China - JingPeng Pass Revisited, December 2018

In December 2018, I travelled to China to make another selection of videos of the JS 2-8-2 steam locos at Sandaoling. However, I had a few days spare so I thought I'd like to revisit the JingPeng Pass on the JiTong Railway in Inner Mongolia. This line was a paradise for steam fans about 15 years ago, when the mighty QJ 2-10-2's were pounding their way over this frozen mountain range. Today, the line is busier than ever but is, of course, entirely diesel worked. I show here a few looks at the famous horseshoe viaduct near to Reshui and, also, the classic shot of Lindong Station with the pagoda in the foreground. The line has an increased passenger and freight service and appears to be thriving. A visit to Daban shed revealed that they still have over 10 QJ's in store, of which two can be steamed if necessary. There is a vague plan to make part of the line (including the viaducts) into a steam tourist line. In preparation for this, two SY 2-8-2's have been plinthed in Reshui and the US built mogul has been painted and placed inside a museum/restaurant in the town. We'll watch this one closely!