling where it is transfered onto China Rail. The steam-hauled passenger service has three periods of activity around Daobingshan station each day, as shown in the video.
Apologies for some wind noise during lineside shots!
Update December 2011
Diaobingshan (Tiefa)
Very bad news: 20 passenger trains have been cancelled. That are all trains to Wangqian and Daming. No more passenger trains on those lines... During our visit nevertheless two SY were in steam, SY 1770 and 1771. But SY 1770 failed twice and was made cold on the evening of Dec. 15 for repairs. They still need steam for shunting some sidings in Diaobingshan where they cannot use the diesel and for freight trains to the quarry in Wangqian. These trains run at night 2 to 3 times per week.
Usually the following passengers are steam, but a diesel can appear on the schedule any time, especially if only one SY is in steam and they need the SY to shunt the above mentioned sidings which can take hours:
301 Diaobingshan DBS 7:16 -- Daqing DQ 7:44
308 DQ 8:35 -- DBS 9:04 (loco stabled in DBS for 5 hours, sometimes shunting)
309 DBS 14:26 -- DQ 14:52
304 DQ 16:53 -- DBS 17:22
303 DBS 17:31 -- DQ 18:06
306 DQ 18:40 -- DBS 19:06
Over night the loco is stabled in DBS and used on shunting and Wangqian freights.
No locos are overhauled anymore, and regular steam there lives on borrowed time. KD6 487 is still serviceable, but boiler certificates should expire in May 2012 (or so).
Chinese Steam, Fuxin 1
Like many industrial locations, Fuxin in Liaoning Provence, NE China is a shadow of its former self with regard to steam activity. However, in December 2009 it was still possible to see a good line up at the stabling point ready for the morning shift. Soon after assembling, the locos depart for duties between the mine and power plant. During our visit we saw twelve different locos in steam. A pleasant surprise in this industrial city is a clear blue, pollution free sky. At about 5:12 note the flag-man on the last wagon. Despite a temperature of about minus 10 degrees C he has no protection from the elements. The strange repetitive voice that can be heard in the background near the end of the clip is a woman selling sweets intoning her sales pitch into a megaphone. December 2009.
China - Sandaoling, the Long Haul from the Mine (2). December 2018
The opencast coal mine at Sandaoling in China's Xinjiang Province is now the very last place on Earth where steam power can be seen working hard in a non-tourist, industrial situation. It marks the very end of over 200 years use of steam power in industry.
The long hard climb out of the mine area demonstrates the power of steam at its best. The JS Class 2-8-2 locomotives have to work at their very limit to maintain grip in the often icy conditions.
We see here three of these coal trains making the journey from the mine, uphill towards the unloading points.
Recorded in December 2018.
China steam finale - Pingzhuang, August 2011
This video shows steam trains serving the coal mines and washery at Pingzhuang in Inner Mongolia in August 2011. There is a brief look at the EL2 electric locomotives which feature in a separate video on this channel.
中国の蒸気機関車シリーズ。
内蒙古自治区にある平庄煤鉱鉄路で貨物を牽
The film shows a selection of the movements described below.
August 26
Walking towards the nearby washery, the first loco we found was SY 1441 on a long train of loaded CR wagons. Nearer the washery, SY 0400 was shunting wagons and SY 1052 was at the servicing point. We had a look at the opencast mine. All working on the far side of the mine had been abandoned and landslips had destroyed sections of the terracing. But plenty of coal was being brought out with EL2 electrics heading trains of 9 side tipping wagons with a control wagon at the rear. At the unloading point for the washery, whilst a train was being unloaded on the track next to the washery, the two adjacent loops were both occupied by trains waiting for unloading. SY 1025, north facing, was in the yard below the track used by emptied departing opencast coal trains. It left with a train of overhauled side tipper wagons, which were bound for the deep mines side where it was later seen light engine reversing at the brewery level crossing before heading north.
August 27
At 14:50 SY 1441 arrived from the south with empty wagons from CR, after which SY 1052 set off light engine towards the south. SY 0400 and SY 1079 were at the servicing point but soon left, which was the start of 60 minutes of near continuous action. Firstly, SY 0400, light engine, departed northwards towards the deep mines and SY 1079 started shunting empty CR wagons at the north end of the washery, whilst north facing SY 1025 arrived from the north light engine. A second north facing loco, SY 1487, was shunting side tipper wagons to be loaded with washed coal. One of the crew had his bicycle perched above the front buffer beam.
After much toing and froing, SY 1079 finally assembled a train of 11 empty CR wagons and positioned them for loading coal from the washery. During this time SY 1487's 8 tipper wagons were loaded, but only for a very short journey. They were hauled forward then reversed back, halting before moving forward again onto a dead end siding above a coal yard. Here most of the coal was unloaded for further transport by road. Whilst this was happening, SY 1052 returned from the south with a train of empty CR wagons. After leaving its siding, SY 1487 backed its tipper wagons towards the servicing point, probably to top up the coal supply there.
August 28
SY 1052 and SY 0400 were at the Zhuangmei washery servicing point but everything was quiet so we went for another look at the opencast side of the washery. SY 1487 was shunting side tipping wagons of what we assumed was waste, as it disappeared towards the north, possibly to a tip. There were two EL2 hauled trains at the washery unloading point.
The first mine we looked at was the one with the concrete panda after the level crossing on the approach to the mine, called Gushan Yijing (or in English Gushan Mine 1, although it is the second mine you come to, confusing or what?). Almost as we arrived, SY 1441 was departing from the mine towards the washery with a train of loaded tipping wagons. After a grab shot, it was back in the cars and a hasty drive to the mine between us and the washery.
We were in time for the arrival of SY 1441 and train here at Erjing (Mine 2). Because there is a washery here, and I think Mine 1 and maybe Mine 3 do not have there own washeries, unwashed coal is brought here for washing and loading into CR wagons. So SY 1441 ran round its train, from which it split 7 wagons and shunted for unloading. On completion of the unloading, the 7 wagons were left in the platform loop. These wagons had contained quite fine coal, presumably collected from Erjing, but the remaining 8 contained quite good sized lumps. SY 1441 was shunting the unloading of these wagons, when SY 1079 passed through from a mine further up the branch with 8 CR wagons of coal.
With thanks to Dave Fielding and the SY country web site for trip details.
China steam finale - Fuxin August 2011
This video shows steam locomotives at work on passenger trains and coal traffic in the Fuxin area of NE China. Much of the action at Fuxin is centred around the ebb and flow at numerous level crossings. The film also includes a colliery overhead electric narrow gauge system, and battery powered mine trains. A particular feature of the coal mine tip at Wulong is the dust cloud when wagons dump colliery waste.
Please see for a full account of this N E China trip.
The music is Souvenir of China by Jean Michel Jarre.
Copyright Stephen Wolstenholme
Update December 2011
The situation on the ground remains very much as in recent reports. On the 17th December 2011 the morning line-up at Wulong Yard saw 6 SYs in steam at 0800, the following morning 5 SYs were being serviced as we arrived, together with 2 diesels but within a few minutes a third came through from Wulong Mine on a loaded coal train, to be followed a few moments later by 2 SYs topping and tailing a rake of empty spoil wagons, but also with a diesel on the end.
Once the shift change was over, we headed to the Wulong Tip branch, where activity was quite intensive, with 2 trains at the head of the tip on the morning of 17th, and a steady rotation of trains throughout the day. There appeared to be two types of spoil being tipped - heavy rock over burden from the deep level mines, in trains of not more than five wagons which when fully loaded posed a challenge for the SYs on the steeply graded line. There was lots of slipping as trains neared the top of the branch. Less frequent were longer trains of 7 wagons, which may have been clinker from the power stations. Both the tip and Wulong Mine, where there was also lots of activity, including a number of spoil workings up the tip branch, were 100% steam while we were there.
20130325 27 CHINE SHIBANXI
2013 03 25 - 27 Chine Shibanxi (Shixi / Shixizhen)
Ligne à voie étroite 762 mm, longue de 25 kms relis Shixi à Huangcunjing où se trouvait une mine de charbon.
3 ans après notre première venue sur cette ligne, c'est avec une certaine angoisse que nous revenons à Shixi.
Pour visionner Shibanxi 2010 :
Durant ces 3 années le tourisme est arrivé à grands pas sur Shixi. Déjà lors de notre passage en 2010 le terminus de la ligne, dont la mine était encore exploitée mais vivant ses dernières heures, était déjà en cours de transformation... Palmiers et autres bananiers plantés artificiellement alors qu'il n'y en a jamais eu dans cette région, mais ça fait beau...
Aujourd'hui une partie du matériel fût repeint aux couleurs chatoyantes, les gares reconstruites et transformées en boutiques, le tourisme moyen ne pouvant se satisfaire de l'authenticité. Le top étant un mini musée à la gare intermédiaire de Mifengyan avec entre autres matériels n'ayant jamais circulé ici une SY à voie normale ! ! !
Ceci pourrait être une bonne chose pour l'économie locale, le problème est que cela amène plus d'inconvénients que d'avantages. Entre autre le prix du billet a multiplié par 10 pour les allers-retours de journée, réduisant le nombre de trains abordables pour la population locale...
Les trains de charbon derrières les bonnes C2 ont disparu, seul le trafic entre la mine de Yuejin et Shixi reste, soit 4kms électrifié.
Ne boudons pas notre plaisir de rencontrer encore quelques locaux toujours aussi accueillants !
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On 2013 03 25 - 27 China Shibanxi (Shixi / Shixizhen)
Narrow-gauge line 762 mm, 25 km long between Shixi to Huangcunjing where was a coal mine.
3 years later our first to come on this line, it is with the certain anxiety that we return to Shixi.
To view Shibanxi on 2010:
During these 3 years the tourism strode up on Shixi. Already during our passage in 2010 the terminus of the line, the coal mine was still exploited but living its last hours, was already in the course of change... Palm trees and other standing banana trees artificially while there has been never in this region, but that makes beautiful...
Today a part of the material is repainted in the brilliant colors, the stations reconstructed and transformed into shops, the average tourism which can not be satisfied with the authenticity. The top being a mini museum at the intermediate station of Mifengyan with among others materials having never circulated here SY in normal way!!!
This could be a good thing for the local economy, the problem is that it brings more inconveniences than advantages. Among others the price of the ticket multiplied by 10 for the round trips of day, reducing the number of accessible trains for the local population...
The trains of coal backs good C2 disappeared from top of the line, only the traffic between the coal mine of Yuejin and Shixi stays, is 4kms electrified.
Let us not deny ourselves a good thing to meet still some peoples always so welcoming!
Steams Farewell Song in China - PT 2 Jingpeng to Shangdian Summit
At the start of the 21st Century, China is the only country in the world that can provide regular steam action with plans for the Ji Tong line not drawn up until 1988 with construction beginning in 1990. Includes footplate action.PLEASE NOTE: Parts 1, 3 & 4 Are now available as well, now only £9.95 each or less for the set, now on E-bay.post free.Part One Concentrates on the Yuanbaoshan mine railways, we see the early morning mixed train, and then follow the 08.07 Eastbound passenger steam hauled train which we chase for several shots, including an excellent heavy wood train that passed with our passenger train, it is then on to Lindong and Daban shed where steam cranes load the locomotives up with coal and we take our first look at the Jing Peng Pass, running time: 53 minutes. Part Three concentrates above Reshui on the Jing Peng Pass on levels 1,2 & 3. We also visit the other side of the pass. Running time: 60 Minutes, Part Four sees more great action on Jing Peng Pass Running time: 60 Minutes. For more information visit our website at
Xijiao Hotel Beijing
Xijiao Hotel Beijing is set within a green courtyard with 475 modern guest rooms. Beijing Xijiao Hotel is the best option for those who are seeking for a quiet place for both business and leisure travelers.
LumberJack Steam Train, Laona, WI
A ride on the Lumberjack Steam Train; an American Prairie style steam locomotive 2-6-2 built by Balwin in 1916. The train takes you on a short trip up to an historic logging town in Northeastern Wisconsin. At the old logging town there are some old shops and a petting zoo. This historic museum/park is very well maintained.
VANISHING WORLD STEAM 7 The Greatest Show on Earth - Telerail
Once again the Tele Rail crew head for China to record the final chapters of The Greatest Show on Earth. For more details please look at