Some of you may be familiar with this developing situation. If you are, sorry for the duplication.

In January this year the American Ron Olsen reported that 20 QJ 2-10-2 locomotives were to be removed from storage and refurbished for the Anshan steel works to use.

Nothing more was heard until recently. The following confusing news with some details lost in translation (Chinese - German - English) now appears to be the case:

It’s estimated that 72 QJs and JSs are in Da’an Bei, about 30 of them JS.

The first two QJs are on display outdoors at a residence block named “Train Head” of the Hun Nan District in Shenyang.It’s near to the Shenyang Railway Station and it costs about rmb12.00 by taxi to get there.

My contact from the 701 works told me all the details based on his experience for sending the QJs all the way from Jinzhou to the residence block.

“The goal for repair is for normal operation and getting ready for display and sale.

It’s confirmed that they will not work at some place after repair.”

“No specific plan to use the locos some place after repair has been made so far.”

“It’s definite that both domestic and foreign purchase of the locos are welcome.”

If you want to buy a QJ or JS, just contact me Bernd : mail@farrail.com and I will put you in contact.

Sounds like a great (and probably last) opportunity to get running, fully shopped steam engines in quantity... Any pics of what a QJ or JS looks like? I think there's an excursion in NJ that uses a similar engine.

New Jersey is currently home to an SY class 2-8-2: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 240&nseq=6

They Valley Railroad in Connecticut also has a 2-8-2 that is being rebuilt.

Iowa has what I think is a JS class 2-8-2: http://www.railarchive.net/randomsteam/js8419.htm

There's a nice pictorial guide to Chinese steam locomotive classes that survived into the modern era here: http://www.railography.co.uk/info/cn_steam/profiles/profiles.htm

There are currently three QJ 2-10-2's working in the US, two on the Iowa Interstate and one owned by R.J. Corman. The Boone & Scenic Valley in Iowa has a JS class 2-8-2. The one in New Jersey (The Susquehanna 142 running on the Bel-Del) is an SY class 2-8-2, as is the "New Haven 3025" being restored for service on the Valley Railroad after being damaged in the engine house fire at the Knox & Kane.

Although it makes sense that the QJ and JS engines are good candidates for this, being relatively new and plentiful, I'm always a little surprised that there's no attempt to bring over one of the older JF 2-8-2's or the PL2 or YJ 2-6-2's. There are apparently still a few of them around (though no longer in service), and every inch of them looks like a classic American design, compared to the very Russian-looking QJ and JS engines.

The SY engines are very American-looking too, and the 3025 will be even more so when she emerges from her rebuild with a New Haven style cab and rectangular tender tank.

I will echo the sentiments on the PL2 Prairie types - very American looking and the right size for many excursion operations.

It's really a shame that there isn't an extra SL Class Pacific available for export either. I thought those were the best looking engines operating in China when I was there, although in '87 there were only a few of them still in service in Manchuria - I think they were operating out of Changchun. I've got a really nice slide of one somewhere around here I might post...

The SL Pacifics are beautiful locos & ran until 1991. IMHO, the most classic "modern" Chinese steam were the 2' gauge Baldwin 0-10-0s that ran in Yunnam Provence also until 1991. One is preserved in Beijing & another in Kunming.

Man, if I had the money, I'd do a AFT1 and get two to get one running. I love the way these chinese steamers look. Fact is that they are just reverse engineered american engines, with soviet influence and assistance thrown in for good measure.

[quote=
It’s confirmed that they will not work at some place after repair.

[/quote]

All your base are belongs to us.

a little translation problem it seems.

Wait, let me get this straight, you would bring back the AMERICAN FREEDOM Train, with CHINESE locomotives?

Really?

Really??

No, do what Ross did with the two T-1s; buy two and use the other as a parts supply.

Why not? Steamtown NATIONAL Park uses Canadian locomotives...

Steamtown hasn't specified which nation.

I think our younger brother's idea had less to do with the original mission than the strategy. He didn't explain it completely in his posting. He'll learn. It's also unnecessary since you can get almost any part you want for a new or rebuilt version, unlike the American versions that haven't been commercially mass produced or supported for over half a century now. We can probably stop beating him up about it now, and instead encourage him to maybe more carefully consider and craft his postings before hitting the "submit" button.

dave

So what if it was made in China. You could run the International Freedom Train. It would probably draw more positive attention from different audiences. I'd suggest running commercials bilingual. As many immigrants have come to this country and influenced culture today, I think having newly shopped equipment would serve us well to preserve steam operation into the future, instead of holding on to and beating to death the native artifacts which were operated primarily by white males.

After all, it's not the fact the engine was built in an American factory that drew anyone to a steam locomotive, it was operation of the machine itself. We all are biased towards American built engines and their appearance of course, and should someone purchase a foreign engine, either celebrate it's heritage or make it look good. And put a good whistle on it, I can't stand those air horns.

Yes, it's a bit muddled, but I think what he's trying to say is that they're not being repaired for operation someplace specific, but rather repaired for sale/display.

I found this today while looking up information on SY mikados. Anyone here have any other info on this Multipower International company? Looks like they're based in New Jersey
http://www.multipowerinternational.com/index.html