International Railroad Discussion > Train Time at Da Nang, Vietnam

Many of you will recognize Da Nang for being the site of a major US military base in what was then South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, known over there as the American War. Arriving well before our scheduled departure time allowed for some photos in front of the station. We were not allowed access to the platform prior to the arrival of our train but the train switches direction at Da Nang so there was time to watch the swapping (or repositioning) of the locomotive. The train from Hanoi arrived exactly on time and departed on time twenty minutes later.

1. The station at Da Nang. The steam engine on display is surrounded by so many plants that it is difficult to get a clear photograph.

2. The 2-8-2 steam engine is in excellent preserved condition.

3. And a rear view showing the tender.

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4. The train board at Da Nang. I will guess that train HD1 might be a Hanoi to Da Nang train. On this day we were riding SE5 to Nha Trang on an all-day, just over 11-hour trip.

5. This is the locomotive that brought SE5 into the station and it has just uncoupled from the south end of the train. At the very left edge you can see the arm of a train inspector with his hammer, a literal car-knocker. Inspection seemed to occur at all the major stations.

6. A second locomotive got involved in the loco swap but I did not understand why the original locomotive could not move on its own.

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7. Now coupled together, the two D19E-class locomotives are now moving to the north and display various differences in paint scheme and lettering. I do not know what engine we ended up with because I was never at the new front of the train.

8. What became the rear of train SE5 at Da Nang. Several, but not all, passenger trains carried a boxcar (usually at the front behind the loco) and I consider it to be like express freight service. The car ahead of that one looks like a baggage car but I don't think they did checked baggage, it could be a mail car. Barely visible at the right edge in the background is a Ratraco blue boxcar with orange stripes that I would have loved to photograph but I figured I would have been yelled at and could have missed my train besides.

9. There was one of these track inspection vehicles at each major town. The cow-catcher is impressively close to the ground. To the left is an unruly stack of old steel ties (sleepers).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/25 15:44 by NMlurker.

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The steamer is in very nice shape. Great post!

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

I wonder if the steam locomotive was built in France.  It certainly looks like a Frenchy.