中国 山東省 充州媒業 最後の前進型蒸気機関車の活躍 The last Qianjin Type steam locomotives at Yanzhou in Shangdong Province

山東省済寧市鄒城　充州媒業

2007年1月

2007年1月、冬の前進型を目指して寧夏回族自治区の大古鉄路を訪問して見事に不覚を取ったわけですが、さすがにこのままでは終われませんので、気を取り直して山東省は済寧市の鄒城に残された最後の前進型蒸気機関車を見に行くことにしました。どうしても一度冬季の前進を見ておきたかったので……

このときは2泊3日の強行軍で訪問しましたので、色々と話に無理があり、本来なら鄒城の充州（正しくは兖州‎）媒業だけではなく、近隣の済北鉄路も訪問するべきところでしたが、時間の関係で鄒城だけの訪問となりました。あと、機材も極力軽くしたかったので、センサーのゴミとか、入門機ゆえの信頼性の不安とか、色々と問題のあるD50は持参せず、銀塩一本で行くことにしました。

東京を朝一で出て、鄒城に到着したのが夜の9時頃だったのではないかと思います。とりあえず北京空港に飛び、北京空港で一番早い済南行きの便に乗り継いで、済南に着いたのが15時過ぎだったかと思います。それからバスターミナルを探して、鄒城行きのバスに乗り込んだのが16時過ぎだったかと。バスもなかなか出発しなくてヤキモキしましたが、なんとかその日のうちに鄒城に到着することができました。

適当なホテルにチェックインして、ホテルの受付の小姐に、「蒸気機関車を見に来たんで、明日ここから大東章という場所に行きたいんだけど、タクシー手配してよ。」とお願いしたところ、「は？？？蒸気機関車なんてここにはないわよ。」との驚愕の回答。「いやいやいやいや、絶対あるって！とにかく明日朝一で大東章に行かなければならないので、タクシーの手配をお願いしますよ」と食い下がると、どこかに電話して聞いてくれ、「蒸気機関車あるって。」

というわけで、翌朝無事に機務段のある、大東章に向かい、無事に前進型とのご対面となりました。専用線のほとんど入れ替えのような運用ではありますが、最後に残った前進型の雄姿を目にすることができ、幸運だったと思います。

今回の記事の撮影場所は、こちらになります。

Yanzhou Coal Mining Company railway in Shangdong Province, China

January 2007

In January 2007, I visited Dagu railway in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region but failed to see Qianjin. I decided to come home once and in the next week, I visited China again. I was really eager to see the last QJ in winter, anyway...

In that time, I could spend only 3 days in China, unfortunately. So I knew that I should visit not only Yanzhou Coal Mining Company railway in Zoucheng but also Jibei railway. But I had no time to visit both. At last, I decided to visit only Yanzhou. Since I didn't know how to go there well, I didn't bring many equipment. I didn't bring Nikon D50 because when I went to Dagu railway before, I noticed the camera could face dust trouble easily. I used a film camera only.

In the early morning I flied from Tokyo and arrived at Zoucheng at around 9 O'clock in the night. I flied to Beijing first and transfered to domestic flight to Jinan. I arrived at Jinan at 3 p.m. and directly started to find a local bus to Zoucheng. Fortunately I could find it but it was already 4 p.m.. Anyway, I could arrive at Yanzhou within one day.

I checked in the first hotel I saw in Yanzhou and asked a receptionist about existing steam locomotives in this city and also asked to reserve a taxi to visit Dadongzhang where the yard was located. But she answered like that. "Steam locomotives are not used in this city." I also replied "No, no, no, I'm sure they are still working here. Anyway, I need to go to Dadongzhang early morning tomorrow. Please reserve a taxi for me". She phoned somebody and finally she realized that there were working steam locomotives in this city.

Anyway, I could visit Dadongzhang in the next morning and could see the last Qiangjin, ultimately. They were working in short line and almost switching only. However, I was so lucky to reach the objective.

The pictures in this article were taken here.

朝焼けの中を始業に向かう前進型蒸気機関車 
QJ Type Leaving for the work in dawn purple

ハイデフと呼ばれる特殊なデフレクターを装備した前進型蒸気機関車
QJ Type with high deflector

帰路もまた色々とあって、夕方6時頃に鄒城のバスターミナルに行ったら既に閉まっており、済南行きのバスが終了していたとか、焦って大急ぎで国鉄の充州‎駅に行って北京行きの切符を買うも、寝台・座席とも売り切れで席なしの切符しか売ってもらえず、食堂車で一晩過ごす羽目になったとか、北京に朝早く着きすぎて、酷寒の中で行く当てもないので地下鉄に乗り続けて寝てたとか、とにかく疲れました。


なお、鄒城の充州媒業も、済寧の済北鉄路も、2012年までに蒸気機関車は全廃されてしまいました。とりあえず、このときに鄒城訪問を強行しておいて正解だったと思います。



On the way back to Japan, there were some troubles. When I went to the bus terminal at Zoucheng around 6 p.m., it was already closed and buses for Jinan was over. I was surprised and went to the railway station but all trains to Beijing were fully booked. I could buy only the ticket with no seat. But fortunately I could stay in the restaurant car overnight. When I arrived at Beijing, it was too early and I couldn't find place to keep out the cold. I rode a subway, slept and waited until the departure time of my flight.

In both of Zoucheng and Jibei railway, they stopped operating steam locomotive in 2012. Anyway, my decision to visit there at that time was correct.