QJ 7168 wasn't much more than a year old when it was photographed working a Changchun - Jilin freight away from Jiuzhan on 22 February 1989. The driver was trying to build up a bit of momentum before hitting the short climb to Juizhan summit after being looped for a westbound passenger.
Jilin was home to the last batch of QJs built for CNR, QJ 7166 to QJ 7175, outshopped from Datong in 1987. Later built locos went straight into industrial service.