As luck will have it, I get to spend a few weeks in China this summer, camera in hand. Any areas where I might still find pockets of steam operation? Any switching yards, stations, locales that are not yet surrendered to less impressive power?

Go here....http://www.sy-country.co.uk/

This is the old QJ Country website that shows everything known to English-speaking railfans. There are still some good locations...Huanan, Jixi, Jalainur, Pingdingshan, Shibanxi and several others but they are starting to get spread pretty far apart.

Just browse through the site and the trip reports and you should get a good idea of what is available.

Good luck,
Kevin

Richard-if you haven't yet, please get one of the more recent issues of TRAINS magazine-I think it's the special, all-steam issue. There is a very, very good article on where remaining steam is in China-and it's not just SYs. One-if memory serves me correctly it is Pingdingshan (I bet I spelled that wrong) has all 3 of mainline class lokies still running, as an example. Very good info in this article on how much, what types, and where. [/quote]

Yes indeed it is Pingdingshan or PDS that has QJ, JS and SY and where it is still possible to see a loco stripped to the bare frames for overhaul only to be back in steam 30-45 days later....

2008 it likely to be the last year though.

The XingYang 2 foot railway is in the same general area not too far south of Beijing.

If you want the really up to date news, subscribe to:

Steam_in_China-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

With China being such a large country, consider internal flights rather than multi day train rides if you are pushed for time.

Prices are reasonable and it is possible to walk up with 30 minutes to flight time, buy a ticket and still make the gate.

It is interesting that Trains did that article. A couple of years back I offered them a story on the work we did in Kenya only to be told "our readers would not be interested in overseas steam activity, they prefer the domestic scene. "

The Trains article on PDS was pretty good though except for the rather bizarre comment about the shop lighting.

TH

Trevor -

Different Editor at TRAINS perhaps? Jim Wrinn has long been associated with the rail preservation movement.

Les

Richard,

If you haven't left for China yet, my suggestions are as follows:

1) Zhalainuoer, located by the Soviet border town of Manzhouli, which has maybe 3 dozen SYs working in both a giant open pit and above ground lines, freight and passenger.
2) Sandaoling, a similar operation out west near Lanzhou/Hami, having a similasr number of JS class working and a few SYs. Passenger service uses funky looking hoimemade cars instead of green China Rail coaches, but there is a line haul to the China Rail interchange which usually is topped and tailed by 2 JS class.
3) Jixi has all SYs with no passenger, still well worth a visit although the Hengshan system (which featured doubleheaders and some trains with pushers) is now almost all diesel.
4) Baiyin, out west near Sandaoling, has freight and passenger operations in mountain scenery, again all SYs, and NO PLANS yo get diesels.
5) Pingdingshan is a lovely place with very nice folks, but you are definitely too late for the best action with all three standard classes working, as they now have something like 15 diesels. I think they plan to keep SOME steam as long as they possibly can, including a museum collection. However, your best chance QJs working is here on the branch to Yuzhou, or several other nearby operations in Shandong Province, recently reported in SY Country. It takes time, effort, money, and luck to find QJs working these days.
6) Also in Henan Province near Pingdingshan is the beautiful Xingyang brickworks narrow gauge railroad, and if it is running it is well worth a visit.
7) Tiefa Coal Group, in Liaoning Province still has steam on several daily commuter turns, and on some freight, and a museum collection which can also be chartered. This includes a JS, a Lima KD6 2-8-0, and a YJ class 2-6-2. This is one of China's two tourist railroads, but the operation is totally authentic except for the effort they have made to preserve steam and collect several unique classes.
8) Shibanxi, China's other tourist RR, steam and electric narrow gauge located in the recent earthquake zone, is up and running with no problems, most people love it, but the weather is usually cloudy and wet if you like to take pictures.
9)Huanan is spectacular, but like Xingyang, may or may not be running when you can visit.
10) In Beijing, don't miss the national museum collection. Also, located pretty near there is the remains of the Dahuichang Limestone Railway. Last I heard, they would rent you an 0-8-0 to play with for a reasonable sum.

Best of luck, and travel safe.