Current Railway Scenes in Guangdong Province

by Rick Wong

Railways in Guangdong

Compiled by HKRS Webmaster, Rick Wong

Last update: 2002/9/18

This is an overview of the current scene on railways in Guangdong Province. If you have any updates, please let me know and I will amend the database accordingly.

Northern Guangdong

On the mainline side, electric locomotive SS8s dominate the passenger service all the way from Guangzhou East to Beijing West (Xi). DF4D are used on express services such as Guangzhou - Beijing / Shenyang Bei/Wuhan (no traction change at both Shaoguan and Chenzhou). SS6B/SS1/Early DF4s can still be seen on freight service.

Most JS class steam locomotives on the Guangdong section of Jing-guang line were replaced by DF5 in the year 2000.

    Pingshi (km 1960) - steam was replaced by old DF4s in early 2002. However, reports during the steam days can still be found: Rick Wong (in Chinese Big-5 code), Steve Hallam, Robin Gibbons (November 2000). Ted Brown report is now added on this site.

    Lechang (km 1999) - railbus services still operating on the old Jing-Guang line. (November 2000)

    Huanggang - JS class steam locomotive still working on the branch line. The shunter for the station is now replaced by DF5. (November 2000) 2 JS (6508, 6505) were in steam during HKRS visit on December 9, 2000.

    Shaoguan (km 2047) - A depot at the northern end of the station still servicing JS steam locomotives nearby (Pingshi, Maba, Huanggang etc.). No more steam shunter working in the marshalling yard. The electric depot at the southern end of the city serves engines such as DF4, SS1, SS6B and SS8. 

During the HKRS visit to the depot on 10 December 2000. We were told four JS (2-8-2) were scrap in November. The depot still carry out minor repair on steam locomotives. JS6507 was in steam. Read our Shaoguan trip report by David England. (December 2000)

    Maba - SY class industrial locomotive was spotted. Also seen were GK1c 0015 and a JS class steam locomotive. (October 2000)

    Dongguapu - a JS in steam was spotted. (December 2000)

Sanmao Line

This line was dieselised in May 1999.

And on the branch lines news:

Chunwan - Louding (c.60km)

According to local information this line is now in use for irregular freight services (QJ hauled) - no information yet about any passenger service. The branch leaves the main line just to the west of Chunwan depot and runs north west.

Yangchun - Yangjiang (c. 50km)

According to local information this line is nearly complete but not yet open. No information about the service other than that QJ's will be used. The branch leaves the main line west of Yangchun station running north west and disappearing from view, then curving through nearly 180 degrees on a viaduct passing over the main line, before heading south.

Full report from Duncan can be read here.

    Zhaoqing - A few picture taken by Mr KS Lee in early November 2000. (November 2000) A news source suggested the QJ 2-10-2 shunting engine has been replaced by DF12 locomotive. (March 2003)

    Zhaoqing - Hung Hom through train - the earlier RZ25 series stock were now replaced by stainless steel Mk II style, Hanjin Stock (RZ 25C), since October 2000. These bodies were built at Korea while the 200km/h bogies were supplied by Changchun Car Company.

Guangshen Line

DF5D/DF12 have replaced most shunting movements previously working by DF/DF3. 2 DF9 (0001,0002) and 15 DF11 (0004-0025) and 7 SS8 (0063-0067, 0153, 1093) are still working on the quasi-high speed service between Guangzhou and Shenzhen. DF11 0001-0003 have been cascaded to Nanchang Bureau in August 2001, on the Jing-Jiu line.

According to a news article on "Remin Tiedao" in April 2001, SS8 0063-0067 were leased by Guangshen Railway Corp (GSRC) for a price of RMB 550,000 per locomotive per year. (May 1, 2001)

SS1 apparently becomes a new entrant on Guangshen Line. Fellow HKRS member Mr Ken Lau and Mr York Chan spotted a SS1 0741 hauling a northbound freight near Zhangmutou Station on Mid-May 2001. SS1 0741 was originally belong to Shaoguan Depot (220kms north of Guangzhou). It remains to be seen if there will be a mass migration of these fine machines from Shaoguan Depot to the Guangshen Line. (May 28, 2001)

Photo by Mr Ken Lau - SS1 0741 near Zhangmutou Station.

On the push-pull EMU side, Guangshen Railway Corp (GSRC) purchased the Swedish X-2000 in October 2000 and currently operating 2 return trips from Guangzhou Dong to Shenzhen and 2 return trips daily to Hung Hom, Hong Kong. KCRC's Ktt still operating at a 7-car twice daily return service from Hung Hom to Guangzhou Dong (East).

A new entrant on the push-pull family is "Lan jian" (Blue arrow). The power car was built by Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Works (ZELW, also known as GO FRONT) and passengers cars from Changchun car company. ZELW claimed "Lan Jian" has a maximum speed of 305km/h. Commercial operation began at 28 December 2000 and photos on this new train can be found here. Although GSRC promised DJJ1 (Lanjian) will operate at 200km/h commercially from March 8 onwards (55-min path), Lanjian is still operating on a 65-minute path. (travel time on tilt train X-2000 is 55 mins). (April 2001)

Guang-mei-shan Line

Green DF4Bs built in the late 1990s dominate the line. No steam engine was spotted.

Connection from Meizhou to Kanshi, Fujian Province has completed in October 2000. Freight services were introduced in November 2000. Passenger services are now added. See here (English/Chinese) for the timetable. (March 2001)

Jing-Jiu Line

New entrant for the line -- DF4D are seen (such as DF4D 0566, 0568, 0574) servicing on the passenger services. All locomotives have a built date of 2000 at Dalian and bear the depot code of Guang-Long (Longchuan). (Jan 2001)

No current information about this line. The passenger service are hauled by DF4C north of Longchuan. (Nov 2000)

Narrow Gauge

    Meixian - the line was scrapped and a C4 0-8-0 was believed to be sold to Shanghai (where there will be a railway museum to be built). Information was from an unofficial source and yet to be confirmed. (Oct 1999)

   Luojiaci - the line was removed to make way for the new roads, wreckages of the narrow guage wagons can still be seen at Luojiaci Station (on Nanling Line). (Nov 2000)

    Hulukou - this coal mine narrow gauge (762mm) was unreported by an publication and are operated by a steeple cab 4w, Changzhou built ZL-14-7 (550V d.c.) plus a few "home made" steeple cab 4w locomotives. Pictures on this line will be on this site later. Continental Railway Journal (CRJ) also reported (No. 119, p.502, Autumn 1999) an engine of this kind (ZL-14-7) was working at Tianchi Mine in Sichuan Province. Pictures are now added. (Nov 2000)

    Gaoyao/Yunfu - we believe these lines have been closed (1999)

    Guangzhou Steel Works -    Guangzhou class diesel locomotives were found inside the works. (August 2003)

Industrial Systems

    Guangzhou Steel Works - GK1C0136 replaced SY class steam locomotives. Only 1 SY remained on standby duties (August 2003)

    Xiayuan Petrochemical Complex - 3 East German LEW Hennigsgdorf V100 and a Jinan built loco are still in service within the complex. A DFH (series unknown) was also spotted by a RS member earlier at Xiayuan freight yard. 

A brand new GK1C diesel-hydraulic industrial locomotive (in Green/Creme livery) was spotted working in the complex in December 2000.

    Maoming Petrochemical Complex - No update information available.

    Shekou/Yantian Branch line - This line was  mainly worked by Green DF4 and more investigation is required. (Nov 2000)