Narrow-gauge railways in China

Due to landslides and the opening of the new standard-gauge Kunming-Yuxi-Hekou railway, this meter-gauge line is now inoperative for passengers (except for a small section within Greater Kunming) but does have freight services.

This railway, opened in 1910, had a 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge branch line from Caoba to Shiping which operated 0-10-0 tender locos built by Baldwin Locomotive Works.

After the completion of the "death railway" in Thailand, it would have been possible for a time for through traffic to Burma (if not for a gap between Saigon and Phnom Penh, in Cambodia).

[2][3] In 1941–43, during the Japanese occupation of Hainan, several 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge rail lines were constructed in the western part of the island.

Of particular importance for the Japanese war effort was the line connecting the iron ore mine in Shilu with the Basuo Harbor.

To minimise costs, it was built to the same 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge of the Kunming–Hekou railway, with the hope that the latter could be extended to Shanxi province.

When the Japanese invaded the Shanxi and Hebei provinces during the Sino-Japanese War, these two railways were converted to standard gauge.

[2] Construction of the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge Yunnan Burma line started in 1941 but had to be aborted due to Japanese advances, and has never been completed.

[2] In many provinces 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge light railways were used for mines and prominently in Henan and Sichuan they were used for rural transportation.

To atone for the occupation of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance,[citation needed] the Empress first visited the Eastern Qing Tombs in April.

Yuan Shikai to construct a railway from Gaobeidian to Yi County, Hebei, within six months at a cost of tls.

Unexpectedly, this led to a French protest,[citation needed] so Yuan Shikai decided that the Chinese would carry out the construction themselves, appointing Jeme Tien Yow chief engineer on 19 October.

On 5 April 1903, the empress and other members of the dynasty rode a special train from the Beijing Yongdingmen along the Beijing-Hankou line, then switching to the new track.

[citation needed] The Empress was very pleased with the railway and train and gave the engineer a yellow jacket, flowers, feathers, and the title of prefect.