Steam on the Jitong Line, November 2000

Hans Schaefer reports:

"Daban has some new personnel under training, for steam locomotives. Probably the number of engines is to increase a bit, using the newly arrived engines. According to Jitong management, Baiqi has no QUALITY problem with water but a QUANTITY problem. They have to transport water to Baiqi depot from 75 km away. This led to the decision to get some DF4C. Just now 2 engines are in use. Daban staff gives different versions about the future, ranging from 3 to 10 years of steam to come. Generally, drivers and firemen count on a few years, management on longer time. Maybe this is wishful thinking by the staff having the hard work.

Daban engine roster as of 3 Nov 2000

Locomotives running from Chabuga: 853, 7163, 7164, 7038, 6988, 6572, 6478, 6751, 6385, 6358, 6349, 3073 (pasenger engine). 6375, 7048, 7105, 6632, 7049.

Scrap locomotives in Daban, being cut up during these days (after having been on the scrap line for at least one year): 2706, tender marked 7040, 2388, 6027, 6079 + one more, maybe 3105.

New engines having arrived Daban from Mudanjiang works, newly repaired, but not yet in use: 6981, 6844, 6986

Daban engines, sorted by brigade:
6517, 6763, 7007 (passenger), 6639, 6301, 6577, 6925, 6230
7009, 7012, 6125, 6110, 7143, 6351, 6905 (new), 6631 (passenger)
7040, 6735, 6878, 7041, 7137, 6135, 6911 (passenger)
6388, 6828, 6998, 6996, 6356, 6389, 6760
6992, 6630, 6274, 6876, 2645 (shunting Daban), 6638, 7112 (new)
7037, 6884, 6576, 7002, 6580, 7063, 7010

Locomotives under repair just now:
6735 and 6878 at Changchun for heavy overhaul
6358 and 7041 at Mudanjiang for heavy overhaul
6385 at Sujiatun for heavy overhaul
6356 at Fuxin, 6576 at Dahushan, 7049 at Changchun depot, 6301 at Baicheng
for intermediate overhaul
By the way, 6925 sighted by Florian Menius in Fuxin in September was in Fuxin at that time for intermediate overhaul.

Other remarks to some locomotives:
7139 had harvy overhaul 10/2000 (Baiqi engine)
6135 had hevay overhaul 7/2000 at Sujiatun
7139 newly repaired
7114 seen at Daban
6985 seen at Daban
6760 has a very bad boiler
7136 and 6302 seen at Haoluku (Baiqi engines)
6965 seen at Daban.
6125 and 6580 ex works Sujiatun 7/2000
7043 seen at Baiqi in use
6032 at Baiqi scrap
6849 Baiqi in use
3076 Benhong shunting
6687 scrap locomotive at Haoluku
6483 seen at Daban
6351 had a heavy repair this summer and has now a very good boiler. Its safety valves blow at 15.5 Bar, not 15 as other engines."