I am researching a history of railways in Vietnam. In the 1960's a large number of US built bogie boxcars were delivered to the then southern system (along with some GE U8Bs). Many of the diesels are still in operation as are the boxcars.
Records from the war era are notoriously non existant. I was wondering if a member of the editorial committee or any readers might have more information about the boxcars. I have a reference that they were built by Pullman but this may be wrong.
The boxcars were metre gauge (1000mm) and initially painted silver though they are now painted a sort of boxcar red colour. They have two doors and are slightly longer than a 40 foot boxcar but considerably shorter. Were they a standard narrow gauge car, or were they especially designed for Vietnam?
Here is a photo of a number of these boxcars looking like they've just been delivered in the old Saigon yard.
Any help would be appreciated.
David Gurnett
Sydney, Australia.
http://www.railwaysinvietnam.com
I read that they still had active steam locomotives hauling freight in Vietnam. I read this a few years ago but have no idea if they still have active steamers. Does anyone know if steam still lives in freight service in Vietnam?
Unfortunately, as far as I can ascertain, no steam locomotives have been used for mainline freight haulage for a number of years. There were a couple of steam locomotives in use by the steelworks at Thai Nguyen near Hanoi until quite recently but they are no longer in service.
The state owned rail system Vietnam National Railways (Duong Sat Vietnam) is a fairly modern system, fully dieselized. There is a wide variety of motive power with the main line services being hauled predominantly by Chinese and Vietnam built diesels of around 2000 hp plus 20 German built diesels of a similar power. The Siemens (German) built diesels have had their problems so DSVN is building more of the Chinese designed machines. The GE U8Bs are still in operation though some have been re-engined with Caterpillar engines. All diesel classes are used on all freight and passenger services.
The only steam locomotives available to view are several 141 class 2-8-2 steam locomotives on plinths outside the larger stations, e.g. Saigon and Danang as seen in the photo below, outside Saigon Station .
And below one of the GE U8B's originally supplied in the 1960s is seen pottering around Saigon Station in 2010.
If you want to know anymore you can access my website at http://www.railwaysinvietnam.com
Regards
David (ozguy):
Thanks for this Thread. I was in RVN 67/68. At that time the main line was pretty much paralleling Hwy 1. From Duc Pho North by the time I got ther it had been pretty badly abused by just abut everybody.
What had not benn blown up was pushed about to make barriers to protect positions, and the main Train Station in Da Nang was in similar condition. There were tracks still down, but most of the equipment there was peretty badly abused( putting that mildly).
It would have to have been almost completely rebuilt to have any service, and the whole time the work would have only proceeded afer a thorough sweep for mines and booby traps.
My records show that the U8B's were built with Cat engines, which was pretty much the standard for the smaller GE export designs.
Your comments on the then southern system are very interesting. The current track routes are pretty much exactly as they were when the French completed their system in the 1930's with a few extra's in the north (Hanoi north that is) and a couple of branches lost in the south. Despite the then appalling state of the system, it is amazing that the main line from Saigon to Hanoi took less than 12 months to get back up and running after the fall of Saigon in 1975, though many of the bridges and other infrastructure were temporary. Whichever side you were on, that's still pretty good. For Americans who served in the south, the major change is that Saigon Station has been removed and rebuilt with modern buildings a little further away from the city centre. The old station site, opposite Ben Thanh Market is a very nice and very popular park
Of course the D9E's (U8Bs) were always fitted with Caterpiller engines. I meant to say that some locos have been upgraded with slightly more powerful engines, giving them about 1000 hp instead of the original 900. They are reclassified D10E class.
NOTE to Ozguy:
"...I am researching a history of railways in Vietnam. In the 1960's a large number of US built bogie boxcars were delivered to the then southern system (along with some GE U8Bs). Many of the diesels are still in operation as are the boxcars..."
While surfing around I found the following YouTube.com links referencing some videos showing Viet Nam Railways ( and a couple showing the boxcars you referenced, I think!).
I'll leave someone else fluent in the language to translate, so here are the links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjwWX3bTpkw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7cmlIvr3TQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZqWYPHXLag&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHA0uas5WmU&feature=related
[EDIT to add (01/24/2012)]
Found one of a VNR Freight with Containers on flat cars.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7ypJMMKo2Y&feature=related
Those are just a sample of the Viet Nam Railroad videos. There are plenty more to see. As previously stated, when I left in 1969 they were pretty well used up, and were in need of a lot of work. Which it looks like they have accomplished.
Hope this will help your research.
PS. This is the one that blew me away! Hai Van Pass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0Yq4nU31YY
Made many trips over it and it was narrow, potholed, mined and generally, a nasty trip. particularly when pulling a couple of flat bed bridge trailers with SeaLand containers chained on them. Basicly, a large, slow target of opportunity. OHHRah.
To sampf1943: Thank you for your service! Semper Fi, Marine! OOOOO-RAH!
I WAS STATIONED NEXT TO THE TRACKS FOR 3 YRS IN PHU BAI, ABOUT 13 MILES SOUTH OF HUE IN NORTHERN SOUTH VIETNAM. SAW MANY TRAINS. STEAM DRIVEN PASSENGER MAINLY. I WILL LOOK THRU MY PICTURES AND SLIDES IF I CAN FIND THEM TO SEE IF I SEE ANY WITH BOX CARS. IT WILL TAKE A WHILE BOX OF PPHOTO WILL HAVE TO BE FOUND FIRST. I'LL POST REPLY AGAIN IF I FIND ANYTHING.
And thank you as well STEVEL for your service! "Phu Bai, Phu Bai in July, so *** hot I thought I'd fry..."
Trains magazine had a two part article on the railroads in South Vietnam. March/April 1969.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
At least they don't have people riding on the tops of the passenger or freight cars.
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