Steam in China 2000 - Jingpeng Pass

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5 жыл бұрын

Ten years ago I uploaded to KZfaq a few short videos shot in China in November 2000. I have re-edited the video and up loaded with longer sequences and material missing from previous uploads
The JiTong line in Inner Mongolia was opened in 1996 and discovered shortly after by the French photographer Julien Blanc. It was dieselised by 2005. The 943km, standard gauge line runs from Tongliao in the east to Jining in the west. About half way along it crosses the spectacular Jingpeng Pass with a ruling gradient of 1/80. It has seven tunnels, two large loops and several bridges and viaducts. From the hills above the town of Reshui it was possible to see the train for more than forty minutes as it passes the small town on three levels. Most trains over the pass had a double headed pair of QJ class 2-10-2 steam locomotives in charge, hauling a maximum of 2300 tonnes

Пікірлер: 92

@williamscott3698 3 жыл бұрын

As a teenager in Montreal Canada, I witnessed (and photographed) the last days of steam in the late 1950s. This video reminds me so well of watching steam trains on bitter cold January days!

@philipashbourn1538 Жыл бұрын

I got to Montreal in 1963 just missing steam alas.

@davidahumada9355 3 жыл бұрын

This video: *exists* Captions: [Laughter] [Applause]

@marymackenzie2864 Ай бұрын

Me again Sorry !! Makes all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up .What skilled drivers and firemen ,the weight the gradients and no wheel slip. Love the goats ,very partial to a little cashmere round the shoulders !!!

@robinier Жыл бұрын

I watch this if I'm having a bad day. Mute and play good music in the background. Something about the steam painting the sky. Thank you for posting.

@Bruno.Trains 4 жыл бұрын

Hello from France wonderful video thank you for posting !

@mauriceperret5111 3 жыл бұрын

Mon enfance a connu cette époque. ..Que de souvenirs !

@mrsp3992 3 жыл бұрын

Must have been an incredible sight and sound! Thanks for posting.

@celestinofaginas1281 Жыл бұрын

Superb video of the multiple steam locomotives which are probably not around today. If scrapped, R.I.P. Chinese QJ 2-10-2 steam locomotives

@farflungtraveler Жыл бұрын

We have 3 of them preserved in America.

@celestinofaginas1281 6 ай бұрын

@@farflungtraveler Well that's good then. I know about the 6988 and 7081 Chinese QJ 2-10-2s, both are owned by the Iowa Interstate railway. What about the 3rd Chinese steam locomotive? Which museum is that on display in?

@farflungtraveler 6 ай бұрын

@@celestinofaginas1281 It’s not in a museum, but it’s owned by the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation, the same current owner of C&O 2716. However, it’s still waiting to be moved to Ravenna for its eventual return to service.

@thproductionwensleydale624 3 жыл бұрын

Even thought this is a thing of the past according to a book I have (saying that steam trains like this ended in 2005) this is what you call China's Railways at there best. Brilliant film. 😊👍🚂🇨🇳

@blackthorne57 3 жыл бұрын

Yes, steam on the Ji Tong railway, including over the Pass finished in 2005. This ended mainline steam in China and probably the rest of the world. Steam continued on industrial systems in ever diminishing quantity until 2020 with just one system, Sandaoling open cast mine possibly just continuing into 2021 but with Covid19 who knows? Thanks for watching.

@davidhewson8605 5 ай бұрын

50yrs ago , China now . I was brought up with steam, Welsh village . Siding opposite our house were my grandfather and me used to pinch coal !. 1958. Wish I could go and see the Chinese steam trains but at 71 perhaps to late. Watching this I am on the footplate now. Like the sound, synco to offbeat as trains blast up hillside. Thanks playmates. Dave

@blackthorne57 5 ай бұрын

I was 70 on my last visit to China in 2011 but sadly it is too late to see real working steam there now. The very last Chinese steam locomotive working in China dripped its fire for the last time on the 15th January this year. Steam on the Ji Tong line stopped in 2005. At least we have photos, videos and memories.

@norfolkrover 3 жыл бұрын

Not sure I can visit a sanitised heritage railway again after seeing this. I grew up in Doncaster Uk where mallard and flying scotsman were built and all th ex drivers said it was a filfthy job that wouldnt be allowed today.

@blackthorne57 3 жыл бұрын

I grew up train-spotting at the end of platform 10 at Kings Cross. The Doncaster locos worked from there, not preserved but doing the revenue earning work they were built for. Steam in China was the next best thing after the UK finished with steam. Now the world has finished with steam.

@owdengineer 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome steam super power... many thanks for your work in putting this together, possibly the best ever steam video

@blackthorne57 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@TERRYBIGGENDEN 10 ай бұрын

Simply wondrous! There was noting like it before and never after. The smells must have been fantastic. Thanks so much for shooting and sharing.:-)

@peterhoffman2639 5 жыл бұрын

A wonderful video. On of the best I've seen. Excellent composition and lighting. Wish more railfans would see this.

@blackthorne57 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@wisentwisent9150 2 жыл бұрын

This is a great video of double headed steam 2-10-2's in Winter ! Thanks for recording and posting it.

@blackthorne57 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. All gone now.

@wisentwisent9150 2 жыл бұрын

I remember seeing double headed Pennsy steam engines on the Pan Handle Division, westbound through Scio, Ohio, in the Winter when I was a kid That was a steam show, never to be forgotten!

@SkyScreamLP 2 жыл бұрын

not quite the "Steam" I was searching for but still enjoyed

@hanikayaman 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing these wonderful and very interesting videos. You are very courageous to go to these sites and record these, now historic activites with steam trains. Also they give us a true account of the topography, remoteness of these rarely accessible locations in China and what life is like for people living there. Some of the images are ghostly, and sounds are haunting. Thank you again!

@blackthorne57 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, glad you like them.

@SteffiReitsch 9 ай бұрын

I love to watch them, but man, those steam locomotives could really put out loads of climate busting CO2!

@blackthorne57 9 ай бұрын

These locos do not produce any more Co2 than other locos of the same size. It looks worse than it is because the videos were shot in mid-winter when the air temperature was about minus 20 degrees C. Much of what you see is condensed exhaust steam. This would not be visible in a warm climate.

@SteffiReitsch 9 ай бұрын

@@blackthorne57 What you say is true about the weather making it look worse , but steam engines emit more CO2. Look it up, pops. Coal is inherently a dirtier fuel than diesel.

@Septimanien 2 жыл бұрын

Super, merci !

@RsRj-qd2cg 3 жыл бұрын

It's amazing that China Railways built the last QJ in 1988. Meanwhile GE was building the Dash 8. Steam fit China's needs though. The QJ has similar horsepower to a Dash 8. Steam is more labor intensive, but labor is cheap in China. Few pollution and safety requirements. Runs on coal in a country where coal is plentiful. It made sense for them to keep the steam age going until the early 21st century.

@stanleyramosebudi3857 3 жыл бұрын

I like the pumping and the pushing of the mighty qj,what is their horsepower in number?

@johnsamu 4 жыл бұрын

It's all high speed trains nowadays in China. Traveling by steamtrain is much more interesting and adventurous but high speed trains are much more comfortable/reliable and fast. It is sad to see this old technology disappear for all the obvious reasons. It's a pity you didn't had a high resolution 4K at that time (2000) because it's a sight you can,t film today anymore.

@StryderK 3 жыл бұрын

At least two of the QJ, Qian Jin class 2-10-2 locos have found their way to the U.S.

@brandonm30 3 жыл бұрын

Three actually the third one was privately owned and two are with Iowa interstate plus a 2 8 2.

@stampycatfan01lol 2 жыл бұрын

Three, actually. Also, a couple of SY’s made their way to the US as well.

@balmesh 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks George! Priceless. They seemed to be taking it easy, though?

@blackthorne57 5 жыл бұрын

I think the weight of the trains was well balanced to the motive power. The loco drivers were all very good and kept the trains rolling at optimum performance. I believe there were also bonuses for crews that were economical on fuel (coal).

@mauriceperret5111 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations , from France

@user-cm4ym3ei3u 7 ай бұрын

البخار قوه عظيمه والقاطره البخاريه قوه ومتانه في الحمولات الثقيله

@hasanfoyejul5500 5 жыл бұрын

love & thanks from Bangladesh

@trhxlove3012 2 жыл бұрын

Good video

@blackthorne57 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@DASDmiser 3 жыл бұрын

While they are still around, they ought to put some of those babies out on the high speed lines on a cold day just for the photographers.

@blackthorne57 3 жыл бұрын

This video was shot in 2000. Steam finished on the Ji Tong Railway in 2005. There are no QJs earning their keep in China today. Apart from possibly a few industrial 2-8-2s in the far west, all revenue earning steam in China has now finished. Possibly a few NG tourist lines and static museum exhibits. I am pleased I took the opportunity to visit when I did. Thanks for watching.

@marymackenzie2864 Ай бұрын

What beasts , wonder what the outside temperature was . Icicles or what !

@blackthorne57 Ай бұрын

The outside temperature about minus 20 degrees C. We went in mid-winter to get the best steam effects. The skilled loco crews received bonuses for fuel economy. Some locos had mechanical stokers but they preferred to fire by hand for better control of what went into the firebox. The Cashmere goats were a hardy bunch, finding very little to eat on the hills, I expect there was top-up fodder back at the farm.

@burnsfrank3556 Жыл бұрын

Can you explain why the smoke from the first locomotive is darker than the second one?

@blackthorne57 Жыл бұрын

The locomotive with the darker smoke is having coal loaded into the firebox. The lighter 'smoke' is if fact steam condensing in the very cold atmospohere.

@spankyham9607 2 жыл бұрын

Look at that delicious carbon footprint in the sky!

@blackthorne57 2 жыл бұрын

These steam locomotives produce no more carbon that every other steam locomotive of similar size. What you can see is mostly water vapour / steam that is visible because the very low air temperature (minus 20C) causes the exhaust to condense with dramatic effect. This is why we travelled to China in mid-winter because in summer there was much less exhaust to be seen.

@spankyham9607 Жыл бұрын

@@blackthorne57 I know, but we have a lot of "Gretta's" in this world that don't understand that. They see smoke and that is the end of it.

@burnsfrank3556 Жыл бұрын

They have two sets of train loco, do they have two groups of crews, right?

@blackthorne57 Жыл бұрын

Yes, each loco has a crew of two, a driver and a fireman.

@highflyinryan76weezer25 4 жыл бұрын

sadly they stopped using steam on the main lines in 2005.

@user-lp9uo7wf1o 2 жыл бұрын

2020，not2005

@blackthorne57 Жыл бұрын

@@user-lp9uo7wf1o You are incorrect. Only steam at industrial location (coal mines and steelworks) continued until about 2020. Main-line steam finished in 2005 and the Ji Tong line was the last.

@rogerbillings6151 3 жыл бұрын

Will some American please go over there and install some decent steam whistles? ;)

@rogerbillings6151 3 жыл бұрын

I should say, I love these videos, but some better whistles would be great.

@peterhaan9068 5 жыл бұрын

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

@SFtruckerWolf 3 жыл бұрын

Hölin heikin housut puttoo, housut puttoo and in down hill ei puttookkaan, ei puttookkaan, ei puttookkaan.

@saomiaoyutoushi 3 жыл бұрын

已成追忆，如今在中国再也看不到了！很遗憾！

@Astr0_Feline 3 жыл бұрын

Look how long the freight car is

@burnsfrank3556 Жыл бұрын

They must have two sets of drivers and workers if they have two locomotives connected, right??

@blackthorne57 Жыл бұрын

Yes, both locomotives have a crew of two, a driver and fireman on each loco. Diesel locomotives working in multible only requiire crew on the front loco.

@sto1asgoetia600 3 жыл бұрын

Is that master of the railway?

@robintheslavewr1513 3 жыл бұрын

No these are china class qj 2-10-2 you're thinking of a Japanese 2-8-2 Mikado

@El_Transportacoches_33 11 ай бұрын

3:41: what? Airhorn in a steam locomotive?

@blackthorne57 11 ай бұрын

Yes. Most Chinese steam locos had both a steam whistle and an airhorn. There has been much discussion when each was used. From my experience it seemed to be the choice of the driver. I agree it does sound odd!

@El_Transportacoches_33 11 ай бұрын

@@blackthorne57 Okay. I say this because in the US, the 4449 of the Southern Pacific also had these two characteristics.

@jasonwhipp5721 7 ай бұрын

@@blackthorne57seemed in a couple places that they saw you with a camera and knew you wanted the whistle rather than the horn

@burnsfrank3556 Жыл бұрын

most of the diesel train is actually electric train with a diesel generator.

@user-pe6qo9hi1r 7 ай бұрын

Euro-5 standart

@yz8302 25 күн бұрын

No Orett is still here

@blackthorne57 23 күн бұрын

Please explain your comment, I do not know what No Orett means.

@ironphilly2366 3 жыл бұрын

did know that steam train are super common as freight locomotives in china because they steam trains because they only want the good oil to run the express trains in china and the good coal to go to America while these steam trains use the bad coal don't worry about there tubes being clogged they have powerful boilers to handle all this.

@blackthorne57 3 жыл бұрын

Not are super common but were super common. The only place in China still using steam locomotives is an isolated open-cast coal mine in the NW of the country. It is possible that even those may now be out of use.