Xu-dan Narrow-Gauge Railway
The Xu-Dan Narrow-Gauge Railway (许郸铁路) was built in 1968. It starts from Shenhou (神垕, also known as "神后") Station in Xuchang (许昌) in the west, passes through Yuzhou (禹州), Yanling (鄢陵) and Fugou (扶沟) in the east, turns south in Taikang (太康) to Huaiyang (淮阳), and then goes west to Dancheng (郸城). The entire line was completed in 1989. With a total length of 235 kilometers, it is the longest line in Henan's narrow-gauge railway network.
The Xu-Dan Railway has three branch lines, the Huai-Zhou Line (淮周线) connecting the Luo-Fu Railway at Zhoukou (周口), and the Fengchishan Line (凤翅山线) and Lizhuang Line (李庄线) serving the mines. During the operation period, the main freight transportation of the Xu-Dan Railway was coal, and other freight included bauxite, building materials, general merchandise, etc., and passenger trains were operated between Xuchang and Dancheng.
Around 2009, passenger and freight transportation on the Xu-Dan Railway was discontinued one after another. In 2011, the Dancheng section of the Xu-Dan Railway was once planned as a tourist railway, but the operating conditions were bleak and it was soon discontinued. As of 2016, many sections of the original Xu-Dan Railway, including Xuchang, Yuzhou, and Dancheng, have been dismantled. On the line of the narrow-gauge Xu-Dan Railway, Henan Province has newly planned the standard-gauge Yu-Bo Railway (禹亳铁路), which passes through Yuzhou, Xuchang, Yanling, Fugou, and Taikang to Bozhou (亳州), Anhui. Currently, the Yuzhou-Xuchang section has been opened for operation.
Fugou Station
Fugou Station (扶沟站) was built in 1968 and abandoned in 2009.
The station building is well preserved, but the original track has become a cornfield. Slogans such as "从严治本，基础取胜" (Be strict with the root causes of the problem and win with the solid foundation) and "严禁无票乘车" (No ticketless riding) are still clearly visible on the wall.
There are words "中国共产党万岁" (Long live the Communist Party of China) on the front of the building and "毛主席万岁" (Long live Chairman Mao) on the back, but they have basically fallen off.
Fugou Station at sunset
The words "扶沟站" (Fugou Station) are built on the front
The station police station built in 1987 in front of Fugou Station
Platform and slogan of Fugou Station
Yanling Station
Yanling Station (鄢陵站) was built in 1968 and abandoned in 2009.
Before Yanling Station was closed, there was one main line and one side line in the station, both of which are now preserved. The station building is located on the south side of the station yard. It used to be a one-story bungalow with a white facade, but it is difficult to find the remains now.
Yanling Station has the only rail car and two flat cars left in the Xu-Dan Railway. The car body is written with "1607 许昌铁路局" (No.1607 Xuchang Railway Bureau) and other words, which were marked later.
Yard of Yanling Station
Rail cars and flat cars parked in the station
A small bridge outside the west gate of Yanling Station
The former location of Yanling Station
The crossing outside the east gate of Yanling Station
