HUANAN - Narrow gauge by its fingertips

The Huanan Forestry Railway (762mm) is located between Mudanjiang and Jiamusi in the Heilongjiang province of North-East China.  The only surviving line runs from the outskirts of Huanan city to a number of small coal mines at Hongguang, a distance of some 47km.  Originally this was an extensive system of some 350+km, build in the late 1940's, to carry timber but the forests are now all worked out and the last logging trains ran in 1996.   Traffic levels are extremely variable but on a good day there may be up to four trains working in each direction.  On a 'bad day' it is possible to stand at the lineside all day without seeing any action at all! Trains comprising eight empty wagons leave Huanan and travel across a long level section before starting to climb near the village of Tuoyaozi.  The line winds upwards and round a large horseshoe curve before reaching the summit and descending to Li Xin.  The locomotive is turned at Li Xin on a triangle and is used to bank the next full train up to the summit before returning and hauling its train tender first to the mines just short of Hongguang.

The main depot for the line is located in the suburbs of Huanan where locomotives are serviced and maintained.  It is fairly simple to follow the line by taxi as far as Tuoyaozi but here the road runs out and the only way to reach the summit is by motorcycle taxi or by walking the final six or seven kilometres. 

My only visit to the line was made in  December 2004 and is fully described in my trip report which can be found elsewhere on this site.  Due to the previous heavy snowfall I was able to enjoy the spectacle of line clearance operations before heading for the more scenically interesting section beyond Tuoyaozi.

Time to get the trains running again!Having assembled a short rake of wagons there was a blast on the whistle from No.168 and from all round an impromptu track clearance gang assembled and climbed aboard ready to head out of Huanan and tackle the various drifts which had closed the line.

C2 0-8-0 No.041 stands in the yard at Huanan awaiting the clearance of the line on 23 December 2004.  The extreme cold meant that leaking steam was always going to a problem for this photographer!
Standing around in the yard at Huanan was quite cold enough so goodness only knows what temperatures were like in the open wagons once the train started to move and a wind chill factor was added on!  Amazingly the human cargo looked and sounded cheerful enough as they set off.
My original plan had been to take a taxi from Huanan to Tuoyaozi and then find a way to the summit.  My taxi driver had already informed me that the road to the village was impassable but when the track clearing train left Huanan he showed commendable willingness in trying to follow it for as far as possible.  Given the state of the roads (and the taxi) this was an interesting undertaking but he was keen and away we went.  The train itself was making slow progress at best and had to make frequent stops to allow the track to be cleared manually by the men on board.  We meanwhile had to make frequent stops to wait for bulldozers and other vehicles to try to clear a way through the snow.  As a result we frequently overtook the stationary train and then found ourselves overtaken in turn by the train while we were stationary.  I spent much of the day dashing across snow covered fields with frequent falls into snow covered and thus unseen ditches!
All good things must finally end and eventually my taxi driver indicated that it wasn't possible to go much further and that we should return to Huanan while the train continued up the line.  It
Shortly after our arrival No.004 appeared on a loaded train from Hongguamg and ran onto the
Christmas morning dawned bright and clear and presented more opportunities for photography.  No.41 pauses outside of the village with its loaded wagons to release the wagon brakes which have been applied to prevent the risk of running away down the
However the best was yet to come!  I had resigned myself to taking photographs in and around the village - no great hardship - and although I had walked someway up the line the heavy snow and icy sleepers made for extremely hard going.  There was no way that a motorbike could reach the summit either and so that was that ........ or so I thought! 

Midway through the morning I was aware of shouting and looking over to the road I saw a horse, a sledge and my host waiting for me to join them!  In no time we were away and off up the hill towards the summit.  There appeared to be no great rush - despite my concern that a train might be approaching - and eventually after an hour of so we reached the horseshoe bend in the line where we stopped and waited.  It was soon obvious that my travelling companion had more knowledge than I possessed and after a short while I could hear the far-off sounds of a locomotive climbing the bank.  Before long the train came into sight and I was treated to an amazing sight and equally amazing sound!

The rest of the day was spent at the summit waiting for a returning train (see below) before we headed back to the village as evening fell (actually late afternoon as the sun sets about 3.45pm in December)  Our return journey was spectacular for its speed and for me falling of the sledge on at least two occasions!  Sitting here today - exactly four years later - it seems an incredible adventure and certainly it could have only occurred to a solo traveller.  No tour operator could ever have arranged such a thing nor the party which was held in my honour that night with villagers coming to inspect the foreigner, with the teacher of English from the 'local' secondary school walking five miles to avail himself of the opportunity to speak with me in my own language.

 
As of December 2008 the line was reported as still in operation although its existence hangs by a thread.  Its future depends entirely on the continued output from the small coal mines at Huanggong.  These are under threat as a result of the new mine inspection regime in China and, together with the ever increasing use of lorries, the future of the line looks far from secure.  As with every other remaining steam operation in China my advice is simple - get there while you still can! 
Click on locations below for more working steam from across the world
My faithful taxi driver collected me from Tuoyaozi and drove me back to Huanan.  From there I was able to take a bus to Jiamusi and then a train south to Siping and another taxi to reach Meihekou.  There was however sufficient time to stop off at the depot once again and take a few more shots of locomotives at the depot including No.004. 
My final morning in Tuoyaozi was blessed with some of the best weather of my stay - and a total absence of steam action.   Only the return of the railcar from Li Xin broke the quiet of the morning - running once again after its enforced lay-off
Despite the relatively small number of trains each day there is always something to keep one interested and in a remote rural village this is likely to be of an  agricultural nature.  Main Street in Tuoyaozi provides the setting for this delightful bucolic scene.
Continuing camera problems led me to resort to my 'pocket digital' which I normally only use for taking pictures of the locals.  However the result was surprisingly good and I managed to capture No.041 leaving Tuoyaozi and heading for Huanan.
Things improved somewhat during the morning and around about mid-day No.004 appeared down the hill and paused in customary style to release the pinned down breaks before heading on towards Huanan with its load of coal.
The glorious weather of the previous three days disappeared on the morning of 26th December ...... as, slowly,  did my hangover! No.168 brings a train of empty wagons up through a very grey Tuoyaozi and over the little river bridge close to the abandoned(?) gold mine workings.
I guess that you can't get everything in life ......... having arranged my transport in the optimum photo position it was simply a case of sit back and await the masterpiece ......... and sure enough it wasn't long before I could see two plumes of exhaust heading in my direction.  Sadly I had underestimated the effect of the cold on my camera which managed the first shot before steadfastly refusing to take anything else until the train had passed and was out of sight!!  The best laid plans etc.  (above left)

However we returned to the summit in time to catch the banker returning back towards Li Xin but to my surprise it was not in fact No.041 but No.044 which had performed the banking duties  (above right)

Almost at the summit - No.041 remains reasonably sure footed as it brings its load of empty wagons up the final few yards. 

My excitement was further increased by the thought that it would almost certainly bank the next train of loaded wagons up the bank from Li Xin.

...... and so allowing me enough time to slither and slide my way down through the village and find another vantage point from which to enjoy the spectacle.

 hilll ........

Surprise of the day was No.41 heading up the line with a single coach!  Presumably the poor weather had proved more than a match for the diesel railcar which normally handles passenger traffic and an alternative means was required to get villagers to and from their homes.
The journey to Tuoyaozi was easily made and having secured accommodation it was time to check out the steam.  In the event there was not long to wait as a loaded coal train appeared and after a brief pause outside the village it made a splendid sight as it traversed the village.  The long journey to Huanan was already more than worthwhile.

 depot for turning and servicing.  All in all it looked like the day might be successful with some line action.

Next morning it was time to try again and my taxi driver from the day before was confident that we could reach Tuoyaozi without problems.  En route we stopped at the depot to check the situation and found 0-8-0 No.044 standing in the yard awaiting the day's work

had been great fun - my driver had gone well beyond the bounds of duty and so we went back the way we had come and ate a hearty meal of steamed dumplings in a small backstreet cafe.

Throughout I was constantly reminded of that wonderful British Transport Commission Film "Snowdrift At Bleath Gill" - little had I ever imagined I would witness scenes like these
No mechanical assistance for the train crews!  Time to get busy with the shovels and hand clear the snow from the line to allow the train to head further on up the line and re-open the service.
No.168 makes good headway along a section of relatively clear track while the taxi is held up waiting for the next section of the road to be cleared.  My antics provided plenty of entertainment for the loco crew and the hardy souls huddled in the wagons behind.