Just got back from Baotou and Jingpeng. Should have done Dawukou as well but found out about dieselisation and revised the itinerary in the nick of time. All arrangements in China made through Sun Xiaolan and CLSLPA - excellent as always.

Dahuichang Limestone Railway

November 12th

Two trains operating at approx 15 min intervals from 14:00 on the narrow gauge with loco Nos 3 & 4. No 2 and one other 0-8-0 (unidentified) on shed under maintenance. No 1 is dumped as is the cab of a tank loco, possibly of Germanic origin. Didn't see anything on the standard gauge but didn't look too hard.

Beijing to Baotou

November 12 - 13th

Took train 177 at 16:47 from Beijing Xi. Since the October 98 timetable change, some trains between Beijing and Datong now run from Beijing Xi via the electric line to Shacheng. This avoids the tortuous exit from Beijing via Nankou Pass by taking an equally tortuous route through the southern suburbs. Diesel traction (DF4C on 177) is still used due to some gaps in the overhead in the Beijing area but the NY7 pilot utilised via Nankou is no longer required. A pair of SY were stabled within 1 km of Beijing Xi but no other steam was noted.

Baotou - Dongsheng - Shenmu Coal Line

November 13, 14 and 17th

Relatively quiet during daylight hours due to track work with most traffic running at night. South of Dongsheng, 2 double headed and banked trains were seen out of a total of 6 northbound coal drags observed over a 9 hour period. All trains were QJ worked with a number of the locos coming from the first batch of long tender machines (QJ6001 to 6080) built in 1968/9. Are these the oldest QJ still in action in China?

The line is now open through to Shenmu and the passenger has been retimed and extended to run between Baotou (main station) and Shenmu Bei. Times are thought to be:

train 851 -  Baotou 07:56, Shabazi 09:15, Aobaogou 10:45, Shenmu Bei ??:??

returning as:

train 852  - Shenmu Bei 13:23, Aobaogou 15:40, Shabazi 17:05, Baotou ??:??

Aobaogou station staff were friendly and helpful but they didn't always have completely accurate information on workings. According to the station master, trains are often combined or split at short notice.

Shiguai Branch

November 15 - 18th

Still all JS worked by 8xxx series machines. In addition to the passenger workings to/from Baotou Dong, there were two daylight freight workings in each direction most days. Approx times at Houba, summit of the line:

07:40		EB passenger (T803)

09:00		EB coal empties

10:00		WB passenger (T804)

12:30		WB coal loads

14:00		EB coal empties

16:00		WB coal loads

Turnrounds at Shiguai can be rapid, as little as 60 minutes when the incoming train is late. Loaded coal trains are banked by a second 8xxx series JS from Shiguai to Houba where the banker is detached and runs light back to Shiguai.

A dirt road parallels the line most of the way from the outskirts of Baotou to Shiguai and is passible by vehicles with a reasonable ground clearance. The best positions are either side of Houba with few spots of any interest west of Hongfengling.

The station staff at Houba were friendly and provided much useful information on expected running times.

The hillsides around Houba are riddled with small, privately owned drift mines, many of which have their own railways. Most mine tubs are rope hauled or pushed manually but one mine near the station employs an organically fuelled 0-4-0 fireless (otherwise known as a donkey).

Baotou Steelworks

November 16th

The works themselves were not visited but the slag tipping operations at the southern edge of the site, near Baotou Xi loco shed, kept us occupied for an afternoon. There are two loop lines from which tipping of molten slag takes place and a further area nearer the China Rail loco depot where solid slag is removed. All the movements we saw were SY worked including a triple headed transfer move from Baotou Xi yard to the steelworks site. It is thought that much of the work within the complex is now diesel.

Baotou Passenger Workings:

In addition to the QJ on the Shenmu train and the JS on the Shiguai passengers, there are 8 JS worked suburbans on the Baotou Loop line. Clockwise departures from Baotou Dong at:
06:53, 07:14, 16:25, 18:55, 19:15,
anticlockwise at: 06:30, 15:26, 18:34.
These times are from the latest timetable but there is some evidence of local retimings. The Baotou Dong - Linhe locals are QJ worked (arr Dong at 12:40, dep 15:40) but all other passengers are thought to be diesel.

Baotou Freight Workings:

All main line freights are thought to be diesel but a number of local trips around the Baotou conurbation are still QJ or JS worked. One heavy train of oil tanks from Baotou Dong to Xinxiancheng via Erdaoshahe was seen with a QJ on the front and JS pusher. Our bus driver indicated that this is a regular working leaving Dong daily around 11:00.

Baotou to Galadesitai

November 19 - 20th

We travelled on train 44 in hard seat. Although we were sceptical, this turned out to be comfortable and uncrowded. Apart from a couple of DF5 at Hohhot and Jiningnan, everything seen east of Baotou Dong was DF4A worked. Three dumped locos were seen at Hohhot, a JS, a QJ and an SL! Train 711 (hard sleeper) was DF4A hauled from Jiningnan to Benhong where steam took over. Among the QJ seen here was a deflectorless example (unidentified) shunting at Benhong.

Ji-Tong Railway, Jingpeng Pass

November 20 - 28th

Superb as always, particularly after several inches of snow fell during our stay. Traffic is up on the levels of November last year with an average of 5 trains up the west slope between 08:00 and 16:30 daily (ie trains that would have been lit at some point on the climb). This is about a third up on last year! There was a similar increase in trains up the east slope but a continuing imbalance in freight flows on most days lead to one or two of these workings running as light engines only. General freight forms most of the new traffic with a noticeable upturn in timber, oil and containers. The line is still 100% QJ worked, usually pairs on the Daban - Haolukou section, although there are rumours of a JS being obtained for shunting work at Daban.

Chifeng to Beijing Bei

November 28 - 29th

Nothing except DF4 seen.

Duncan Cotteril
rio.grande@virgin.net