| MEIHEKOU Meihekou is about 150 miles north-east of Shenyang and can be easily reached by train from that city or via Siping on the Shenyang - Harbin line. However this steam operated industrial system is approximately 15km south-west of Meihekou and links to the CNR at Heishantou. Most visitors seem to stay in Meihekou and travel to the system daily but there is a perfectly good hotel in Hongmeizhen (Yijing), the operational centre of the line, which is no more than 200 yards from the action! A taxi from Meihekou should cost no more than 20 - 30 yuan and takes about 30 minutes. The line is about 20km long and links together four deep mines. The exchange sidings are at Heishantou which is joined to the system by a branch line of about 3-4km. A total of six SY's are used to move wagons between the mines. There is also a daily passenger service consisting of four round trips from Sijing to Sanjing. This went over to diesel haulage in October 2004 but subsequent locomotive failure has seen the service revert to steam once again. Despite the small number of locomotives there is a very busy pattern of movements and also several electric narrow gauge lines to maintain an interest in this system. Although not particularly photogenic in terms of scenery the mines make attractive industrial backdrops. All locomotives face south - a mixed blessing since most loaded trains come into Yijing from the south and are thus tender first. However the large loaded trains for Heishantou are boiler first and the passenger trains provide good opportunities. |
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| The centre of operations is at Yijing where the maintainance depot is located. Locomotives return here from Sijing to take water and it is rare for this location to be devoid of at least one locomotive. On this occasion SY0791 takes water while SY1216 shunts wagons in the yard. December 2004 |
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| The level crossing at the southern end of the yard at Yijing provides an excellent vantage point for watching trains being shunted or leaving for the mines to the south. SY1216 sets off with a short train of loaded tipper wagons bound for Erjing mine. December 2004 |
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| Having worked the morning passenger train from Sijing to Sanjing and back, SY1564 has returned to the main yard at Sijing to take water. All of the locomotives at Meihekou are in externally good condition with polished boiler bands and headboards. December 2004 |
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| A case of appearances being deceptive! What at first sight appears to be a classic piece of banking turns out to be SY1216 standing at the head of its train while SY1564 continues to take water. December 2004 |
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| Several of the mines have 600mm guage electric railways which are independent of the main system. The line at Yijing crosses over the main yard on a bridge Although the line was in regular use I was unable to get an electric train crossing the bridge as a steam locomotive passed below. (December 2004) |
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| The bridge does however provide rather a nice vantage point from which to survey the main yard at Yijing as SY 1217 runs down to take coal at the mine loading point (December 2004) |
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| The short mid-winter days mean that only two of the four return passenger workings are in daylight. The low light and crisp exhaust combine to make a fine shot as SY1564 works the afternoon passenger between Yijing and Erjing December 2004 |
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| A 2 yuan bus ride the following morning took me to Erjing where a short walk to the south of the station provided an excellent location to photograph SY1564 working the morning passenger train to Sanjing. December 2004 |
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| SY0791 standing at the head of a long train of loaded wagons in Yijing yard prior to them being worked via the branch line to the CNR exchange sidings at Heishantou December 2004 |
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| SY1564 standing outside of the locomotive depot at Yijing. During my visit the shed was home to SY1664 which was in light steam and DFH5 No.4010 which was busy going nowhere. Meanwhile SY1445 was dumped out of use to the right of the depot. December 2004 |
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| SY1216 brings a short train of tippler wagons from Sijing past the coal loading plant at Yijing. (December 2004) |
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| On my last morning I took a taxi to Sanjing to photograph the arrival of the morning passenger train. The train is seen here climbing towards the station behind SY1564 which was the regular passenger engine during my three day visit. December 2004 |
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| My original plan was to ride the passenger train back to Yijing but as we arrived at Erjing a long train of empty wagons was waiting to enter into the mine yard. Time for a change of plan and a chance to catch SY1217 with its distinctive decorated smokebox as it started its heavy train. December 2004 |
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| A swift piece of relocation put me in place to catch the same train as it headed past the winding gear of Erjing mine. With temperatures standing at about -20 degrees the exhaust effects were magnificent - as was the sound of the SY hard at work December 2004 |
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| I walked from Erjing back to Yijing pausing en route to capture the afternoon passenger train which was also in the hands of SY1217, which had earlier passed me working tender first towards Sijing. December 2004 |
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| With steam operation finished on the JiTong line there has been much talk of the 'end of steam in China'. Whilst it is true that mainline operations are almost finished, systems such as Meihekou still offer plenty of opportunities to see and enjoy steam hard at work. Fortunately no-one has yet decided to run a steam charter here or attempt to influence the normal day-to-day workings. As a result there was a warm welcome from crews and workers and no attempt to extract money for photographic permits or access to workshops etc. It was possible to ride the passenger trains and pay only the local fare - not some vastly inflated rate invented especially for visiting 'bignoses'. This was genuine working steam at its best. Meihekou is becoming increasingly popular and group visits more frequent. Lets hope that a responsible attitude will prevail and this endangered species can be protected for all to enjoy. I regret to say that I am pessimistic as to the future. |
| With the afternoon shadows beginning to lengthen there was just time to catch SY1216 taking a long train of loaded coal wagons from Yijing to the exchange sidings at Heishantou. As the light slowly faded I spent the remains of the afternoon watching the shunting operations in Yijing yard before heading for Meihekou City and a train south to Huludao December 2004 |
| Click on locations below for more Chinese steam (systems shown in yellow no longer have steam) ANSHAN STEELWORKS BAOTOU BEITAI STEELWORKS BENXI STEELWORKS CHENGDE HANDAN STEELWORKS FUXIN COAL RAILWAY NANPIAO MEIHEKOU JIXI MINING RAILWAYS JINGPENG TIEFA MINING RAILWAY WEIHE FORESTRY RAILWAY XINGZANG BRICKWORKS XUANHAU STEELWORKS YUANBAOSHAN |