Chongqing News
Vintage buses become new photo spots
2019-02-18 14:36:10
CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Chongqing Travel is so popular. Not only Hongyadong and Yangtze River Cableway, the vintage taxies and buses appeared in films also become photo spots of visitors. People are so amazed at the traveling on a vintage bus in this three-dimensional city, as if they traveled through the time. News from the passenger cableway company said that they have received 130,000 visits, up 14.54% from last year.
Because of the mountainous landform, old Chongqing-ers had found various ways to solve the traffic problem. Such as taking Huagan (a kind of sedan chair) or cableway and crossing the river by boat. Do you know these means of transportation that were popular in Chongqing?
Huagan (a kind of sedan chair)
Many people would think of the famous Huagan when speaking of the means of transportation in old Chongqing. Once in the mountainous Chongqing, people wondered how to make the sedan chair more portable and suitable to the terrain, Huagan was then born at that time. It was made of bamboo and look like a sedan chair, but more simple and small, commonly known to the locals as “taxi of old Chongqing”.
Rickshaw
In 1929, as the completion of the first road in downtown, starting from Qixinggang to Zengjiayan passing by Guanyinyan, Lianglukou and Shangqingsi, sedan chair and Huagan were replaced by rickshaw, which became fashionable for a time. There were only 18 rickshaws at the earliest. But later rickshaw rental agencies were everywhere. Rickshaw pullers had to pay money to the rental agency every day. After 1949, rickshaws were disappearing from the street. Rickshaw was also the “earliest taxi” in Chongqing.
Diesel bus
On September 20, 1933, Chongqing’s first government-granted bus company began to operate the first diesel bus from Zengjiayan to Qixinggang. Then the bus route was extended to Xiaoshizi in the old downtown. Then they had another 5 buses, covering the routes from Zengjiayan to Lianglukou, to Qixinggang, to Jiaochangkou and to Xiaoshizi with temporary and commutation ticket. According to the purchasing power at that time, one ticket is equivalent to about 10 portions of noodles. In other words, diesel bus was not wallet friendly.
Ferry
The ferry service from Chaotianmen to Danzishi resumed recently, making it possible for some Chongqing people to revive their old dream.
On January 1, 1938, the first ferry route from Chuqimen to Haitangxi in downtown set sail. Since then, ferry became the first choice of Chongqing people to cross the river for decades. Now, Chaotianmen ferry has become a new photo spot for visitors.
Cable car
In 1945, the first passenger cableway of Chongqing designed by bridge expert Mao Yisheng came into service at Wanglongmen. This 178m long cableway, with an elevation difference of 46.9m, once received 7000 visits every day. The cableway was the first choice of passengers and cargos before it was removed in the 1990s. Moreover, Lianglukou Cableway, Longmenhao Cableway and Chuqimen Cableway have also been removed. On the National Day of 1984, Chaotianmen Cableway was put into service, but out of service and abandoned in 2007.
Trolley bus
The first trolley bus route of Chongqing, from Shangqingsi to Xiaoshizi was fully opened in 1956. The only several trolley buses were model “55” with “Chongqing Model II” carriages. Route 401, 404 and 405 were out of service in 2004.
Gas-powered bus
It is the bus with an air bag on the top and all driving power comes from this bag.
Its real name is “atmospheric natural gas-powered bus”. Because of oil shortage, people used natural gas as the fuel of buses. However, the natural gas had to be filled in the rubber bag without any compression due to the lack of technology. Gas-powered bus had a period of great prosperity in 1980s. One third of the buses in Chongqing were gas-powered and it even became a distinctive scene of the city. (Translated by Xu Mengmiao, Fathom Language Limited)
Editor:Jiang Yiwei