 |
| Oh,
those Russians. Arriving at Manzhouli Airport |
|
 |
| Then
we're off to Jalainur, or Zhalainuoer if you prefer.
First stop is the Nanzhan yard, where locos are serviced under a
coaling stage |
|
 |
| Raking
the embers |
|
 |
| Enter
Sandman |
|
 |
| Are
we done yet? |
|
 |
| Ahhhh,
the big pit. Quite the spectacle. All locos are SY class and
smokeboxes point southwest/away from the camera from this spot.
Short strings of wagons coupled to the tender are for coal,
longer strings coupled to the smokebox are spoil trains, carting
rock overburden up to spoil tips up on the 'surface'. |
|
Two spoil trains,
one loaded, one empty, wait their turn to navigate the zigzags
up and own respectively. In the foreground is an SY with a
runner wagon and a green steam crane. These are used mainly for
relocating and laying track sections
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| The
Great Race |
|
 |
| The
trains loaded with coal unload here a few levels from the top. The coal is washed and taken via
a conveyor in a tunnel up to the top, Dongfanghong. Top left is
a steam crane and coaling stage used by the pit locos on coal
duty to save them having to go all the way up to Nanzhan |
|
 |
| A
different look after
sunset. This must be why photographers call it the 'blue hour' |
|
 |
| Early
morning tank train (twin diesels) |
|
 |
| Up
top |
|
 |
| Don't
remember the name of this place, but I know I've been there
before... |
|
 |
| Dongfanghong,
just above the pit |
|
 |
| English
photographers plan their next move |
|
 |
| Then
it's off to the always atmospheric little workshop |
|
 |
| A
man about to cut, break or fix something |
|
 |
| In
from the cold |
|
 |
I
will not stand in the pictures of others
I will not stand in the
pictures of others
I will not stand in the
pictures of others |
|
 |
| That
afternoon, Bernd took us to the southwest end of the pit, which gave us
a few different angles, and of course more chimney first,
front-lit pictures |
|
 |
| Click,
click, BOOM! Advanced spoil loading techniques are being
employed here, but I'm not sure how much is actually going in
the wagons |
|
 |
| More
and more trucks are slowly replacing the trains. The big orange
shovels are electrically powered |
|
 |
| Check
out those grades! There are 9 SYs (partially) visible in this full-size
version of this pic, with two additional steam trails in the top
left corner |
|
 |
| Time
for home |
|
 |
| Sunset |
|
 |
| The
Tombstones...
Aaron and I grab the flash gear and head down again, but Bernd
says we need to be back to the bus in 10 minutes. Cripes. Luckily this place is so busy
there is time to stuff up one shot but snap this one
successfully. |
|
