China's Last Little Train (YouTube)

A fascinating insight into life in rural China and the steam worked narrow gauge railway which serves this remote area
Well worth watching IMO.
Ray.

 

Shibanxi. Never got to visit the line on any of my China trips sadly.

 

Thanks for posting Ray. In case this well-made film was inspiring anyone to visit, sadly the line has been undergoing Disneyfication for some years and this film is somewhat out of date (you can see the Disneyfied station building at Bajiaogou in the video). I have not seen any very recent reports but the scheduled pax services ceased in August 2021. The tourist operation is centred on Yuejin (where the Tianxi coal mine was - it is easier for tourist buses to get to Yuejin), and runs to Bajiaogou partially using steam outline diesel locos. The Tianxi coal mine at Yuejin and the power plant at Shixi ceased production in 2016, and the electric-hauled coal trains ceased. There is now a road to Bajiagou. Replica tramcars were operating a service on the Bajiaogou to Huangjincun section.