DALAT RAILWAY

TRACING THE FORGOTTEN PATH TO THE LOST SHANGRI-LA

MISSION FOR LANG BIAN COG RAILWAY STUDIED MAP FOR COG RAILWAY DALAT – THAP CHAM RAILROAD EO GIO'S TOPOGRAPHIC MAP DON DUONG'S TOPOGRAPHIC MAP DALAT-TOURCHAM RAILWAY's MAP (LARGE SIZE: 3.7 MB) ARMORED CAR EQUIPPED WITH CANNON SELF-PROPELLED ARMORED CAR  BRIDGE NEAR TOURCHAM PASSENGER CARS KRONG PHA STATION (1947) TOUR CHAM STATION (1947) ANCIENT CHAM TOWERS TOUR CHAM RAIL YARD (1943) "CHEMIN DE FER" INAUGURATED (1936) VHX 31-201 COGWHEEL LOCOMOTIVE LOCOMOTIVE AT DALA DEPOT DI AN TRAIN STATION CHIEF OF TRAIN STATION & HIS CREWS

A BRIEF HISTORY OF DALAT RAILWAY        Most people know that Dalat has the most beautiful train station in the Southeast Asia (with the trait of Art-Deco style in architectural structure), but not many realize that it once had one of a few unique cog railways in the world. You might wonder what the heck is cog railroad. It's a sawlike track system, or a railroad with a toothed/serrated central rail between the bearing rails that engages with a cogwheel under the locomotive, providing traction for ascending very steep slopes and keep the train from sliding too fast when descending down hill. But let's make a quick check out on how the French has built that railroad section in the early 20th century.       In 1903, the French built a railway that connected the cool, high city of Da Lat with the hot, low-lying coastal area of Phan Rang so French people could more conveniently live and work for periods of time in the cool city of Da Lat. The 84km long Da Lat-Thap Cham route include a 41km long Thap Cham-Krong Pha section opened in 1919 and a 43km long Krong Pha-Da Lat section opened in 1932, the latter of which is sloping and has cog rails in three different places and five tunnels. The chronology of building that rail route can be listed as follow (see map on the left column for better understanding of Thap Cham-Dalat route): CHRONOLOGY (Lang Bian train-route construction) Beginning 1903 through 1913: from THAP CHAM (Tourcham) to TAN MY, 41 Km completed and used in 1913 1919 completed from TAN MY to SONG PHA (Krongpha) 1928        "         from SONG PHA to EO GIO (Bellevue) 1929        "         from EO GIO to DON DUONG (Dran) 1930        "         from DON DUONG to TRAM HANH (Arbre Broye) 1932        "         from TRAM HANH to DALAT A total length of 84 Km from Thap Cham (Tourcham) to Dalat In 1932, two French architects, Moncet and Reveron, designed the Da Lat railway station and hired Vietnamese companies to build this station about two kilometers from Xuan Huong Lake in Da Lat. The station's design was distinctly western but also has some characteristics of a Cao Nguyen (Central Highland) communal house with its high, steep roof. The station is divided into three areas, each of a nice size with stained-glass windows and arched ceilings. After the Lang Bian cog railway was open, as the whole network of railways in French colonial Indochina was built by France and used to be referred as CFI (Chemins de Fer de l'Indochine, for convenience let's use CFI as a French official entity in this article) Cogwheel locomotives were imported into Vietnam at two phrases: The first phrase, CFI bought a total of 7 locomotives type HG 4/4, – 5 locomotives (1924) made by Swiss Company SLM Winterthurand (Schweizerische Lokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik) and 2 HG 4/4 locomotives # 40-306 and 307 (built and paid by Germany after they had been damaged during World War I) – When operating between 1924 - 1929, those locomotives bore serial number in sequence from CFI 40-301 to CFI 40-307. On second phrase, between 1930-1947 CFI acquired 6 locomotives with 2 HG 4/4 locomotives (serial number CFI 40-308 and 40-309 from SLM in 1930) and 4 locomotives (serial number in sequence of CFI 31-201 through 31-204) type 3/4 in 1947 from Furka-Oberalp Bahn, Switzerland, which had completely electrified its railway in 1941 . During the time of Japanese occupation in Indochina, CFI lost 3 locomotives type HG 4/4 without tracing records, the rest later was transferred to Vietnam Hoa Xa (VHX after the French had pulled out of Vietnam). The serial numbers of all locomotives remained the same, but different letter code of VHX, instead of CFI. In classic technology, the steam engines were fueled by coal, creating steam that was converted into a pulling power of 600 CV - 820 CV (Chevaux-Vapeur). Due to Viet Cong's constant sabotage and mining, the trains hauled their last passengers until 1968 and ceased the operations of Lang-Bian route afterwards. It took the French 30 years with great effort to built such an extraordinary cog railway in Indochina period, let's see how Hanoi propagandists distorted the history of Lang-Bian railway and blamed someone else for the destruction of that historic cog railway in only one year (1976): "Da Lat was built in 1907. The Krongpha train station and a nearby black iron bridge are vestiges of the French presence in Vietnam. The French intended to build a railway from Da Lat to the coastal city of Phan Rang. The train would have climbed through the most beautiful mountain passes in Vietnam, the Dran Pass and the Krongpha Pass, also known to the French as Bellevue Pass. The Krongpha railway, one of only two cog railways in the world, was unfinished after the French withdrawal. Many traces of it, however, can be still be found close to the road...." (Source: ThanhNien Online - March 31, 2008) Click here for the original screen shot of the article And how they blamed the destruction of Dalat cog railway on "American Imperialists" during the war: ...As soon as the station went into use in 1936, trains with brand new Japanese locomotives carried passengers and freight along three routes: Thap Cham-Da Lat, Nha Trang-Thap Cham-Da Lat, and Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City)-Thap Cham-Da Lat. The station had three Japanese made steam locomotives. The steam engines were fueled by wood, bringing the temperature up to boil water (12 cubic meters of water were carried), creating steam that was converted into a pulling power of 700 tonnes.Due to American bombing, the trains hauled their last passenger in 1972 and ceased operations completely. Some 20 years ago, two of the three steam locomotives were sold and now can be seen at a train museum in Switzerland."— Actually they were functionally restored (Click here to read article on VHX cogwheel locomotives' Restoration) and recently served on Swiss Furko's cog railway. (Source: Vietnam Economic News Online) – Note: Web page has been deleted and the whole information in that article was totally incorrect. It should be mentioned that after having took over South Vietnam in 1975, Hanoi regime developed the Thong Nhat route railway between Saigon-Hanoi. Lacking of rail tracks, the idiot Commies assumed to solve the rail shortage by...disassembling the tracks of Song Pha - Dalat section and then adding them where the Thong Nhat route needed. This was not only a great mistake but it also showed how dumb...the Vietnamese Communists were. Because those rails of Song Pha - Dalat section were special custom made for the Lang Bian cog railway with a great deal of technicality designed for that specific slop terrain. To be able to endure tremendous tress caused by the train in climbing up hill and for long duration, the bearing rails themselves were made of pure, highest quality of steel. Even the bolts and nuts were also different from the regular rails, not counting the cog tracks. So guess what! Those special rails didn't match up when they were connected to the regular tracks of the flat coastal railway. They ended up become scrap metal, being dumped at some depot where thieves stole, sawed off in pieces and Viet Cong corrupt officials sold them cheap as junk yard crap. What a tragedy of Indochine railway's history! If that railway had not been dismantled, today it would have been restored easily for a great tour trip from coastal resorts of Nha Trang, Ninh Chu, and Mui Ne to Dalat. The Song Pha - Dalat cog railway was also a breath-taking beauty of scenery in Southeast Asia, especially with classic steam locomotive hauling the passenger cars along the narrow edges of the pine-forest mountain. When the train climbs the "Bellevue" pass (the French word means "beautiful-seen"), travelers can marvel at one side that is the slop green mountain; the other, the open space stretching to the Pacific ocean line. The scenery then would magnificently change along the terrain until the train enters the misty, salubrious Lang Bian plateau, where one would start smelling the fragrance of pine forest blended with the wood-burned scent which kept billowing back from the locomotive's smokestack. What a unique, unforgettable natural scent! When I was a kid, I had a chance to traveling by train from Saigon to Dalat in sleeping car (the coachset), and a couple of times between Don Duong and Dalat at free of charge. How did I get that privilege? See the last vintage photo on the left column, the guy wearing the colonial hat with the command-cane under his arm is my father. Today, there is no way to rebuild that Song Pha-Dala cog railway, especially under the corrupt Communist regime. It seems irreversible once the destruction of that railway has been done. It took the French 30 years long to build that 84 km Thap Cham - Dalat railway, but after 1975 at a peace time, it took The Viet Cong a much shorter time to "clean up" that beautiful railroad without a trace. Even the historical steel bridge at Don Duong (Dran) is also gone in 2004 for scrap metal (see the photos' set below to be dismayed at Hanoi regime's sabotage of national history landmark at peacetime). After a long abandoned period, grass and vegetation have now covered most of the dirt path of the old tracks; but on the windy days, old folk of the Lang-Bian plateau still hear in the pine valleys, the melancholy train whistles that seem to echo from the lost nostalgia.

LANG-BIAN COG RAILWAY (1932-1967)

       Some of the below photos you are going to review are the rare pictures that depict the Lang-Bian cog railway's construction in the Indochina period and its golden age of operation. A lot of thanks to Francois B. who has spent great effort in historical research in France (where there would be only hope to find those pictures of intrinsic value and few historical document) then in translation work. It seems to be a two-man teamwork to retrace the journey of a long lost railway – for on my part, I have used photoshop program to restore all those old faded, low resolution pictures by enlarging them to a decent size, enhencing quality, correcting colors if necessary, and putting them up on this site.

In short, this webpage is an effort to promote articulated learning, a visual approach by which younger generation can learn about particular topics of Vietnam war. And let me boast a litltle bit! This webpage is the only all-in-one-source in the world, where you can find the absolutely unique photos, related stories and materials concerning the Krongpha-Dalat cog railway (not available even at "Le Centre des archives d'outre-mer" de la France ) :0) . Click on one of the thumbnails below, it will open up a large picture with caption of additional information. Some photos had dealed with the particular tunnels by refrering to its ordinary number's name. To have the idea where those tunnels were about on the Thap Cham-Dalat route, also about location of the train stations listed in tandem of their names of "then and now," click on this Lang-Bian illustration map. Thank you for viewing the webpage and enjoy the legendary Lang-Bian train trip back to the Dalat, the lost Shangrila.

The block of sepia photos underneath is a unique, rare collection of pictures of Dalat cog railway taken at an era when Dalat route was still under construction or in early operation. A lot of credits went to Francois B. who kept digging out those historical photos from many different sources.

 (Added 4 photos) DALAT RAILROAD'S CONSTRUCTION (1903-1932)

DALAT RAILWAY OPERATION (1932 - 1967)

DALAT TRAIN STATION SEEN FROM THE AIR (1968)

The following photos show not only Dalat train station seen from the air in 1968, but also the cogwheel steam locomotives when the Lang Bian rail line is still open. Thank Bill Robie for such rare, interesting pictures (more to come). At this moment, these are the only color photos available that show the swiss-made steam locomotives in operation at Dalat.
DALAT STATION IN 2004 & 2009

      If your are a Vietnamese and would like to read this interesting story in Vietnames language version. Francois B. had offered a series of numerous parts at his Blog. This is a great educational and cultural adventure of Vietnam Hoa Xa's history and beyond... to the Alpes mountain and Rhone glacier. For a double ride, click on this Tu Krong Pha (Viet Nam) den Furka (Thuy Si) to view part #1. The long story consists of 21 parts.

DON DUONG'S RAILWAY SECTION & IRON BRIDGE OF DRAN

DA NHIM DAM & DRAN PASS

THE NOSTALGIA OF THAP CHAM STATION (PHAN RANG)

LANG-BIAN COG RAILWAY OF TODAY

      The following set of photos was taken on 8 September 2005. In a Toyota Land Cruiser, John Haseman and Jim Michener made the trip down the mountain. The cog railway, now abandoned, is commonly known as the Dalat-Phan Rang Line.

PHOTOS OF ABANDONED DALAT COG RAILWAY (2005)

PHOTOS OF SONG PHA–DALAT RAILROAD (1990)

(Photo source: Zahnradbahn Song Pha - Da Lat)

SO, WHAT IS COG RAILWAY; AND HOW DOES IT WORK?       The extra reading article below would give you more knowledge on cog railway. It explains how the cog rack system works, especially the Abt system, the one used on Lang-Bian cog railway. Enjoy! A cog railway, rack-and-pinion railway or rack railway is a railway with a special toothed rack rail or rack mounted on the railroad ties (sleepers), usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail. This allows the trains to operate on steeply inclined slopes. Most rack railways are mountain railways, although a few are transit railways or tramways built to overcome a steep gradient in an urban environment. The first cog railway in the world was the Middleton Railway in Leeds where the first commercial steam locomotive, The Salamanca ran in 1812. This used a rack and pinion system designed by John Blenkinsop. The first mountain cog railway was the Mount Washington Cog Railway in the US state of New Hampshire, which carried its first fare-paying passengers in 1868 and reached the summit of Mount Washington in 1869. The first rack railway in Europe was the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn on Mount Rigi in Switzerland, which opened in 1871. Both lines are still running today. There are 4 different rack systems: Riggenbach, Strub, Abt and Locher. The one used on Dalat cog railway is Abt rack system            COG RACK & COG WHEELS OF ABT SYSTEM        The Abt rack system was devised by Roman Abt, a Swiss locomotive engineer working for a Riggenbach-equipped line, as an improved rack system. The Abt rack features steel plates mounted vertically and in parallel to the rails, with rack teeth machined to a precise profile in them. These engage with the locomotive's pinion teeth much more smoothly than the Riggenbach system. Two or three parallel sets of Abt rack plates are used, with a corresponding number of driving pinions on the locomotive, to ensure that at least one pinion tooth is always engaged securely. Today, the majority of rack railways use the Abt system. http://www.vnafmamn.com/tracing_shangrila.html

Back to "DALAT, LOST SHANGRILA"