A
life without prominence !
This little workhorse spent its entire life relegated to the mines
-literally. Made by Chengdu Locomotive Factory it was used in a mineral
mine. A total of 122 locos of this design was manufactured by different
Chinese factories.
Technical Details:
Built: 1959 in P.R.C.
Serial Number: 1019
Power: Steam
Type: Gongjian (GJ)
Axle: 0-3-0
Length: 9.73 m
Max. Speed: 35 km/h
Other:
The design was fairly standard but with a clear focus on simple haulage
tasks. Functionality was the design buzzword.
This little beauty has many interesting features to offer.
Note on the top picture the wooden step board added to the front. It shows
that shunting with a workman in the front was part of everyday tasks.
Consider the top mounted search light on the rear of the
driver cabin (picture lower far left). Or the simple pull-push rod mechanism (the white rod
sticking out from the cabin).
A powerful horn instead of a soft and gentle bell was required for the
noisy mining environment.
Bottom right is the entire engine control and coal doors (open). The wide
windows to the front is evidence of the importance of good visual contact
to what was happening in the immediate environment. This loco was not made
for long haul jobs.
