Trainman in Vietnam

Photos of motive and rolling stock, stations, signals and anything else train related to Asia and the Middle East! Photos should be 800x600 pixels, maximum size 130K. Very good ones will be moved to the Online Gallery, the rest will be pruned away after 14 days to conserve space.
Post Reply
User avatar
John Ashworth
Site Admin
Posts: 23606
Joined: 24 Jan 2007, 14:38
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Contact:

Trainman in Vietnam

Post by John Ashworth »

Photos and captions by Nathan Berelowitz, February 2012
Attachments
The actual photo of the tank bursting through the gates at the American Embassy in Saigon
The actual photo of the tank bursting through the gates at the American Embassy in Saigon
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 403.jpg (99.57 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
This class 141 is mounted outside the main station in Saigon. It was a very hazy day so the photo quality is not the best.
This class 141 is mounted outside the main station in Saigon. It was a very hazy day so the photo quality is not the best.
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 305.jpg (66.56 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 309.jpg
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 309.jpg (68.01 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 312.jpg
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 312.jpg (77.22 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 310.jpg
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 310.jpg (60.25 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 307.jpg
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 307.jpg (62.56 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 313.jpg
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 313.jpg (61.41 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
This was the gate where the North Vietnamese tank bust through into the American Embassy compound, thus ending the Vietnam War. Saigon.
This was the gate where the North Vietnamese tank bust through into the American Embassy compound, thus ending the Vietnam War. Saigon.
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 318.jpg (82.84 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
The Notre Dam in Saigon!
The Notre Dam in Saigon!
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 319.jpg (40.05 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Saigon old Post Office
Saigon old Post Office
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 326.jpg (100.04 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Interior of old Post Office
Interior of old Post Office
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 330.jpg (110.71 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Photo display board outside Ho Chi Minh museum in Saigon.
Photo display board outside Ho Chi Minh museum in Saigon.
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 377.jpg (77.45 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Travelling Train Ted and his new Vietnamese mates!
Travelling Train Ted and his new Vietnamese mates!
Thailand and Vietnam. February 2012 451.jpg (44.21 KiB) Viewed 1302 times
Image
User avatar
John Ashworth
Site Admin
Posts: 23606
Joined: 24 Jan 2007, 14:38
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Contact:

Re: Trainman in Vietnam

Post by John Ashworth »

John Middleton's response to Nathan's query about the plinthed loco in Saigon:
John M wrote:Hi Nathan

Thanks for the photos, interesting, I never got to Saigon - only Hanoi. I don't know if you ever play around with PHOTOSHOP but its now quite easy to remove haze from photos. I did a very quick (2 minute) fiddle with one of your shots, the result is attached - this was only a 70 kb file so not much detail - you could bring up more contrast with the hi-res original.

These typically French locos are actually Chinese (!!) so quite interesting and their origin was a mystery until relatively recently. After WW 2 the French (SACM) built a series of 2-8-2 and 4-6-2 for their Colonies in the 1950-53 period, about 40-50 of each. It gets complicated because they were delivered piecemeal to railways like the Congo-Ocean in Congo, the Dakar- Niger (Senegal) and Abidjan - Niger (Ivory Coast) as well as Vietnam. We actually don't know how many went to Vietnam but at some point only 10 were left and were renumbered 141.101-10 (they were originally in the 5xx series).

Two were then built in Vietnam Railways Hanoi Works in 1961-62 and were 141.121-122, these probably used parts and spares from scrapped locos.

The ones that survive today like 141.158 in Saigon are not that old as they were blatant rip-offs of the SACM design built in China in 1965-1969 by Tangshan Works as their SY2 Class (although there were no others built - just the ones for Vietnam), Tangshan built 66 of these 141.151-216. I saw them working in 1995 and even had a footplate ride on one, I'll have to scan a couple of photos and send them through.

So in conclusion, Chinese rip-offs have been around quite a while !

Cheers
John
Attachments
141-158 PS Tweaked.jpg
141-158 PS Tweaked.jpg (131.42 KiB) Viewed 1301 times
Image
Post Reply

Return to “Asia and Middle East - Photo Gallery”