| This paper takes the Beichuan Railway Archives held by the Chongqing Municipal Archives as the main analysis text,supplemented by local history,literary and historical materials and other historical materials,and carries out a relatively in-depth study of the Beichuan Railway from three aspects: the construction of the Beichuan Railway,the operation of the Beichuan Railway,the Beichuan Railway and regional social changes,and deepens the understanding of the transportation history,regional social history,and the history of the Great Rear Anti-Japanese War in the Republic of China.The first chapter mainly introduces the construction process of the Beichuan Railway.The reason why the Beichuan Railway can start construction is not only the needs of special geographical location,but also the influence of the government’s advocacy and industrial salvation ideology,and also meets the needs of local industrial development.During the construction of the railway,it was quite tortuous due to the turmoil of the social situation and civil obstruction.Finally,due to financial difficulties and changes in operating entities,the Beichuan Railway failed to extend to the direction of Hechuan according to the established blueprint,and only stopped in Jiangbei County.The second chapter revolves around the operation of the Beichuan Railway.After the opening of the entire Beichuan Railway,it will be operated by the Beichuan Company.Its main business is coal transportation,and it also transports passengers and cargo,and the income from coal transportation occupies an absolute dominant position.However,due to factors such as the sluggish market,the Beichuan Railway’s earnings were far from meeting the founders’ expectations.In 1938,under the mediation of Weng Wenhao,Lu Zuofu decided to merge Tianfu Coal Mine with Beichuan Company and Zhongfu Company to form Xintianfu Company,and the Beichuan Railway changed from a private railway to a special railway for Tianfu Company,and from private capital control to bureaucratic capital control.Chapter 3 focuses on the impact of the Beichuan Railway on the regional communities along the line.On the one hand,as a modern means of transportation,the Beichuan Railway has improved the traffic environment along the line,making the areas passing through efficient and smooth connections.It has directly promoted the development and growth of the coal industry along the line,the population along the railway has increased sharply,prosperous towns have appeared in the rural areas along the railway,and the township structure has also been adjusted.On the other hand,during the Anti-Japanese War,a large number of residents from the occupied areas poured into Chongqing,and many arsenals were also relocated inland,and the demand for coal resources soared.The Beichuan Railway has become the energy lifeline for Chongqing residents and many military enterprises. |
