On the morning of the 19th of January 1999, we went to the summit for some early steam action. The first train to come along was heading towards Daban double headed by QJ 6282. Then we got another double header some 20 minutes later going in the opposite direction. Very shiny engines.

Another cracking photo opportunity lands in my lap. The train was another double header QJ led by 6763 with a consist of black diamonds at Xiakengzi.

On the 18th of January I met up with my trips’ organizer Mr. Li Weishu and his group and we hiked up a hill over looking Simingyi viaduct and standing from the same position I took all of these photographs of the same train and it twisted around very sharp curves to gain height and make it over the summit.

I caught up with the same train waiting at Liudigou passing loop for another train. When I arrived with Tina I was invited into the cab and shown around. The cab of a QJ is painted bright yellow. The cab is completely enclosed for Jing Peng conditions. There is two fixed seats, but two makeshift chairs can be made behind these (probably for guests!). On all the trains I saw was a driver and two firemen, who take it in turns. I was told that the stokers have been disassembled on the Jing Peng machines. The second train, a single locomotive train, (hip hip hooray) pulled a load of empty coal wagons back towards Jing Peng and then 6351 and sister loco went off and we went back to the hotel for the evening. (18th of January 1999)

Best viewed in 800x600 screen resolution. All pages, images and text are Copyright, 2001.