The Baiyin Non-Ferrous Metals Company is a mining company that operates a number of mines and smelters in the Baiyin area of Gansu Province in north-western China. The Company produces copper, aluminium, lead, zinc, gold, and silver products and is one of China's leading zinc producers. The operation is served by rail that extends out of the industrial area at Baiyin into the mountains to the north. Until 2010, the whole operation was steam worked with a small fleet of SY steam locomotives working ore, chemical and passenger trains. The first diesels arrived in early 2010. Until 20 November 2015, workers for the mine complex were transported by train from the Baiyin industrial area to the mountains in the north where the mines and smelters are situated using SY steam locomotion. Regrettably the SY's have now been replaced by diesel locomotives. However, one saving grace is that the workers complained of cold carriages and so an SY locomotive is still employed in the winter to provide heat to the carriages, coupled at the rear of the train.
This is actually a chartered train headed by SY Class steam locomotive, 1583, seen in the mountains running to the nearby mine complex from the Baiyin industrial site. We missed the "real McCoy" by just 3 weeks but at least were able to organise the charter.
