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Steam in China - November 2005

Huanan, Shanghai

by Greg Howell

 


Huanan

I organised the weekend excursion through Mike Ma whilst in Shanghai on a business trip. Flights from Shanghai to Jiamusi and Mudanjiang are not daily and so I flew to Mudanjiang (Y1550) on Thursday to return from Jiamusi (Y1460) on the Sunday afternoon.
Mike booked a Huanan taxi driver and co-driver to pick me up from Mudanjiang airport and they were waiting for me with a translator. Having dispensed with the latter, we made the 4 hour road journey to Huanan by expressway. There was no snow in Mudanjiang but, by the time we got to Huanan, there were several inches of snow lying on the ground.

Friday 24 November Overcast, trying to snow

6.00 pick-up and drove out of Huanan on the road past the depot where there was no activity.
0620 41 on loads between Xiahua and Huanan

Picked up a pre-booked motorbike at Tuoyaozi and caught up with the empties that were stopped in section having a blow-up below the Lazifang horseshoe.

0740 43 empties below Lazifang
0800 empties at summit
0850 168+43 loads app summit from Lixin
0903 168 loads dep summit after pinning down the brakes
** The railcar ran but was not seen. **
1100 41 empties through Tuoyaozi
1200 Railcar dep Lixin
1235 43+41 loads dep Lixin
1430 168 & 43 cross at Xiahua
1527 43 loads arr Huanan

Saturday 25 November Sunny with high cloud

0530 pickup from hotel.
0600 43 empties dep Huanan
0655 43 empties arr Xiahua
0725 41 loads ent Tuoyaozi after unpinning brakes outside village
0835 43 empties below Lazifang
0905 43 empties at summit
0945 168+43 loads app summit
1005 168 loads dep summit
** The railcar did not run - reportedly due to track maintenance. **
1155 43 loads arr Lixin from Huanggong
1235 41 empties at summit
1320 43+41 loads summit
1400 43 loads, Tuoyaozi
1535 43 loads arr Huanan

Dep hotel at 1930 for a night phot session at Xiahua
2320 ?? on empties ent Xiahua
2330 ?? on loads dep Xiahua
0030 arr'd back at hotel and bed at 0130 after packing.

Sunday 27 November Sunny. Clear on hill, hazy on flat section.

0530 check-out & pickup from hotel.
0610 43 empties dep Huanan
0645 43 empties pass Dajiugang disused station
0740 43 X 41 cross at Xiahua
0810 43 empties dep Xiahua
0845 43 empties at summit
0940 168+43 loads at summit
0953 108 loads dep summit
1050 168 crosses railcar at Xiahua
1107 168 loads dep Xiahua
11.29 168 loads arr Huanan

Dep Jiamusi at 1305, arr'd Jiamusi airport at 1500.

Summary

I have not "enjoyed" a north China winter for a few years and the C2s certainly perform well in some good scenery on this line. Well worth the trip!

Shanghai Coking & Chemical Works

I made a quick visit to the site at 15.40 on 29/11 but unfortunately DF4 0495 was parked behind the works gate and all the staff had gone home. There was not time to explore the yard but it would appear that the JS no longer operates.
A single cab diesel crossed the LongWu Road on the southerly level crossing pulling tanks into the other works.

Model Shops

I visited the Li Guang model shop at the address on www.trainmodel.com. The only Chinese locos on sale were the decorated QJ (Y1680), decorated DF? and a DF11 (Y680) but no coaches. Majority of stock was Fleischmann although there was a Hornby Class 50 (Y1300!!) with Pullman coaches (Y338).
The New World department store at the west end of the pedestrianised section of Nanjing Road has model railways on the 8th floor and, with all stock discounted by 10%, seemed a cheaper shop. All prices quoted below are the undiscounted prices. Both QJs (Y1600 & 1500), SY (Y1450), electric & the decorated diesel. There was a selection of British locos (eg Class 37 - Y599) and wagons.

Greg Howell
12/12/05


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© 2005, Greg Howell