http://railswap.org/cb/cl/classifieds.c ... =retrieval

Anyone here of 0-6-0's available from China? Maybe they could be used to make Thomas the Tank Engines, lol they would fit in with the rest of the merchandise affiliated with the events. But seriously I haven't seen anything other than 2-8-2's and 2-10-2's in photos, where switchers over looked?

I saw plenty of Chinese 0-6-0Ts in service back in the 1980s. Primarily used in steel mill complexes. I'd be surprised that the one pictured was "recently taken out of service", but China's a big country with some areas off limits to foreigners.

The ones I saw in China in '87 were identified to me by others in the tour group as being ex-US Army Transportation Corp. The one pictured in the link looks very much like those. It just might be one, or a Chinese made copy. I think you might be right about one making a good platform for another "Thomas". It might also be a solution for a short tourist line that could use a small tank engine, like the KW&S had.

There were three difference classes of 0-6-0Ts that ran at least until recently on China Railways. The shape of the side tanks and location and shape of the domes are the main thing that set them apart.

The GJ class was built by at least two firms (Chengdugungchang and Taiyuan) in China from 1958 to about 1960. These have square side tanks; one of each have been preserved in the new railway museums in Beijing and Shenyang; others have been spotted either dumped or still in use at various steelworks, at least until recently.

The XK13 class was built by Chrzanow of Poland, where it was known as the "Ferrum". They differ only in small details from the USATC locomotives; the line of the tank and the cab floor are straight line, with no step. They have a slight slope on top of the tanks in front. One has been preserved in the new railway museum in Shenyang; another is plinted at Baotou Steelworks; others have been preserved at Muchangkou and Baotou Steelworks.

The XK2 class are the USATC locomotives. Subtle changes were made by the Chinese. One of these was perserved at Benxi, and one at Anshan Steel Works. On these, the cab floor is lower than the bottom of the tanks, forming a step; and the top of the tanks in front also have a slight slope.

If my memory is correct, at Anshan, they were used for the ore tracks at the top of the furnances because other steam and diesel locomotives were too heavy for the tracks. The arrival of lightweight diesels pushed them into retirement; I am guessing there were similiar stories with the others.

Going back to the machine being sold; the number is hard to read, but it looks like a four digit number; I think all of the XK2 class had numbers in the 1xxx range or less. The straight edge along the bottom also confirms this is a Polish-built XK13 class. This might be XK 5902; which was preserved in a park at the entrance to Baotou Steelworks. It could, of course, be a new discovery.

It would be interesting to know where that one came from. Images of them still sitting in sidings still show up from time to time but none working.... recently.

There are still at least two in daily use at the Thai Nguyen steel works near Hanoi.

This is GJ1042



James Waite image

Speaking of China, take a look at this image of 10 QJ on display in Daban



There are are a total of 13 in Daban. 11 on display and two operational.

TH