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The Undiscovered Country: Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan)

doc7austin

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31 Dec 2023
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151
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Kiev
It appears that well-known "Youtubers" have not discovered Mongolia.
I had the chance to take the Beijing - Ulaanbaatar - Moscow train back in 2013.

Now in 2024 I came back to this fascinating country.

The long-distance train system in Mongolia is almost the same you find in Russia or Ukraine.

First of all I'd to share a number of photos of the Ulaanbaatar Railway Bureau night train no. 271, which I took between Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan in the North of Mongolia.
I've booked a bed ticket inside the East German "Ammendorf"-type Kupe Sleeping Car, built in the 1980s.

Our route:

Photo 06.09.24, 16 33 28.jpg



Ulaanbaatar Railway Station:

Photo 15.08.24, 06 42 07.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 07 32 03.jpg



Here is our train no. 271 Ulaanbaatar - Sukhbaatar, hauled by the Soviet-built М62УМ-006:

Photo 15.08.24, 06 24 33.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 10 14 48.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 06 33 36.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 09 40 45.jpg
 

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RailUK Forums

doc7austin

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31 Dec 2023
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Kiev
The Trans-Mongolian Railway between Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan was built in the late 1940s.
This line features many sharp curves - a perfect opportunity to have a look at our 12-car long night train.

Photo 15.08.24, 11 04 39.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 11 06 58.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 11 12 51.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 11 16 40.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 11 28 05.jpg
 

doc7austin

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Joined
31 Dec 2023
Messages
151
Location
Kiev
Our night train consists of 3 Kupe Sleeping Cars, 7 Platzkartny Cars, 1 Baggage Car, and 1 Railroad Maintainance Car:

Photo 15.08.24, 11 15 28.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 11 19 25.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 13 45 05.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 17 46 19.jpg
 

doc7austin

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Joined
31 Dec 2023
Messages
151
Location
Kiev
The Trans-Mongolian Railway is mainly used for the transit of cargo and raw materials between Russia and China.

Photo 15.08.24, 11 20 30.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 11 35 08.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 11 38 57.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 15 15 01.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 15 32 40.jpg

Photo 15.08.24, 13 33 56.jpg
 
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Cambus731

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19 Jul 2013
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1,180
Location
Chelmsford
My neice who lives in Bejing, recently holidayed in Mongolia. I'll have to ask her if she wants on any trains while shexwas there.
 

ainsworth74

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Fascinating thanks for sharing! I see in one of the photos of the interior there was what looks like firewood piled up, is the samovar wood fired?!

How easy is it to communicate in Mongolia? I'm assuming that there's not much English spoken so much pointing and friendly gesticulating required?
 

SandsofEss

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11 May 2014
Messages
206
Seconded - thank you for sharing this. I shall enjoy your video when I have some spare minutes.

The firewood struck me too. If it is for the samovar, I wonder if that means the carriages have a faint whiff of wood smoke? Sadly no way of getting that from the video - I shall have to add a trip to Mongolia to the bucket list.
 

railfan99

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Victoria, Australia
Excellent photos. You've captured the atmosphere well.

I did the 'other route' from Beijing to Moscow via Harbin in 2007: it was terrific, although I ought have broken my journey at some key other Russian cities.

Neither the mainland Chinese or Russian train crews spoke English, so gesticulating was the order of the day.
 

doc7austin

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31 Dec 2023
Messages
151
Location
Kiev
The firewood is used to heat the sleeping car - in case it gets too cold at night. The car features an oven.
Usually the diesel locomotive is not providing electricity to the car for heating.
 

birchesgreen

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16 Jun 2020
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5,760
Location
Birmingham
Lovely pics, reminds me of the sleeper i travelled in between Leningrad and Moscow in the late CCCP days.
 

Llanigraham

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23 Mar 2013
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Powys
If you do "do" Mongolian Railways you may see staff wearing Railtrack hi-vis jackets.
These were donated by a friend of mine, an ex-signaller and railway author, who used to have a flat in UB, and was a regular at the Shed there.
 

doc7austin

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Railtrack - isn't that the company that disregarded railway safety ?

But, yes, the railway workers in Mongolia are very dedicated to their job, though, salaries are probably super-low.
 

Llanigraham

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Railtrack - isn't that the company that disregarded railway safety ?

But, yes, the railway workers in Mongolia are very dedicated to their job, though, salaries are probably super-low.

He took a large suitcase full of Railtrack hi-vis over on one of his visits, after Network Rail took over.
 

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