Baiyin
November 2014
November 2014
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23 November
We arrived for the afternoon passenger which was steam.
The current passenger train times are:
7:50 and 15:15 from the Shi station
Passenger returns from Shenbutong to Gongsi arriving 17:10
Then leaves the Shi station 18:15, and departs Gongsi 18:20 to Shenbutong
And returns to Gongsi 19:40
In use on the passenger was 1581. In steam in reserve was 1583. 1013 looking complete but out of use was outside the shed. The workshop was locked as it was Sunday.
We understand only one steam loco is working with the other as spare.
Three modern industrial diesels were noted in use. At least one was a DF7G and one a GKD1A. The very old diesel was not seen.
We arrived for the afternoon passenger which was steam.
The current passenger train times are:
7:50 and 15:15 from the Shi station
Passenger returns from Shenbutong to Gongsi arriving 17:10
Then leaves the Shi station 18:15, and departs Gongsi 18:20 to Shenbutong
And returns to Gongsi 19:40
In use on the passenger was 1581. In steam in reserve was 1583. 1013 looking complete but out of use was outside the shed. The workshop was locked as it was Sunday.
We understand only one steam loco is working with the other as spare.
Three modern industrial diesels were noted in use. At least one was a DF7G and one a GKD1A. The very old diesel was not seen.
24 November
The crossing keeper at the crossing South of Liugongli reports very little freight traffic at the moment.
This afternoon we found a diesel on a freight to Gonsi and the PW railbus at Liugongli on the branch to Shenbutong.
Three diesels and 1 steam shunt and trip work at Gongsi but even that seems quiet.
In the workshop, 1047 was separated from its tender which was jacked up. In the line outside, a second derelict loco has appeared with tender No. 1470 along with long-term resident 0612. In the loco shed, an unnumbered loco separated from the tender No. 1581 looks derelict. Even the air tank plate on the loco has been painted over. There has clearly been some tender swaps and loco or tender renumbering going on.
The departure of the passenger uphill from Sanyelian is particularly volcanic and some of us plan to return tomorrow morning for some more of that before we leave tomorrow afternoon.
So, the passenger is steam with 1581, 1583 is in steam as standby loco and may be supplying steam heat to the workshop. Overall freight traffic is low but some of the 6 coach passenger trains still load quite well.
SY 2008 (renumbered for the Beijing Olympics) is now in the distant secure compound along with the JS. The locos in the unsecured compound at the works are rotting away. A caboose has appeared at the far end of the coaling road.
Baiyin Shi station is a good place for the late afternoon arrival of the passenger and the after dark chimney first departure.
Baiyin is still worth a visit in the steam-heat season.
The crossing keeper at the crossing South of Liugongli reports very little freight traffic at the moment.
This afternoon we found a diesel on a freight to Gonsi and the PW railbus at Liugongli on the branch to Shenbutong.
Three diesels and 1 steam shunt and trip work at Gongsi but even that seems quiet.
In the workshop, 1047 was separated from its tender which was jacked up. In the line outside, a second derelict loco has appeared with tender No. 1470 along with long-term resident 0612. In the loco shed, an unnumbered loco separated from the tender No. 1581 looks derelict. Even the air tank plate on the loco has been painted over. There has clearly been some tender swaps and loco or tender renumbering going on.
The departure of the passenger uphill from Sanyelian is particularly volcanic and some of us plan to return tomorrow morning for some more of that before we leave tomorrow afternoon.
So, the passenger is steam with 1581, 1583 is in steam as standby loco and may be supplying steam heat to the workshop. Overall freight traffic is low but some of the 6 coach passenger trains still load quite well.
SY 2008 (renumbered for the Beijing Olympics) is now in the distant secure compound along with the JS. The locos in the unsecured compound at the works are rotting away. A caboose has appeared at the far end of the coaling road.
Baiyin Shi station is a good place for the late afternoon arrival of the passenger and the after dark chimney first departure.
Baiyin is still worth a visit in the steam-heat season.
25 November
Last morning at Baiyin and today the morning passenger was 20 minutes' late before arriving with steam on front and a diesel on the rear doing most of the work. We surmise that the steam loco stalled and called for diesel assistance but it's possible that due to frosty conditions they waited until a diesel was available to assist at Gongsi. The diesel returned first and was back shunting yellow acid tankers at Gongsi by the time the return steam passenger arrived.
Despite the overall lack of activity, acid tankers were being loaded opposite the shed and workshop and the processing plant there is now back in action.
Locos on the passenger SY 1581 and diesel DF7G 5183. In the yard by the passenger platform before departing to the west side of Gongsi was GKD1A 0206.
In the new park just before the main entrance to the company where you turn left when going from the city to Gongsi station is a plinthed SY numbered 0965 with the air tank number painted out and a CCCP excavator nearby. On a bronze relief in the park are reasonably accurate images of a C2 and a B25 rack tank from Ambarawa, Indonesia! Any suggestion that either worked in the area would seem unlikely. A link to photos of all of these will appear shortly.
Following lunch and check out, we are now back to Beijing and home. See the tour conclusion for comments on this trip and the future.
Last morning at Baiyin and today the morning passenger was 20 minutes' late before arriving with steam on front and a diesel on the rear doing most of the work. We surmise that the steam loco stalled and called for diesel assistance but it's possible that due to frosty conditions they waited until a diesel was available to assist at Gongsi. The diesel returned first and was back shunting yellow acid tankers at Gongsi by the time the return steam passenger arrived.
Despite the overall lack of activity, acid tankers were being loaded opposite the shed and workshop and the processing plant there is now back in action.
Locos on the passenger SY 1581 and diesel DF7G 5183. In the yard by the passenger platform before departing to the west side of Gongsi was GKD1A 0206.
In the new park just before the main entrance to the company where you turn left when going from the city to Gongsi station is a plinthed SY numbered 0965 with the air tank number painted out and a CCCP excavator nearby. On a bronze relief in the park are reasonably accurate images of a C2 and a B25 rack tank from Ambarawa, Indonesia! Any suggestion that either worked in the area would seem unlikely. A link to photos of all of these will appear shortly.
Following lunch and check out, we are now back to Beijing and home. See the tour conclusion for comments on this trip and the future.