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Only a few instances could I enjoy this spectacular view before the two engines entered ShangDian summit tunnel, scorching me in steam and soot. Anybody believing that taking this picture meant putting life at a risk,
may be reassured that there a niche just beside me where I could retire until the train had passed.
And believe it or not: On an earlier trip to China, we met locals wandering though tunnels including their
bicycles, totally unconcerned about trains that could have passed there any time! |
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The
freezing cold can almost be felt when seeing at this picture, taken
before sunrise at ShangDain, where temperatures could drop as far as -40° centigrade. At such
arctic conditions, things as simple as changing a filmroll could
become a pain, let alone a night on the footplate of a QJ! Dec 24, 2002. |
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Just another freezing winter day: Ice layers on the engines and freight cars reveal the temperatures when that doubleheader steamed into the summit. Dec. 27, 2002. |
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Ready
for departure. After the 2.5 hour run from Haolukou, the QJ's have arrived at Jingpeng, where all trains stopped. The steam engines have taken water there, cleared fire and were now awaiting their departure for the
now beginning, demanding climb up to ShangDian summit. 25.12.2002 |
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When this train appeared 20 minutes earlier below XiaKengZi, the scenery was still in the shadow. Heavy loads made the train slow enough to allow the sun to reach this spot in the meantime. Dec.27, 2002. |
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At the aforementioned embankment high above ErDi, two QJ just had emerged from Tunnel III.
Imagine how the crews must be gasping for breath after passing a
tunnel on the footplate of 3000-Hp-Engine working at maximum
tracive effort! Meanwhile, in the brickwork valley beyond the tunnel, steam clouds still rose towards the sky. Dec.26.2002. |
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A
few kilometers above Jingpeng, the railway crosses the valley on
the large Biligou viaduct. After that, the terrain suddenly got
rugged. 25.12.2002 |
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On the second level near SiMingYi, two QJ's
work a mixed eastbound freight. Some fifteen minutes later, the train would pass on the embankment high above ErDi village in the background to the right. 28.12.2002. |
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High above DaYingZi,
just another coal freight struggled against the 12/ 1000 grade. 29.12.2002 |
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Positions for taking the picturesque SimingYi viaduct near XiaKengZi were numerous. At late afternoon, a freight steamed down effortlessly, offering this pleasant glint. Dec.27, 2002 |
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The line above Reshui offered plenty of scenic locations for the entire day, but the ever blowing wind was a big obstacle in the open landscape and could waste many great photographs. When I was waiting on a freezing day in early March 98, the heavy wind dropped for just a few seconds, allowing me that picture of a freight on the second level above Reshui. |
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Could there have been any better finale for a successful day than such a Silhouette at the Resuhi-Viaduct? Dec.29, 2002 |
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(c) Markus
Fischer, Zürich |
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