Ji Tong Railway 2-10-2 No. QJ 6988
Newton, IA, United States 		Location: Central States Steam Preservation Association
Status: Stored
Posted: Aug 11, 2024 @ 10:08:42 by Russell Newman
The ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 No. 6988, has now left the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America shops at Silvis, Illinois, and is being moved back to the Central States Steam Preservation Association’s base at Newton, Iowa for storage along side sister QJ 7081, for the time being while the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America are focusing on the overhaul’s of both the famous Union Pacific Railroad 4-6-6-4 Challenger No. 3985, and former Union Pacific Railroad 2-10-2 No. 5511. When their overhaul’s are completed 6988 will be returned to the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America shops at Silvis, Illinois, for her overhaul to begin. But before going into storage at Newton, Iowa, 6988 will be on public display at Des Moines, Iowa to help celebrate 40 years of Iowa Interstate Railroad.
Posted: Jul 10, 2022 @ 06:07:11 by Russell Newman
This is the history and detial of former China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 No. 6988 which is one of three QJ Class 2-10-2s preserved in the United States of America and the only ones that are operational outside of China. 6988 was built in 1985 at China’s famous Datong locomotive works in North, East China. She worked mainly round the Changchun Area on China Rail’s Shenyang Bureau until the mid 1990s. By 1996 6988 was transferred to the Jitong Railway in Inner Mongolia and was among 120 QJ’s hauling heavy freight trains through the legendry Jingpeng Pass which was known as the last great steam show on the planet. By the end of 2005 steam came to a end on the Jitong Railway which by then 6988 was among last 20 steam locomotives still working then and on the 8th of December 2005 6988 along with sister QJ 7030 (which has survived on display at Daban Depot) hauled what was to be the very last double headed steam hauled mainline freight train in China from Daban to Chabuga and back. In 2006 following the end of steam on the Jitong Railway 6988 was moved from Daban Depot along with four other QJ’s to the Jinzhou 701 locomotive works near Nanpiao in Liaoning, China as she was she was set aside for a new life in the United States of America. 6988 along with sister QJ 7081 where bought by Henry Posner III head of the Railroad Develment Corporation for special use on the Iowa Interstate Railroad which is the former Rock Island Railroad mainline from Council Bluffs in Iowa into Illinois. After being overhauled to American standards and testing at Jinzhou 6988 along with 7081 were moved to China’s Shipping Port at Dalian for shipment to the USA. In September 2006 6988 and 7081 made their debut in the United States of America and since then both QJ’s have been used on special passenger operations along the Iowa Interstate Railroad to help fund local emergency services and during local festivals along the Iowa Interstate mainline. In 2011 6988 was Americanized which saw a change of appearance to the locomotive as the skyline casing around the chimney was removed and a American style headlight with a brass number plate fitted and a American Steam locomotive bell mounted on top of the smokebox door along with a American Chime Whistle added along side her Chinese Whistle and black paint on the cowcater, driving wheels and tender underframe and even the Datong builders plate. This was done prior to Train Fest being held in Rock Island that year which on the way to it 6988 and 7081 hauled a record brecking 7200 ton freight train from Iowa City to Rock Island which was a world record for a steam hauled freight in the 21st Century. Since 2014 6988 has been now under the care of the Central States Steam Preservation who operate the locomotive on the Iowa Interstate Railroad and other parts on the United States of America and is currently undergoing her 1472-day Overhaul at the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America shops at Silvis, Illinois for more use again as one of a few QJ 2-10-2s left operational outside of China.
Posted: Jun 26, 2022 @ 11:06:27 by Russell Newman
QJ 6988 was built new at the Datong Locomotive Works in North East, China in 1985.
Posted: Jun 13, 2022 @ 04:06:31 by Russell Newman
Having left Newton, Iowa where it has called home since 2006 since arriving from China, 1985 Datong built ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 No. 6988 has relocated to a new home at the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America in Silvis, Illinois. 6988 will undergo its 1472-day Overhaul there as the locomotive will be leasing space in Silvis for future boiler work to renew its federal boiler time.
Posted: Jun 8, 2022 @ 15:06:53 by Russell Newman
The 1985 Datong built ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 No. 6988 has been put back into operational working order again for a series of trips on the Iowa Interstate Railroad this weekend. Starting on the 9th of June with a number of runs to Chug Kellogg hill a couple times and turning on a wye on Friday before a series of trips from Newton to Silvis Saturday and Silvis to Bureau and return to Newton on Sunday 12th of June 2022.
Posted: Oct 25, 2021 @ 05:10:09 by Russell Newman
Having hailed its final trains on the Iowa Interstate Railroad over the last weekend, ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 No. 6988 has now been taken out of service and has now joined sister QJ 7081 in storage in Newton, Iowa where the locomotive with have its 1,472-day inspection.
Posted: Oct 22, 2021 @ 13:10:07 by Russell Newman
The ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 No. 6988 is to make her final runs on the Iowa Interstate Railroad this weekend. The locomotive one of three ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 locomotives to be preserved in the United States of America has been running on the Iowa Interstate Railroad with her sister QJ 7081 since leaving China back in April 2006 following the end of steam on the Jitong Railway in December 2005. 6988 will be hauling a freight train between its home in Newton and South Amana, Iowa and back. After this the locomotive will join 7081 in storage until a overhaul on both locomotives can be carried out.
Posted: Apr 15, 2021 @ 13:04:38 by Russell Newman
Its been reported that the Iowa Interstate Railroad owners of ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 No. 6988 which is one of two Chinese QJ Class 2-10-2’s under the care of the Central States Steam Preservation Association have asked the Federal Railroad Administration for a extension of its required 15-year overhaul of its Chinese-built 2-10-2 so that 6988 can run this fall. 6988 is due for a 1,472-day inspection this September, but the Iowa Interstate Railroad would like to push that back to December 20th 2021 which will enable 6988 to still operate until then.
Posted: May 5, 2019 @ 14:05:58 by Russell Newman
QJ 6988 has been given the nick name "Iowa Bolt" which it got that name from the red lightning strips painted on its smoke deflectors.
Posted: Apr 17, 2019 @ 16:04:58 by Russell Newman
It should have said 6988 will be out on Iowa Interstate Railroads mainline again this year with two trips both for local fire services. The 1st ones will run from Annawan, Iowa on the 19th of May and the other from Menlo, Iowa on the 29th of June 2019 sorry.
Posted: Apr 17, 2019 @ 10:04:38 by Russell Newman
The Americanised ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 No. 6988 will be but on Iowa Interstate Railroads mainline again this year with two trips both for local fire services. The 1st ones will run from Annawan, Iowa on the 19th of May and the other from Menlo, Iowa on the 29th of June 2019.
Posted: Jul 4, 2018 @ 10:07:13 by Russell Newman
The Americanised Chinese 1985 built ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ Class 2-10-2 No. 6988 will be is steam for the first time since 2012 for some mainline steam trips on the Iowa Interstate Railroads mainline on the Weekend of August 18th and 19th 2018. On the 18th 6988 will be working out of Mitchellville on 45-minute trips there and the same out of Brooklyn, Iowa the following day.
Posted: Oct 30, 2017 @ 18:10:03 by Russell Newman
During its final year in service in China QJ 6988 was among the very last 20 active steam locomotives on the Jitong Railway working there final months between Daban to Chabuga as the Diesels took over from steam section by section since 2000. 6988 worked one of the very last double headed freights on the Daban to Chabuga on the 8th of December 2005. This to was also preserved in the United States and is a stable mate with QJ 7081 with the Central States Steam Preservation Association. The Americanized look done on 6988 in 2011 was to show what a QJ would look like if the Chinese had built one for American Railroads.
Posted: Mar 19, 2017 @ 16:03:01 by Russell Newman
The Americanised ex China Rail and Jitong Railway QJ 2-10-2 No. 6988 is planned to be steamed and run this year at some point as the Central States Steam Preservation Association are still working with I think the Iowa Interstate Railroad or Amtrack to get it out running again soon. There have also been rumors that there are talks with BNSF Railway on running the China Rail and Jitong Railway QJs as well?
Posted: Oct 10, 2014 @ 15:10:58 by Russell Newman
Both 6988 and 7081 are now owned by the Central States Steam Preservation Association and they have big plans for them both by the look of it.
Posted: Feb 5, 2014 @ 12:02:23 by steven cage
"Ji Tong Railway 2-10-2 QJ NO.6988 IS IN Newton, Iowa and is painted in black seeing here mate!"
Posted: Jul 15, 2008 @ 19:07:42 by Brady
I was wrong, the 6988 and the 7081 are stored in Newton, Iowa, not Rock Island, Illinois.  I've seen these engines in videos and they are very nice locomotives.  Like I said, R.J. Corman has bought and tested a QJ and it needs to be added to this website.
Posted: Jun 29, 2008 @ 17:06:13 by Brady

The 6988 was built in China in 1985 and was used for twenty years before being sold to Henry Posners Railroad Development Corparation in 2006 along with QJ 7081.  The 6988, 7081 and Milwaukee Road 261, made a tripleheaded test run in September 2006.  The QJ's are stored in Rock Island and are for sale, but they did pull a photo freight train in June 2007.  Hopefully someone will buy one or both engines and operate them.  It should be noted that Posner imported another QJ, number 7040, for the RJ Corman Railroad.  It made a test run in May 2008 in Kentucky, and needs to be added to this website.

Posted: Nov 10, 2006 @ 20:11:52 by jason
6988 WAS BUILT IN 1985. THIS ENGINE PULLED THE LAST STAEM POWERED FREIGHT TRAIN IN THE WORLD. 6988 AND 7081 ARE BOTH UP FOR SALE.