Steam in Fuxin, China, May 2001

Derek Jenkins was in Fuxin and the surrounding area 30th April - 4th May and 7th - 11th May:

"I travelled out from Beijing by train to Xilitun . Dahushan shed passed at 04:50 had 3 QJ's. One definitely in steam and one immaculate one. Also here were 2 JS's which looked in good condition. I can't say if they were in steam or give any numbers but then again it was 04:50. A Southbound QJ hauled freight was passed about 15kms South of Xilitun. I understand that all QJ's on this line are based at Zhangwu and that 10 or so remain active.

Fuxin China Rail shed is still turning out QJ's for freight turns in the Yi Xian direction. I suspect they travel further and that there may still be through workings to Yebaishou because some of the active locos mentioned below were last reported at Yebaishou. All trains in the Xilitun direction seemed to be diesel hauled. The number of freights between Fuxin and YiXian obviously varies with the amount of traffic on offer but 3 or 4 a day in each direction in daylight seems to be the usual number but unbalanced workings can mean light engine movements. Eg - in the first week of my visit 2 steam hauled arrivals from Yi Xian were usual approx. 08:50 and 09:40 into Fuxin but in the second week (probably because of the May holiday) the best at these times was a light engine. However on 9th May there were 3 QJ arrivals between 16:00 and 17:00 (7116, 6991, 6707)

Other line locos seen were 6321, 6623, 6489, 6753, 6990, 6750, 6655.

Dead engines on Fuxin shed as follows :- All QJ's - 6480 (being cut up - this was a line engine last November), 6704 (tender body only),6705, 6706, 6708, 6752, 6756 (with a second 6752 tender), 6677, 6989, 7140 (this is last reported as a Baichi engine so could be en route to Sujiatun for overhaul).

All shunting at Fuxin remains steam the locos being QJ's 6796 and 6725 (both deflectorless) and JS's 6479 and 8235.

A visit to Yi Xian on 4th May confirmed that steam is still active on the line to Jinzhou with QJ 6843 piloted by a DF4 departing at 16:30 with a heavy freight for Jinzhou. Later a Northbound freight was seen behind an unidentified QJ.

A visit to the Beipiao branch on 10th May brought the biggest surprise in the form of a QJ hauled passenger. Gu Man Chun from Fuxin CITS told me about this but I admit I was a bit sceptical. I should have known that Gu is usually dead on when it comes to this sort of thing. The train (which I cannot find in the timetable) is from Chaoyang and arrives Beipiao 12:30 and departs 13:30. The loco was 6679 hauling 3 lurid orange and white coaches. Freight on the branch is still all steam 6172, 6382 and an unidentified QJ being seen. QJ 6226 was the sole occupant of the Beipiao stabling point. The other passenger service is provided by 2 railcars with an intermediate coach.

The Mining Railway at Fuxin has been widely reported on. Suffice to say that I saw all the SY's reported to be here save for 121 (which I have not seen in 3 visits now and I suspect is an error). Also here but previously unreported was SY 1088 hidden in a yard behind the running shed at the Works. Fresh out of works was SY 1327 last reported at Fushun. I was unable to ascertain whether this was a contract overhaul or whether this is a new engine here.

YJ's 296 and 403 remain stored as do JFs 624, 2195 and 2345.

The electric system remains busy new discoveries being that the Skoda B0-Bo-Bo's are in 3 series 1956/9/61 and a series of EL2/23's. I rode the free and unbraked passenger train on the electric line and found that I was the only person who wasn't taking a large lump of coal home in my bag!

I also saw the narrow gauge electric passenger service which is far more precarious than the standard gauge version. The narrow gauge electric yard is well worth spending some time on as there are home made locos, bizarre methods of sorting wagons and a number of antiquated cableways and equipment in the area.

I also discovered 2 further narrow gauge systems - both OHE. One is at pit "q" on the CRJ map. This looks to be 900mm (when did you ever take a tape measure on a gricing trip?). The only wire electric loco is stored and all the work seems to be done by a battery electric which boasts a crew of 2 who insisted on having their photo taken. The other system is at "Q" on the CRJ map. Also probably 900mm. This has a substantial Police presence and it required 5 officers to escort me to view the remains of 5 locos (probably antiquated wire electrics). This system is also still in use - at least within the pit but the constables (after much discussion) were not prepared to let me explore further. Outside the pit this line crosses a public road and runs to a tip with a further disused branch running alongside a public road to a yard.

Out of Town I went to Aiyou where there is yet a further OHE 762mm system serving several drift mines and populated by ZL14 locos with dumped XGC 14's. I believe this may be called Yima. There is a standard gauge line here also worked by SY 0035 which runs to the CNR main line at Aiyou pit. Here was yet a further OHE system. This time probably 600mm. There were 3 active locos here and this system crosses the standard gauge steam operated line at right angles on the level the contact wire being looped over the standard gauge line.

Finally I found SY's 0036 and 0770 at Qinghemen Old Station. This looks to once have been on the main line but this now goes through Qinghemen itself. Not much has changed here since the Cultural Revolution with plenty of now ragged posters exhorting the populace to greater efforts adorning the station. 0036 and 0770 make little effort there seemingly being no work for them to do."