Railway employees keep tracks free, goods flowing

As soon as it begins to snow, all the employees, including those who are off duty, quickly assemble to clear it. But as it quickly covers freshly cleared lines again, the workers have to keep sweeping until it stops. They often have to eat their meals quickly. Sometimes they receive a new task even before they've finished, and with food still in their mouths they have to race back to work.

Other times they skip meals altogether, saving time going to the canteen by eating something quick in the employee lounge from their lunch boxes.

During the summer, the carriages often become dangerously hot.

"It is easy to get burned while hanging onto the carriage because their surfaces can heat up to over 50 C under the sun, so we always wear gloves and long-sleeved clothes no matter how hot it gets. Walking on the gravel beside the tracks, we really feel the heat, and the soles of our shoes quickly wear down," Ji said.

"To be honest, we work really hard in a tough environment, but it's our job to make sure transportation is safe and smooth, especially during the Spring Festival."