I took the train to Datong in Shanxi province. It was so crowded, just like the train on the National Day holiday. I suspect because it is still close to that holiday. I had a seat for the 6 hours at least. The journey was fairly nice, going northwest from Beijing through a mountain range. Then inside Shanxi province the sky was so clear, I could see very far. I noticed old signaling towers on the peaks of many mountains. This was used in old times to pass messages or signals rapidly across the border between China and Mongolia. This is also near the great wall, but I didn’t actually see it from my train.
I arrived in the city of Datong and the travel office in the station asked if I needed a room and directed me to a cheap dormitory. And about $5 for a bed, but no heat, just a dirty shared bathroom on another floor, and a Chinese man in the room who didn’t speak any English. But it was good enough.