Xian Shaanxi China 29th October 1983
Our Railway Travel & Photography tour of China had many highlights but Xian was one of the highest. The railways were 100% steam at this time and the endless arrivals & departures of RM pacific-hauled passenger trains - 11 in total seen that morning & 24 the following day - plus the through freights pulled by QJs made it a Mecca for enthusiasts. This video captures a few minutes of the atmosphere.
1) We had arrived overnight, Pacific-hauled from Taiyuan, and then spent the morning from 10.15 observing the busy steam scene at the station. The sequence starts with a southbound passenger vigorously hauled by RM 4-6-2 1061 passing RM 1141 coming off shed. With cyclists struggling across the tracks a northbound passenger runs in behind RM 1240 quickly followed by a fast freight through the station behind QJ 2-10-2 931. Clean JF 2-8-2 1264 is then caught heading north with a freight.
2) At this point our position lineside had been rumbled and we were told to stay on the footbridge which was no hardship as RM 1233 is seen arriving from the north. Back at platform level again another recently-arrived RM heads off to the shed followed by QJ 875 and van which pass through. RM 1083 comes off its train and on to the loco depot and QJ 1723 is on a northbound freight. Finally two RMs cross going on and coming off (1082) shed.
3) The next day, 30th October we began the day at 09.00 by the Bahe river bridge northeast of the city where RM 1022 runs past southwards on a train from Taiyuan, in fact the same working we had arrived on the previous day. This is followed by QJ 889 with a mixed freight northwards.
I should point out that we did visit the Terracotta Army for which Xian is most famous for in the West but photography was banned. I did quietly steal a few seconds of film but sadly it is of very poor quality so I have no decent proof to offer.
Xian Shaanxi China 29th October 1983
Our Railway Travel & Photography tour of China had many highlights but Xian was one of the highest. The railways were 100% steam at this time and the endless arrivals & departures of RM pacific-hauled passenger trains - 11 in total seen that morning & 24 the following day - plus the through freights pulled by QJs made it a Mecca for enthusiasts. This video captures a few minutes of the atmosphere.
1) We had arrived overnight, Pacific-hauled from Taiyuan, and then spent the morning from 10.15 observing the busy steam scene at the station. The sequence starts with a southbound passenger vigorously hauled by RM 4-6-2 1061 passing RM 1141 coming off shed. With cyclists struggling across the tracks a northbound passenger runs in behind RM 1240 quickly followed by a fast freight through the station behind QJ 2-10-2 931. Clean JF 2-8-2 1264 is then caught heading north with a freight.
2) At this point our position lineside had been rumbled and we were told to stay on the footbridge which was no hardship as RM 1233 is seen arriving from the north. Back at platform level again another recently-arrived RM heads off to the shed followed by QJ 875 and van which pass through. RM 1083 comes off its train and on to the loco depot and QJ 1723 is on a northbound freight. Finally two RMs cross going on and coming off (1082) shed.
3) The next day, 30th October we began the day at 09.00 by the Bahe river bridge northeast of the city where RM 1022 runs past southwards on a train from Taiyuan, in fact the same working we had arrived on the previous day. This is followed by QJ 889 with a mixed freight northwards.
I should point out that we did visit the Terracotta Army for which Xian is most famous for in the West but photography was banned. I did quietly steal a few seconds of film but sadly it is of very poor quality so I have no decent proof to offer.