Narrow-gauge railways in China
The gauge for the most of the China national railway network is
Operational narrow-gauge railways
Kunming–Hekou Railway
The 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
This railway, opened in 1910, had a 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge branch line from
The meter gauge section was originally administered in more or less the same way as the Indochinese networks, and it was physically possible for through trains to be run from
Industrial railways
In Manchuria, lumber industries built narrow-gauge railways into the forests. These used Russian and Japanese locomotives, copied from Soviet or Eastern European designs. Now most of them have disappeared. These railways mostly use a gauge of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm).
3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge railways
Several 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge railways were constructed by the Japanese.
Manchuria
There were several 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge military railways in Manchuria during the
Hainan
In 1941–43, during the Japanese occupation of Hainan, several 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge rail lines were constructed in the western part of the island. Of particular importance for the Japanese war effort was the line connecting the iron ore mine in Shilu with the Basuo Harbor.[4]
The lines fell into disrepair and were abandoned after the
Metre-gauge railways
Kunming Hekou Railway
The 466 km Chinese section of the French built Kunming–Haiphong railway, and a few surviving branches. The system also includes a short new meter-gauge connector to the new standard-gauge Hekou North Station.
Shijiazhuang to Taiyuan
The railway from
Datong to Pukou
The Railway from
Yunnan Burma Railway
Construction of the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Other
In many rural or suburban areas, metre-gauge railways were built to transport agricultural produce. Such was the case of two light railways east of Pudong, Shanghai. They were isolated systems using small tank engines, like 4-4-2Ts. Later, experiments were made with gasoline railcar and trailer sets having Ford engines. They were closed in the 1950s and 1970s respectively and replaced by bus services.[2]
2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge railways
In many provinces
Province | Railway |
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Guangdong Province
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Heilongjiang province
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Henan Province
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Hunan Province
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Jiangxi province
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Shanghai |
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Shanxi Province
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Sichuan Province
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600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge railways
Province | Railway |
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Guangdong Province
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Hunan Province
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Liaoning Province
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Sichuan Province
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Yunnan province
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500 mm (19+3⁄4 in) gauge railways
Sichuan Province
- Hongbitan coalmine near Shenzhenjiao, main coal mine railway line.[19]
400 mm (15+3⁄4 in) gauge railways
Sichuan Province
- Coal mine (cable and hand tramming) at
Other
Arxan Forrest Railway
It ran during the 1950s and 1990s, carried wood, goods and passengers. Its highest speed is 60 km/h.
Xinyi Railway
Xinyi Railway was a 42.5 km–long branch line of the
The empress dowager and the
The Xinyi Railway headed west from
The project started in November and was completed by February 1903. The railway used old track and sleepers from the Guanneiwai Railway. On 5 April 1903, the empress and other members of the dynasty rode a special train from the Beijing Yongdingmen along the Beijing-Hankou line, then switching to the new track. The whole length was about 120 km, taking a little over two hours.[citation needed] The Empress was very pleased with the railway and train and gave the engineer a yellow jacket, flowers, feathers, and the title of prefect.[citation needed]
Cixi only used the railway once. The line was destroyed during the
Chronological summary
The following narrow gauge lines have been constructed in China (in chronological order, excluding Taiwan):
Image | Opening Date |
Line | Gauge | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1876 | Wusong , Jiangsu |
2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 10 miles (16 km)[23] | |
1886 | Decauville railway Tianjin – Jinnan | 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) | 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) | |
1888 | Xiyuan Railway | 800 mm (2 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi)[24][25][26] | |
1900 | Shanhaiguan to fort |
600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) | 4 kilometres (2.5 mi)[27] | |
1900 | Beidaihe to military depot |
600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) | 7 kilometres (4.3 mi)[28] | |
1900 | Kaiping to military depot | 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) | 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)[28] | |
1901 | Beitang to Tianjin | 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) | 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi)[28] | |
1904 | Mukden , Liaoning |
2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 38 miles (61 km)[23] | |
1904 | Sujiatun to Aigun , Liaoning |
2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 162 miles (261 km)[23] | |
1904 | Xingguo mining line, Hubei | unknown gauge | 20 miles (32 km)[23] | |
1905 | Shijiazhuang to Fa-Iii-ling, Hebei | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 38 miles (61 km)[23] | |
1905 | Beijing to Nanyuan, Hebei | 3 ft 3 in (991 mm) | 5 miles (8.0 km)[23] | |
1905 | Wuchang Mint, Hubei | 3 ft 8 in (1.12 m) | 5 miles (8.0 km)[23] | |
1906 | Fa-Iii-ling to Pingtan, Shanxi | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 38 miles (61 km)[23] | |
1907 | Pingtan to Taiyuan, Shanxi | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 75 miles (121 km)[23] | |
1907 | Lokou to Xiaoqing River, Shandong | narrow gauge | 4 miles (6.4 km)[23] | |
1909 | Qiqihar to Ang'angxi, Heilongjiang | narrow gauge | 18 miles (29 km)[23] | |
1909 | Laoka to Mengzi, Yunnan | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 103 miles (166 km)[23] | |
1910 | Mengzi to Kunming, Yunnan | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 190 miles (310 km)[23] | |
1911 | Toli to Qingganggou, Hebei | unknown gauge | 26 miles (42 km)[23] | |
1911 | Sha Tau Kok Railway, Hong Kong |
2 ft (610 mm) | 7.25 miles (11.67 km) | |
1912 | Jilin City to Changchun, Jilin | unknown gauge | 79 miles (127 km)[23] | |
1912 | Shuikoushan lead/zinc mine, Hunan, | 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) | 4 miles (6.4 km)[23] | |
1913 | Shuangcheng line, Jilin, | 2 ft 2 in (660 mm) | 4 miles (6.4 km)[23] | |
1914 | Benxihu to Niuxintai, Liaoning | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 9 miles (14 km)[23] | |
1914 | Nangang to Logang , Liaoning |
narrow gauge | 5 miles (8.0 km)[23] | |
1914 | Nanfen to Miao'ergou , Liaoning |
narrow gauge | 5 miles (8.0 km)[23] | |
1914 | Short segment of Tongpu Railway, Shanxi | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 5 miles (8.0 km)[23] | |
1916 | Liujiang coal line, Hebei | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 11 miles (18 km)[23] | |
1916 | Jiawang coal line, Jiangsu | narrow gauge | 14 miles (23 km)[23] | |
1916 | Guangzhou to Longyen, Guangdong | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 23 miles (37 km)[23] | |
1918 | Xiangbishan to Wuwangmiao , Hubei |
unknown gauge | 16 miles (26 km)[23] | |
1918 | Tafeng coal line, Hebei | 2 ft 8 in (813 mm) | 4 miles (6.4 km)[23] | |
1918 | Yili coal line, Hebei | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 13 miles (21 km)[23] | |
1918 | Minxing coal line, Hebei | narrow gauge | 1 mile (1.6 km)[23] | |
1921 | Gejiu to Bisezhai and Jijie to Shiping, Yunnan | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 84 miles (135 km) | |
1921 | Yihua iron mine, Anhui | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 12 miles (19 km)[23] | |
1921 | Jingfu salt line, Sichuan | 3 ft (914 mm) | 18 miles (29 km)[23] | |
1922 | Changxing coal line, Zhejiang | 3 ft (914 mm) | 16 miles (26 km)[23] | |
1922 | Liuhegou to Dudang, Henan | unknown gauge | 4 miles (6.4 km)[23] | |
1922 | Baochang coal line, Hebei | narrow gauge | 2 miles (3.2 km)[23] | |
1923 | Boshan coal line, Shandong | unknown gauge | 13 miles (21 km)[23] | |
1924 | Laotougou to Korean border, Jilin | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 69 miles (111 km)[23] | |
1924 | Jitang coal line, Hebei | 3 ft (914 mm) | 39 miles (63 km)[23] | |
1924 | Qinhuangdao to Yiyuankou, Hebei | 3 ft 3 in (991 mm) | 20 miles (32 km)[23] | |
1924 | Tianyuan coal line, Shandong | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) | 12 miles (19 km)[23] | |
1924 | Baoxing iron line, Anhui | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 6 miles (9.7 km)[23] | |
1925 | Qinhuangdao to Shilingzhuang, Hebei | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) | 18 miles (29 km)[23] | |
1925 | Wangping to Sanjiadian, Hebei | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 14 miles (23 km)[23] | |
1925 | Addition to Yiyi coal line, Hebei | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | 4 miles (6.4 km)[23] | |
1925 | Nanzhang to Fengshan, Hebei | 3 ft 3 in (991 mm) | 4 miles (6.4 km)[23] | |
1934 | Yuanping to Linfen, Shanxi | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 230 miles (370 km)[23] | |
1935 | Xinxian to Hebian, Shanxi | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 25 miles (40 km)[23] | |
1936 | Ningwu , Shanxi |
1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 25 miles (40 km)[23] | |
1937 | Ningwu to Datong , Shanxi |
1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) | 182 miles (293 km)[23] |
See also
- Transport in the People's Republic of China
References
- ^ 《中国铁道年鉴》
- ^ ISBN 7-113-04147-7.
- ^ Luis Jackson, "Rambles in Japan and China". In Railway and Locomotive Engineering, vol. 26 (March 1913), pp. 91-92
- ISBN 0674639111
- ^ a b Tania Branigan (10 November 2014). "Journey into the 1950s: travelling by steam to Chinese town that time forgot". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- ^ Da Tang Railway
- ^ Gaoyao Coal Railway
- ^ Hetou Railway
- ^ Lishan Iron Ore Mine Railway
- ^ Meixian Provincial Railway
- ^ Yingde Forestry Railway
- ^ Yingde Mineral Railway
- ^ Yunfu Pyrites Mine Railway
- ^ a b Chenjia Railway
- ^ a b Mine near Huluko
- ^ Ganzhou Timber Railway
- ^ a b Gansui–Baiyan (Songzhao Coal Company)
- ^ a b Pengzhou–Baisuihe
- ^ a b c Shibangxi–Huangchungjing (Jiayang Power Company)
- ^ Chi Ni Limestone Railway
- ^ 600mm gauge coal tramways round Nanpiao
- ^ Jianghe Coal Railway
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au Ralph William Huenemann: The Dragon and the Iron Horse. p. 249–257 (Also available on Google Books).
- ^ Peter Crush (柯睿思) und Baiyu Shang (尚白宇): 中国早期窄轨铁路(四)——清皇宫内的铁路:西苑铁路(紫光阁铁路).
- ^ P. A. Crush Chinese Railway Collection. Extracts from books, periodicals & newspapers.
- ^ Dieter Brötel: Frankreich im fernen Osten: imperialistische Expansion in Siam und Malaya, Laos und China, 1880–1904. 1996.
- ^ Gesammelte Denkschriften mit Photographien und Beilagen über die deutschen Posten Langfang, Yangtsun, Tangku, Schanhaikwan. Printed by the Brigade News.
- ^ a b c B. Shang: 中国早期窄轨铁路(六)——八国联军在中国北部修筑的军用铁路.