North China Transportation Company

History

After Japan occupied a large part of northern China during the Sino-Japanese War, it set up a puppet government known as the Provisional Government of the Republic of China. In 1938, the Provisional Government nationalised the various railway and bus companies in its jurisdiction, after which the South Manchuria Railway set up a subsidiary, called the North China Transportation Company, to operate the railways and bus services within the Provisional Government's territory. With its headquarters in Beijing, the NCTC at its peak employed 110,000 people, of which 70% were Chinese. The company was liquidated in 1945 following Japan's defeat in the Pacific War, and the railways were taken over by the China Railway.
Amongst the railway companies that were nationalised were:

Beining Railway – previously known as the Peking−Mukden Railway; Beijing−Shanhaiguan section only; the Shanhaiguan−Fengtian section was taken over by the Manchukuo National Railway in 1933;
Jiaoji Railway;
Jinghan Railway;
Jingsui Railway – Beijing−Guisui (Hohhot), now part of the Beijing–Baotou Railway;
Longhai Railway;
Tongpu Railway – originally narrow gauge, but soon converted to standard gauge;
Zhengtai Railway – originally narrow gauge, later converted to standard gauge, becoming the Shitai Line.

Boshan Line Zhangdian-Boshan

Locomotives of the North China Transportation Company used the same classification system used by the South Manchuria Railway between 1938 and 1945.

The North China Transportation Company ran a number of long-distance trains, both within China and in conjunction with the South Manchuria Railway and the Chosen Government Railway. Notable trains include the "Tairiku" and "Kōa" limited express trains between Beijing and Busan, Korea. The "Tairiku" entered service in 1938, making the trip from Busan to Beijing in 37.5 hours in 1940; the train was discontinued in 1944. The observation car used on this train is preserved at the Beijing Railway Museum. The "Kōa" was put into operation in 1939, making the same trip in 39.5 hours in 1940, but by 1945 the trip took 49 hours. The "Kōa" was discontinued after the Japanese defeat in the Pacific War.