![Switchman guides an electric locomotive into the yard in front of the Hegang passenger station.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48645360802_8c39524d1f_h.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Switchman guides an electric locomotive into the yard in front of the Hegang passenger station.
![The yard in front of the passenger station in Hegang, China, with an electric locomotive switching coal cars.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48644865623_12680fbb45_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
The yard in front of the passenger station in Hegang, China, with an electric locomotive switching coal cars.
![An SY-class steam locomotive running tender-first leads a passenger train into the station at Hegang, China.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48644865133_49274d76d2_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
An SY-class steam locomotive running tender-first leads a passenger train into the station at Hegang, China.
![A group of men walk along the tracks in front of the passenger station at Hegang, China.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48644865033_8dc50e3c42_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
A group of men walk along the tracks in front of the passenger station at Hegang, China.
![After bringing a passenger train into the Hegang station, the SY-class locomotive runs around to the other of the train in preparation for departure.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48644865823_6ca0217181_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
After bringing a passenger train into the Hegang station, the SY-class locomotive runs around to the other of the train in preparation for departure.
![A man on a bicycle crosses the track of the Hegang Coal Mining Railway.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48645223306_5996c3a7c2_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
A man on a bicycle crosses the track of the Hegang Coal Mining Railway.
![An SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotive leads a coal train past a distant power plant on the Hegang Coal Mining Railway.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48645360587_1b2e0bdbe9_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
An SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotive leads a coal train past a distant power plant on the Hegang Coal Mining Railway.
![Hegang Railway passenger train steaming through a busy city street at sunset on a September day in 2005.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5735%2F23561020330_a4eccc358c_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Hegang Railway passenger train steaming through a busy city street at sunset on a September day in 2005.
![SY locomotive and passenger train wait to depart Hegang on the night of September 30, 2005.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5832%2F23229947843_fd862923b9_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
SY locomotive and passenger train wait to depart Hegang on the night of September 30, 2005.
![Passengers walk along the platform of the Zhalainuoer station on a cold morning.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48644865423_3cba573faf_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Passengers walk along the platform of the Zhalainuoer station on a cold morning.
![Two trains inside the massive Zhalainuoer coal mine.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5755%2F23561192980_e27f897f6c_h.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Two trains inside the massive Zhalainuoer coal mine.
![Trains on the tiered mine pit at Zhalainuoer.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5820%2F23229971323_bd9d0e44e3_h.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Trains on the tiered mine pit at Zhalainuoer.
![Steam trains on many levels of track inside the massive Zhalainuoer coal mine in Inner Mongolia near the Russian border.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F676%2F23856785455_fd2384f318_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Steam trains on many levels of track inside the massive Zhalainuoer coal mine in Inner Mongolia near the Russian border.
![Steam trains on many levels of track inside the massive Zhalainuoer coal mine in Inner Mongolia near the Russian border.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F751%2F23856784665_ca356e0273_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Steam trains on many levels of track inside the massive Zhalainuoer coal mine in Inner Mongolia near the Russian border.
![Steam trains on many levels of track inside the massive Zhalainuoer coal mine in Inner Mongolia near the Russian border.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F634%2F23488993929_d5d979d19c_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Steam trains on many levels of track inside the massive Zhalainuoer coal mine in Inner Mongolia near the Russian border.
![An SY locomotive pushes a train along the pit at Zhalainuoer as the sun sets in November 2005.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5640%2F23561022380_97ffb4d064_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
An SY locomotive pushes a train along the pit at Zhalainuoer as the sun sets in November 2005.
![Steam trains at the Zhalainuoer open pit coal mine with the coal-fired power plant in the distance.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5833%2F23228600934_676f15cc51_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Steam trains at the Zhalainuoer open pit coal mine with the coal-fired power plant in the distance.
![SY locomotive at sunset on the Jixi Coal Railway.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F651%2F23229946753_fe79bf3c61_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
SY locomotive at sunset on the Jixi Coal Railway.
![A worker clears a path at the Nanchang engine terminal as an SY-class 2-8-2 takes water in the background in Chengzihe on the Jixi Coal Railway.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5792%2F23748382222_aad03042f6_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
A worker clears a path at the Nanchang engine terminal as an SY-class 2-8-2 takes water in the background in Chengzihe on the Jixi Coal Railway.
![SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotives power coal trains at the Chengzihe Dongchang yard on the Jixi Coal Railway.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5824%2F23561015570_d7f65e30e7_h.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotives power coal trains at the Chengzihe Dongchang yard on the Jixi Coal Railway.
![A worker tends to an SY-class locomotive on the Jixi Coal Railway.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48644865233_64ec2305c4_h.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
A worker tends to an SY-class locomotive on the Jixi Coal Railway.
![SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotives at the Chengzihe Dongchang rail yard on the Jixi Coal Railway.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F610%2F23748379052_484921a772_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotives at the Chengzihe Dongchang rail yard on the Jixi Coal Railway.
![SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotive 1544 on the Jixi Coal Railway.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F48644865163_c04ae8d92e_h.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotive 1544 on the Jixi Coal Railway.
![SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotives at night in the Chengzihe Dongchang rail yard on the Jixi Coal Railway.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5683%2F23748377612_472c950059_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
SY-class 2-8-2 steam locomotives at night in the Chengzihe Dongchang rail yard on the Jixi Coal Railway.
![SY locomotive and colorful building on the Jixi Coal Railway in Heilongjiang, China.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F5660%2F23830638416_57bea7c543_h.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
SY locomotive and colorful building on the Jixi Coal Railway in Heilongjiang, China.
![Jixi Coal Railway train passing an alley in Jixi on its way to a mine.](https://scottlothes.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F623%2F23774244761_a0e6ce0dd1_k.jpg&h=400&q=90&f=.jpg)
Jixi Coal Railway train passing an alley in Jixi on its way to a mine.