Empties delivered from China Rail are swiftly distributed behind steam from the exchange sidings alongside Dongfanghong Washery to various mines in the area, as well as the opencast pit itself. He... (more)

A lone SY occupies the workshops at Diqiao - a contrast to a previous visit where several SYs were in various stages of rebuilding. A sign of things to come?

This spectacular opencast mine in Inner Mongloia not far from the Russian border has several interconnected rail levels and is 100% steam worked. Apparently activity was less intense than a few mo... (more)

An employee picks his way across the tracks in the opencast pit with liquid supplies of an unknown nature.

An early morning single car workmans' train arrives, propelled by an 'SY'.

A lone SY occupies the workshops at Diqiao - a contrast to a previous visit where several SYs were in various stages of rebuilding. Unless work has been transferred to another location, this could... (more)

A lone SY makes a switching move at the reversal point at the north end of this spectaular opencast mine. The line is fully signalled, like many industrial lines in China.

Early morning backlight coupled with a smoky haze provides moody lighting conditions for some of the world's last steam locos in revenue service.

Activity at the pit head as shift change time brings 3 SY class locomotives together.

One of the steam hauled local trains on this coal railway has cleared the busy road crossing and is descending towards Jipei. The barriers have lifted allowing the incessant and varied road traffi... (more)

A Hegang-Harbin passenger train climbs away from Hegang. The foreground two electrified tracks belong to the Hegang Coal Railway which operates coal and local passenger trains in this area. The ra... (more)

One of the Hegang Coal Railway's extensive fleet of electric locos marshalls coal cars in Hegang City's Jipei Yard.

An early morning workers train manages to break through the polluting smog into sunlight on this fascinating system.

One of the steam-worked suburban passenger trains on this interesting network descends against a rising sun. Some steam services run wholly under the wires, the reason for continued steam haulage ... (more)

Two woman scavenge for usable lumps of coal, discarded from passing steam locos, as a Df5 road switcher runs light up the hill. The foreground 2 tracks (wired) belong to the Hegang Coal Railway - ... (more)