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Railway Technology of South Manchuria Railway and Workers in China

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The Development of Railway Technology in East Asia in Comparative Perspective

Part of the book series: Studies in Economic History ((SEH))

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Abstract

As a result of the Russo-Japanese War , railroad construction was undertaken to set up the South Manchuria Railway (SMR) network in the northeastern part of China. However, the SMR had no option of buying railroad cars from abroad, because this was Japan’s first experience with foreign railroad management of a normal-gauge railway, and the machine industry in Japan had not grown sufficiently to support it. Even though railway technology was introduced from the Western world, the SMR began to pursue its own technology and was able to create a stable profit structure. The SMR’s accumulation of technology became world-class in the prewar period, and this level of development was also present in the organization’s internal management. In addition, the most advanced technology was developed, due to the organization’s superior management. Wartime technology was developed in response to the lack of resources experienced during the war, but it was not able to solve new technical problems, such as dieselization . The core technology was confined to Japanese employees and technology spillovers to Chinese employees were restricted.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Technology Institute, after the Manchurian Incident, “made a great stride to enlarge research facilities and doubled staff members. Although the number of research articles was not high, this did not mean the stagnation of the research activities. However, the studies of the institute were related to wartime characteristics, which were not made public, and the institute had to cooperate with the Central Institute and railway work-site operations and affiliated companies in terms of design, construction, and implementation” (Mantetsu Tetsukenkai 1990, 31).

  2. 2.

    While the machine tools used only by the Japanese included the milling machine, big lathe, planer, bevel gear generator, gear bobber, and universal grinder, the machine tools used only by the Chinese were the drilling machine, grinder, wheel lathe, and screwing lathe. The machine tools used by both Japanese and Chinese workers were the small lathe, small planer, crank planer, and turret lathe (Rinji Keizai Chōsa Iin-kai 1929).

  3. 3.

    “When it comes to workers’ thought, because the thought of both Japanese and Chinese is now moderate, and communication and mutual understanding with the workshop executives were good enough, both ethnic groups remain very calm. However, our workshop, in which many workers participate, should always pay careful attention to workers and continue to consider the employees’ issue of welfare, while making an effort to not neglect it.” (Mantetsu Shainkai 1929, 10–12).

  4. 4.

    Among Northeast Korea Lines, the Western line that was the route between Sansambong and Chongjin, the route between Hoeryong and Sinkaerim, and Chongjin port were returned to the Governor-General of Korea, and the remaining route of 183.3 km between Sangambong and Eungki was lent to the SMR (Senkōkai 1986, 83–84, 87).

  5. 5.

    Pacina type locomotives had a full-length of 25.7 m, height of 4.8 m, and full width of 3.2 m, with a weight including a tender when filled with coal and water of 203 tons, wheel diameter of 2000 mm, and wheel weight of 24 tons. As a result, the Asia Express train had a record length of 174 m, passenger weight of 340.5 tons, and passenger capacity of 292 persons.

  6. 6.

    “A continent express, equipped with a 5,000-horsepower diesel engine, sleeping car, dining car, and observation car, which is capable of shortening the long distance of intercity transportation, for example between Busan and Shanghai and between Changchun and Nanjing, will speed up in the not-so-distant future” (Yoshino 1939, 34–35).

  7. 7.

    The changes in the number of days for repair in railway workshops (per car) from 1938 to 1942 were 18.5 days → 19.9 days → 19.7 days → 20.4 days → 20.6 days for a locomotive; 17.8 days → 17.2 days → 21.3 days → 15.3 days → 16.5 days for a coach; and 7.6 days → 9.4 days → 10.1 → 12.1 days → 13.6 days for a wagon (Tōkeisho 1990).

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  1. Faculty of College of Economics, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 171-8501, Japan

    Chaisung Lim

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  1. Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan

    Minoru Sawai

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Lim, C. (2017). Railway Technology of South Manchuria Railway and Workers in China. In: Sawai, M. (eds) The Development of Railway Technology in East Asia in Comparative Perspective . Studies in Economic History. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4904-0_4

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