Great to see such historic footage. 27 years ago with my new wife we traveled by train from Xian to Beijing. Saw an enormous amount of steam, especially I remember seeing men furiously firing double headers on lines below the one we were on. Needless to say I got covered in soot and my wife learnt that I was a steam nut!
Thank you for this. It was my ambition to do this cab ride. Sadly now too late. Did Jalinuir '09 hope to Sandoeling '13. Apparently the QJs have a loo for the 3 man crew, is that correct?
Yes. There's still steam in China but not this double headed main line steam I'm afraid. There are about 10 to 15 locations left with steam in China now. The best is Sandaoling in Xinjiang Province where there are over 20 JS class 2-8-2s working.
I don't know Ken. I haven't been back there for some years but if I was to make a guess I'd say DF4's would be most likely. I am hoping to make a return visit to Daban in the near future as my wife Dandan comes from Wudan, a town about 60 miles from the JiTong line. I know they have kept a small fleet of workable QJ's which I'd like to check out !
Thanks Andy. I will look forward to your videos of same. I was in China on business in the 1980s but saw only some diesels around Beijing and Tianjin. My escort would not let us take any RR pictures in those days.
I don't think these QJ's were fitted with a mechanical stoker. If you have seen the steam coming from the tender, this was a heater to prevent the coal from freezing in the temperatures of minus 20 ....... Andy
@@AndyDandanFisherSteam Articles I've read on them state that they have mechanical stokers and it appears that way with the bulge below the cab doors seen in your video. Maybe they freeze up in the extreme cold?
@@cliffleigh7450 Information on the internet does suggest that all QJ's were fitted with mechanical stokers, however, I've had several cab rides and have only seen manual stoking (or firing as we'd call it in the UK). I cannot give you a definitive answer, I'm afraid Cliff. I can only report on my own experience of manual firing. As you say, they possibly failed in the very low temperatures. I can't be sure. It's not a subject that we Brits are experts on!!! ........ Andy
@@AndyDandanFisherSteam I thought I remembered reading that the firemen get a bonus for saving coal so that's why they prefer to hand-fire the QJ's. You were lucky to get a cab ride on these and thanks for sharing the videos.
Смотришь эти кадры с паровозом и удивляешься, как Китай за столь короткое время ушёл от них на ВСМ, длина которой больше всех взятых ВСМ в мире. Браво, Китай..
Я думаю, что в Китае деньги важны для всего, и если они могут сэкономить, они сойдутся! I think money counts for everything in China and if they can save some, they will do! .... Andy
Great to see such historic footage. 27 years ago with my new wife we traveled by train from Xian to Beijing. Saw an enormous amount of steam, especially I remember seeing men furiously firing double headers on lines below the one we were on. Needless to say I got covered in soot and my wife learnt that I was a steam nut!
Thank you for this. It was my ambition to do this cab ride. Sadly now too late. Did Jalinuir '09 hope to Sandoeling '13. Apparently the QJs have a loo for the 3 man crew, is that correct?
Yes. There's still steam in China but not this double headed main line steam I'm afraid. There are about 10 to 15 locations left with steam in China now. The best is Sandaoling in Xinjiang Province where there are over 20 JS class 2-8-2s working.
@@thomassu5546 - 三道岭机车即将完工
Sandaoling locomotives are due to finish soon
th-cam.com/play/PLNKEdhmODMJwMYOtPl5p0NYnhxStAn8jN.html
.... Andy
Cool video
Thank you. It was a great experience ..... Andy
@@AndyDandanFisherSteam i love trains
@@AndyDandanFisherSteam Andy im sounding like a train a choo choo oops 😅
@@eevialasalmi5834 Me too ..... Andy
What type or make of diesel has replaced these locomotives today?
I don't know Ken. I haven't been back there for some years but if I was to make a guess I'd say DF4's would be most likely. I am hoping to make a return visit to Daban in the near future as my wife Dandan comes from Wudan, a town about 60 miles from the JiTong line. I know they have kept a small fleet of workable QJ's which I'd like to check out !
Thanks Andy. I will look forward to your videos of same. I was in China on business in the 1980s but saw only some diesels around Beijing and Tianjin. My escort would not let us take any RR pictures in those days.
DF4D and DF8B
Absolutely spellbinding. :-)
Well thank you. I hope you'll find a lot of interesting stuff on here! Andy
They appear to have a mechanical stoker - why wouldn't they use that?
I don't think these QJ's were fitted with a mechanical stoker. If you have seen the steam coming from the tender, this was a heater to prevent the coal from freezing in the temperatures of minus 20 ....... Andy
@@AndyDandanFisherSteam Articles I've read on them state that they have mechanical stokers and it appears that way with the bulge below the cab doors seen in your video. Maybe they freeze up in the extreme cold?
@@cliffleigh7450 Information on the internet does suggest that all QJ's were fitted with mechanical stokers, however, I've had several cab rides and have only seen manual stoking (or firing as we'd call it in the UK). I cannot give you a definitive answer, I'm afraid Cliff. I can only report on my own experience of manual firing. As you say, they possibly failed in the very low temperatures. I can't be sure. It's not a subject that we Brits are experts on!!! ........ Andy
@@AndyDandanFisherSteam I thought I remembered reading that the firemen get a bonus for saving coal so that's why they prefer to hand-fire the QJ's. You were lucky to get a cab ride on these and thanks for sharing the videos.
great vedio
I'm very pleased you enjoy my videos. I have almost 1000 videos posted on TH-cam. Take a look at some of the others too! ....... Andy
what a great journey! wish i was there.
I wish this line was still steam operated. It was the greatest steam show on Earth for a few years.
I wish this line was still steam operated. It was the greatest steam show on Earth for a few years.
There was certainly no toilet facility in the QJ I rode! I suspect in an emergency, it would have gone straight into the firebox on a shovel (Yuck)!
@@thomassu5546 - 这是开玩笑的！
This was meant as a joke! ..... Andy
Amazing
It was an amazing experience - a once in a lifetime ! Andy
Sad but true!
Смотришь эти кадры с паровозом и удивляешься, как Китай за столь короткое время ушёл от них на ВСМ, длина которой больше всех взятых ВСМ в мире. Браво, Китай..
Я думаю, что в Китае деньги важны для всего, и если они могут сэкономить, они сойдутся!
I think money counts for everything in China and if they can save some, they will do!
.... Andy
USSR
I don't think that China has ever been a part of the long gone USSR .... Andy