Jiayang Steam Train
The Jiayang steam train is one of the oldest modes of transport in the world that are still in operation today. It was built during 1958 and was completed a year after. Back then, though, its use had nothing to do with passenger transport. Instead it was utilized to carry large amounts of coal.
This should explain why one of the final destinations of the train is the old mine called Jiayang Coal Mine. This is also the official name of the group that managed both the mine and the train. The peasants and miners were allowed to board only when there’s enough space available.
The actual coal mine is no longer around, but fortunately the train was retained, and it’s now being used by both the locals and the tourists who wish to see the coal mine museum as well as the amazing fields, landscapes, and other attractions within the area.
What the Train Is About
The Jiayang steam train operates in the mountain areas of Leshan City, which is located in Sichuan Province. It also runs through Qianwei County. Overall it covers more than 15 kilometers.
The steam train is sometimes called the little train because of the very small and narrow gauge, which measures only 76.2 centimeters. This is just half of what is being used by other standard trains in China.
The body of the train is painted dark green. As a vehicle that’s running on steam engine, it has a furnace that feeds on coal. The heat then generates the steam, which then causes the motor of the train to work and move. The steam also goes out of the chimney as the train moves across the county.
Like any old train, this doesn’t have any electronic or automated signals or devices that cause it to stop immediately in its stop. Instead to signal its coming and going, the driver needs to sound the whistle and blow the horn.
Aside from having a narrow gauge, the train itself is small. It is composed of only up to 8 carriages, with seats that are made of wood. These benches can sit around 20 people, though it the steam train can accommodate more. The rest will have to stand, however.
Every train is accompanied by a conductor who helps the passengers load and unload, as well as collect the tickets. There’s also a policeman to make sure that there’s peace and order in every trip.
Since it was launched, it already carried more than 10 million passengers and more millions of coal. Moreover, it’s the preferred and convenient means of transport in the mountainous area, which then explains why most of the residents love it so much.
Types and Carriages
Tourists and locals can choose between two types of passenger trains and carriages: common and sightseeing.
The common passenger train is the more basic. This is also how the steam train works and looks like. The carriages are very cramped, and as mentioned a while ago, only a few number of people can sit on the wooden benches.
There’s no ticketing office for this type. Thus, you have to board the train before you pay for the ticket. There’s no air-conditioning either, so it’s possible you will end up inhaling some of the steam as well as the smoke that comes from cigarettes of passengers. It also doesn’t stop very long in its chosen routes.
You only ride this therefore if you don’t mind these types of discomfort, and there are not a lot of people, such as during the off-peak seasons (think of winter or rainy days). This is also ideal if you just want to ride the train and you’re on a budget. Considering the inconveniences, a ride, whether one way or return, is very affordable.
The sightseeing type is basically what it is—it’s mainly to attract tourists to travel around the area. It is a bit slower than the common passenger types and costs more, but definitely it’s more comfortable. The number of seats is still aren’t many—there are only about 20 to 35 of them—but you can surely have your own seat and thus relax while onboard the steam train.
The sightseeing train also tries to stay true to its original form, but this one is fitted with more modern items such as an LCD TV. There are also LEDs should you wish to read. It stays in every stop for about 10 minutes, unlike the 3 minutes of common passenger trains. It’s less noisy as well.
Cost and Time Table
As a tourist you can choose different kinds of tickets for the steam train. The cheapest, as mentioned, is the plain common passenger train ride, which costs only a yuan. Since you pay as you ride, you cannot buy a return ticket.
The tourists on the other hand can opt for the special sightseeing with a Chinese tour guide. It costs CNY 20 from any of the stations (there are 8 stops during the trip). A single-way ticket costs CNY 50 while a round-trip ticket is CNY 100.
If you want to travel from Yuejin to Bee Rock only, you pay CNY 40 for the round-trip passage. This option, though, is open during festivals and holidays only. You can still ride on special carriages of passenger trains. There’s one at 1:00 p.m., and this comes with a tour guide. It is about CNY 10 for every station and CNY 30 for single way and CNY 50 for a round trip.
If you ride the 7:00 a.m. or the 5:00 p.m. passenger trains, one station is good for CNY 10, as well as the single way. The price doubles if you also include a round-trip passage.
At the end of the train ride, the passengers are allowed to disembark and get into the coal mine. The entire trip costs CNY 150 while children who are less than 1.3 meters in height pay only CNY 30.
Both the passenger and the sightseeing trains have the same 8 stops. These are Shixi, Yuejin, Bee Rock, Rape Flower Dam, Fairy’s Foot, Jiao Dam, Plantain Ravine Town, and Huangcun Mine.
The schedules, however, differ between both. On the first journey, common passenger trains start at 6:45 a.m. The last return trip is at 8:05 p.m. from Huangcun Mine. The sightseeing trains, on the other hand, begin at 10:30 a.m. at Yuejin. During weekends and holidays, the schedule begins way late at 1:00 p.m.
Attractions
Though the steam train itself is already an attraction, there’s definitely more that you can get out of the riding experience. Here are some of the attractions that you can pass by or drop by while riding the train:
Bee Rock: If you want to see how steam trains change direction, you can stop at the Bee Rock. In here, there’s a rail where you can watch the train comfortably. One of the things to watch out for is how the train is going to change its direction through the herringbone. It’s also a good spot to see a beautiful rainbow.
Rape Flower Dam: Leshan is such a beautiful natural place to be in, and there are different kinds of flora such as flowers around the area. When you ride the steam train, you can catch vast fields of rape flowers, which bloom so gorgeously during the spring. As many tourists would say, it’s like one is in heaven.
There’s not much to do in here on a regular day except the watch the flowers. However, if you want to experience the place more intimately, you can join the flower festival, which also happens during springtime.
Liang Shui Tuo: This is one of the stopover points during the trip. For you to take advantage of the location, you need to ride the sightseeing train. You can find a large platform in here where you can stand and watch the train pass by with its steam coming out of its chimney.
Plantain Ravine Town: A lot of the tourists would prefer stopping at Plantain Ravine Town, which used to be a booming coal mine for many years since the 1930s. In here you can find a museum that’s dedicated to the coal industry as well as a lot of houses that resemble European architectural styles, such as those in Russia and England.
Recommended Visiting Time
Since the entire journey doesn’t take a long time—only around 2 hours—you can make this part of your day trip. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of great places to see in Chengdu and Leshan City, so we suggest that you consider staying around the area for at least two hours.
You can proceed to Chengdu’s base for the giant panda. From the Qianwei County you can go to Leshan and visit the Mount Emei Scenic Area, along with Leshan Giant Buddha, for one whole day. If you don’t want to ride the bus, you can go for the ferry.
Travel Tips
Don’t waste time when you want to ride the train. Aside from making sure you can get a ticket, you also need to have a lot of time to visit the various stops, especially the museum.
See Other Fun Attractions in Leshan
