International Railroad Discussion > N. Korea Dictator Goes by Train

According to reports, North Korean dear leader Kim (aka "little rocket man") arrived to Beijing by train from N. Korea yesterday. This was his first trip out of the country since he became leader. This reminds me of the 2004 Jing Ping China Orient Express tour to several remaining steam sights in China. Following the China tour, there was an available extension to N. Korea (Americans of course weren't allowed to participate). The tour leader announced in the hotel lobby that all those going on the "Axis of Evil Express" were to meet there again in the evening to walk together across the street to Beijing's main station. To this day, I don't know why anyone would want to risk their well being (and possibly life) visiting N.Korea and thus provide monetary support, as little as it was, to this evil dictatorship that imprisons and starves it's own people. But I guess some railfans will do anything for that one prize shot.

Includes a video clip:

https://nyti.ms/2pHq9am

andersonb109 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> According to reports, North Korean dear leader Kim
> (aka "little rocket man") arrived to Beijing by
> train from N. Korea yesterday. This was his first
> trip out of the country since he became leader.
> This reminds me of the 2004 Jing Ping China Orient
> Express tour to several remaining steam sights in
> China. Following the China tour, there was an
> available extension to N. Korea (Americans of
> course weren't allowed to participate). The tour
> leader announced in the hotel lobby that all those
> going on the "Axis of Evil Express" were to meet
> there again in the evening to walk together across
> the street to Beijing's main station. To this day,
> I don't know why anyone would want to risk their
> well being (and possibly life) visiting N.Korea
> and thus provide monetary support, as little as it
> was, to this evil dictatorship that imprisons and
> starves it's own people. But I guess some railfans
> will do anything for that one prize shot.

I seem to recall you've gone for the 'prize shots' in Mugabe's Zimbabwe....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/18 06:21 by utwazoo.

Bulletproof, Slow and Full of Wine: Kim Jong-un’s Mystery Train
By RUSSELL GOLDMANMARCH 27, 2018


The last time a North Korean leader visited China by train was in 2011, when Kim Jong-il was in power.

殷殷子鸣 via YouTube
HONG KONG — A train, nearly as mysterious as its principal passenger, pulled into Beijing’s central train station Monday night, fueling speculation that Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, had arrived in the capital for secret talks with his Chinese counterpart.
The train spotted in Beijing — 21 cars painted drab green, their windows tinted to obscure the identities of those on board — bore the hallmarks of the bulletproof private transports preferred by the mistrustful leaders of North Korea.
Both Mr. Kim’s father and grandfather, the country’s former leaders, traveled in similar style on rare foreign trips, stoking decades of intrigue and interest about the trains.
While much about Monday’s journey remains a mystery, here is what we know about the train:
Photo



A train believed by some to be from North Korea at Beijing’s central railway station on Tuesday. It fueled speculation that North Korea’s leader had arrived for talks with his Chinese counterpart.
NYT
Jason Lee/Reuters

More powerful than a speeding bullet, but much slower
Much of what is known about the train comes from intelligence reports, recollections of officials permitted to travel on board in previous eras and rare state news media footage.
There are believed to be at least 90 high-security carriages at the leader’s disposal, according to a 2009 South Korea news report that relied on classified information. According to the report, written during the era of Mr. Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, three trains operate each time the leader travels: an advance security train, the leader’s train and a third carrying additional bodyguards and supplies.


Each of the carriages is bulletproof, making them thousands of pounds heavier than average. That additional weight translates to a slow ride. The trains are estimated to reach a maximum speed of just 37 miles per hour.
In Kim Jong-il’s time, according to the 2009 report, 100 security officers traveled in the advance train, searching stations for bombs and other threats and testing the safety of the track. Additionally, military helicopters and airplanes would fly overhead to provide more security.
Twenty train stations have been built across North Korea just for the leader’s personal use, according to the report.

If they're that heavy, I bet they ride really smooth. I suppose slack action could be an issue.

An article in the brazilian news: https://noticias.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/bbc/2018/03/27/a-misteriosa-chegada-de-trem-norte-coreano-a-pequim-e-os-rumores-sobre-1-viagem-de-kim-jong-un-ao-exterior.htm

Posted from Android

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

Imagine being trackside by coincidence when that one comes through. You take a photo, head back to your hotel, and OH BOY are you ever the center of attention!

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Imagine being trackside by coincidence when that
> one comes through. You take a photo, head back to
> your hotel, and OH BOY are you ever the center of
> attention!

Where they run there are NO railfans!

In China, there are.

The video on the NYT site, supposedly arriving Beijing, looks like it was shot out of a hotel window. Looked to be Chinese power on the train.

utwazoo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> andersonb109 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > According to reports, North Korean dear leader
> Kim
> > (aka "little rocket man") arrived to Beijing by
> > train from N. Korea yesterday. This was his
> first
> > trip out of the country since he became leader.
> > This reminds me of the 2004 Jing Ping China
> Orient
> > Express tour to several remaining steam sights
> in
> > China. Following the China tour, there was an
> > available extension to N. Korea (Americans of
> > course weren't allowed to participate). The
> tour
> > leader announced in the hotel lobby that all
> those
> > going on the "Axis of Evil Express" were to
> meet
> > there again in the evening to walk together
> across
> > the street to Beijing's main station. To this
> day,
> > I don't know why anyone would want to risk
> their
> > well being (and possibly life) visiting N.Korea
> > and thus provide monetary support, as little as
> it
> > was, to this evil dictatorship that imprisons
> and
> > starves it's own people. But I guess some
> railfans
> > will do anything for that one prize shot.
>
> I seem to recall you've gone for the 'prize shots'
> in Mugabe's Zimbabwe....

HMMMMMMMMM!

Are they Sidewinder proof?