The Undiscovered Country: Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan)

[doc7austin]

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:





Ulaanbaatar Railway Station:







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

 

[doc7austin]

Let's have a look inside our East German Sleeping Car:

 

[doc7austin]

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.

 

[doc7austin]

 

[doc7austin]

Our night train consists of 3 Kupe Sleeping Cars, 7 Platzkartny Cars, 1 Baggage Car, and 1 Railroad Maintainance Car:

 

[doc7austin]

The Trans-Mongolian Railway is mainly used for the transit of cargo and raw materials between Russia and China.

 

[doc7austin]

The Steppe landscape in Northern Mongolia looks rather lush and green.

 

[doc7austin]

We have arrived in Darkhan, the 3rd largest city in Mongolia.

 

[Cambus731]

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.

 

[doc7austin]

A video review about this train journey:

Enjoy !

 

[ainsworth74]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Lovely pics, reminds me of the sleeper i travelled in between Leningrad and Moscow in the late CCCP days.

 

[Llanigraham]

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]

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]

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.

 

[doc7austin]

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

Well, I hope you know that 50% of Ulaanbaatar Railway Bureau is owned by the Russian State.

 

[Llanigraham]

Well, I hope you know that 50% of Ulaanbaatar Railway Bureau is owned by the Russian State.

This was quite a few years ago, when Railtrack was disbanded and Network Rail was formed.