Like in what sense? Chinese steam is physically quite striking, with heavy standardization and a style that says "This is Chinese" as much as German or Pennsylvania RR steam show their identity. I like the style; I'd just like to have seen other engines in it. The modern 4-8-4 that could've kept steam on long-distance expresses longer, or a commuter tank engine. It lacked much of what foreign railfans were used to in their own countries. On the other hand, I suppose it's good that railfans came to like Chinese steam for what it was and not for being like somewhere else. Anything I've read of its technical characteristics says it was very conventional, with strong US (through Russian) influence. Like late Indian steam, late Chinese steam has been described as technically comparable to 1920s US steam; that is, not the peak of development. Again, standardization was taken to such an extent to result in no new classes after 1961. Not very recently, I read steam in China was down to an estimated 200 operating locomotives. QJ 6840 in the photo was a JiTong engine, and is presumably no longer working.
Hi Boxcab, The number is constantly changing. But as far as i know, there're only 30 or less steam still operational in China. I'm not very sure. Best wishes.
Hi Triplex, For the Chinese steam you're very professional! I was shocked. Have you ever been in China? Where did you get so many infomation about trains? Best wishes.
3 "QJ" are imported in the USA and are now the property of RJ Corman. They are used for advertisement and spetial events, and thus may be seen running freights. Dom
Never been to China. I get most of my information from sources like these: International Steam Locomotives 2010 http://www.sy-country.co.uk/ Railways of China Chinese railways Railography : Info and Features Index Chinese Narrow Gauge Railways Steam locomotive in China trains-worldexpresses.com C2_Project If China's only down to around 30 steam, then it's probably lost its #1 position in the world. Actually, I suppose that's meaningless. It's still #1 at this time of year, because it's the off season for sugarcane milling in Indonesia. So I don't know how many steam locomotives will work there this year.
Hi Triplex, Thank you very much for the links you give to me, i'll read them carefully! There're many things i should learn, i'm a new one here, so maybe my information is not very accurate. But i'll check it. I think you know very well in China, welcome to my country, hope we can keep in touch with each other in the future! Best wishes
I only wish I had more information. Once, I was trying to assist a railfan/modeller looking for information on pre-Liberation steam classes. I supplied everything I knew, but he already knew all of it and needed more. I sympathize. Railography : Chinese Locomotive Lists : Index of Lists Arranged by Class is tantalizing. Mentions of so many older classes, a number of which I'd never heard of elsewhere and all of which I've never seen photos of. Most interesting is that the MT1 4-8-2s, despite being a small class of presumably passenger engines, survived in the 1980s thanks to some being transferred to industrial use. Standard steam locomotives has basic data CPRR steam locomotives only technical data, though. What I'd want to know is when they were built, how many and how long they lasted.
Here is Class SY 142, New York, Susquehanna and Western, taken in 1995 at the grand opening of Steamtown. I believe this locomotive is still operating, but elsewhere in the east.
Hi Triplex, The information you gave to me is very professional. My Englis is not very good, so there's a little hard for me to read it. But I'll try my best. And if i got any information, i'll tell you. Thank you very much.
Hi fitz, It's did a very beautiful steam. Thank you very much. The missing of the steams are like lose friends, too bad. i really don't want to lose them, but expect the pictures and information we can find noting at all. I want to shoot the steams and drive them like a train driver.
What's the preservation situation in China? I've generally ignored it, paying attention to working steam. Still, I do inevitably encounter references to it, and from what I remember, it's not very good. I remember steam in museums, but not a lot scattered around as you get in some other countries. Not a lot of steam preserved operational, either. That is, China seemed to me to be well below the 1960s USA (the appropriate comparison in terms of time) in terms of preserved steam, and that's far below the UK. I don't expect there's much demand for preserved steam drivers.
