On the plains of Inner Mongolia, the gatekeeper at the west end of Baomutu siding raises the manual crossing gates after the passage of a westbound freight train. Gatekeepers on the Jitong Railway... (more)

Ji Tong QJ 6986 approaches Galadesitai with a westbound freight, 19/11/04. ©www.railphotoprints.co.uk - John Chalcraft Click Here... (more)

Ji Tong railway QJ's 6735 & 6389 approaching Jing Peng Summit Tunnel, 11/11/96. ©www.railphotoprints.co.uk - John Chalcraft

A single QJ-class 2-10-2 steam locomotive leads a westward mixed freight train through the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, near Chaganhada Station on the Jitong Line.

Two shopworkers adjust the running gear of a QJ-class locomotives at Daban, just two months prior to the end of steam. In the background lurks one of the many DF4-class diesels that replaced the Q... (more)

QJ 6986 approaches Sandi Crossing as it climbs towards Jing Peng Summit with westbound coal empties, 19/11/04. ©www.railphotoprints.co.uk - John Chalcraft

Hard to believe this was only five years ago.

Two station agents are at attention as the westbound local passenger train slows for a stop at 5:35 PM.

This freight train showed up literally at the crack of dawn. The time is 6:10 AM as the westbound pulls hard between Yamenmiao and Lindong. I consider this shot as my celebration of 50 years of co... (more)

QJ 7007 sits under the stars in the Daban engine depot. The engine was steaming very lightly.

QJ 6911 leaves Daban with eight cars of the eastbound local passenger train at 6:26 AM.

Doubleheaded QJ 2-10-2s pull a westbound freight towards Daban. This trip with FarRail of Germany was the last of four trips to China and steam was now restricted to the Chabuga - Daban portion of... (more)

QJ 7002 pilots an unidentified classmate away from Daban towards the Jingpeng pass. Once in a while, I need to remind myself that this was not a fevered figment of my imagination, merely breathtak... (more)

QJ 6631 heads a westbound freight near Lindong.

Before Sunrise- Of all the photography trips in my life, nothing matched the fall 2004 tour in Inner Mongolia, China. Every morning before dawn, in this case at 05:47 cutting through the crisp aut... (more)