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F a r E a s t
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The line of the first Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow by the way of Manchuria to Vladivostok had been closed for decades. Only in the 21st century through cars from Harbin to Vladivostok and to Khabarovsk with change of bogies at the border were introduced. The Soviet’s train Moscow - Manchuria - Beijing from 1954 had always cars for Pyongyang, North Korea, at Shenyang combined with the train Beijing - Tianjin - Pyongyang. Generally there are the two Chinese sleepers Beijing - Pyongyang alternating with two North Korean sleepers. In 2005 the express K27 left Beijing twice weekly with the old green Chinese soft and hard sleepers for Pyongyang and twice weekly with new green air conditioned North Korean sleepers, built in China. The domestic cars in China were now pastel/red colored. A diner runs Beijing - Dandong and Sinuiji - Pyongyang. An additional direct service Moscow - Pyongyang avoiding China, via the border stations Hasan and Tumangang, was introduced decades ago by the “Rossiya” Moscow -Vladivostok. Still now the twice-monthly hard sleeper Moscow - Pyongyang is detached at Ussuryisk. The green North Korean car is contrasting with the red/blue ones of the “Rossiya”. Like China, Korea has standard gauge. Since the end of WWII North Korea had no connection with the South. The first train to run from North to South Korea, announced in 2006, started in May 2007 for privileged passengers, but the timetable listed no regular services. North Korea Express 27 Beijing, April 7, 1988:
Express passenger steam locomotives of preceding Korean National Railroad: Standard gauge
North Korea had got among others the Czech 4-8-2 type 475.1148-72, three Polish 2-6-2 type Ol 49 and twenty Hungarian 4-8-0 type 424 engines. Diesel and electric engine types from the Soviet bloc. Vietnam The Soviets’ ally North Vietnam obviously never had a regular express from Moscow. Nevertheless a service (with change of trains) was praised by the Soviet timetable and there are some mysterious rumors. Express 5/6 Connection to Vietnam in 1968 (according to official W.M.P.S.) Express 5/6: 1 soft, 2 hard class (4-berth, compartments) KZD Beijing - Pingxian and other cars Beijing - Nanning. Connection on meter gauge by DSVN: 1 coach (upholstered) and 1 van Pingxian - Ha Noi, other cars Lang Son - Ha Noi. From 1996, after interruption, a few cars of express 5/6 Beijing - Nanning continued twice weekly to Dong Dang, connecting with a train Dong Dang - Ha Noi. In 2005 railway historian Heiko Mueller undertook the trip from Beijing to Ha Noi: “We used the through car for Dong Dang, a service provided by two soft-sleepers, attached to the blue/white express T5. At Nanning the two cars from T5 are shunted and passengers are requested to leave the train and to stay in a firmly closed waiting-room... At the Chinese border station Pingxiang the control is aboard the train and passengers are not allowed to leave it. At Dong Dang you have to walk to the luggage check, passport and health control (where everybody’s temperature is taken!) and then you are guided to the connecting meter gauge train for Ha Noi, which you must not leave. The train consisted only of two hard-sleepers and a van. It runs nonstop to Ha Noi.” On the other international line, the meter gauge Kunming - Hekou/ Lao Cai, there is no international passenger traffic. It will be replaced by standard gauge and there is the long-term vision of a Trans Asian Railway linking even Singapore. In the meantime the Chinese meter-gauge stock was bought by Vietnam. T5 Beijing - Zhengzhou - Nanning Hang Yang Zhan, Oct.31, 2005 (according to Heiko Mueller):
T905 Nanning - Dong Dang Nanning, Oct.31, 2005 (according to Heiko Mueller):
M2 Dong Dang - Ha Noi Dong Dang (Tong Teng), Nov.1, 2005 (according to Heiko Mueller): Diesel D4H (red), 1 BV (generator van, green), 2 BN (hard sleepers, red/blue). Ha Noi - Sai Gon The express from Ha Noi to Sai Gon (Ho Chi Minh Ville) on meter gauge restarted in 1976 with a variety of cars, green or blue. In the meantime the service was upgraded with several new trains including sleeping accommodation and diner service, now painted red/blue. The train became known as the Reunification Express.
Chinese meter-gauge Yunnan railway, the interrupted second connection with Vietnam, Chinese diesel hydraulic DFH21 at Kunming Northern station, October 1982 (Hans-Herbert Frohn)
Express passenger steam locomotives of DSVN Vietnam, meter gauge: Among the French built engines taken over in 1976 from the Regie des Chemins de fer du Viet-nam, mainly classes 231 (4-6-2) and 141 (2-8-2) the 141-101 to 110 sometimes still hauled the passenger train Ha Noi - Sai Gon as far as Vinh until 1992. 141-121 and 122 had been built at Gia Lam, and other ones, numbered from 141-151, by China (class SY2). After the line from Lang Son (Chinese border) to Ha Noi had got a third rail for standard gauge, Vietnam received GP6 class (2-8-2) from China (JF6). The German war-type 52 class was sent by Poland (Ty2 and by USSR (TE), but did not take up service.
Cambodia In neighboring Cambodia, the harbor Sihanoukville (Kompong Sam) got a rail link with Phnom Penh in 1969. During the years of the disastrous war, the modern green/light-green expresses in French colonial style with (armored) Alsthom diesel locomotives had been interrupted more and more. Then a train Phnom Penh - Battambang was reported running on some days. Cook’s timetable listed it e.g. in 2008, but no service to Thailand, though it might have come into consideration. The service to Sihanoukville was suspended. Taiwan Taiwan’s Cape gauge had a heritage of steam locomotives from the Imperial Taiwan Railway. From 1954 the Pacifics from Baldwin and Japan were replaced by diesels and from 1975 by 25 kV electric engines and railcars. In 2004 even a tourist de-Luxe Formosa Star was introduced for round trips. The only connection with China during many years was the “Macmosa”, a ferry Macau - Kaohsiung, then stopped. For a standard gauge TGV line between the capital Taipeh and Kaohsiung, a French study was established. Alstom and Siemens made a coordinated offer and in 1997 a combined ICE2 and TGV was tested in Germany. In 2004 however, high-speed trains, derived from the advanced Japanese Shinkansen 700 series, were ordered for the “Taiwan High Speed Rail” Taipeh - Kaohsiung. That 700T series, each consisting of 12 cars, shows an upgraded styling, colored orange-red/blue/white, and has an official top speed of 300 km/h. The service started in 2007.
South Korea Since WWII the connection between North and South Korea was interrupted. Passenger trains until change to diesels and electrification were hauled by Pacifics. In expectation of a new line Seoul - Busan the expresses and Super Expresses remained diesel-hauled and finally German diesel railcars were introduced. Under president Roh Tae Woo the old project of the 411 km long high-speed line Seoul - Busan re-emerged in 1988. GEC Alsthom won the contract against competitor Siemens under very favorable conditions for Korea, which got the right to produce the TGV even for export. According to German reports, Siemens was in a disatvantage, being prevented from using intelligence service information due to German law. The 25kV50Hz KTX units with 13,560 kW power, running at 300 km/h in daily service and being capable of still higher speeds, resemble the French TGV even in exterior appearance and colors. In 2004 the first section Seoul - Taegu was inaugurated, then extended to Busan.. Korea surprised with its own HSR350X project, a train for 350 km/h, based on TGV technology. That Hanvit 350 is announced for 2009. A different Hanvit 400 with distributed power is under development. For slower lines a tilting TTX is conceived. KTX TGV derivative, 20 cars, articulated 9+9 cars: L+M+16T+M+L (L=locomotive-like engine unit, M=first bogie powered, T=trailer).
Another matter are tourist trains. A sensational de-Luxe was presented in 2008 – and it should have run to Beijing on occasion of the Olympics (information by Heiko Mueller and Matthias Schulze). Though this travel was prevented, the nice Rail Cruise Haerang train took up cruising in South Korea. An advertisement shows the blue train with 9 cars including a luxury sleeper with only three compartments, sleepers with four compartments, equipped with double-bed and own restroom, diner, sleeping-cars with eight twin-compartments and Pullman sleeper.
© 2007, Germany |
