Railway oasis in nature

A dedicated team of young railway station staff in Shennongjia Forestry District overcame extreme weather and isolation to establish a crucial railway link.

Shennongjia Forestry District, where Emperor Yandi, a legendary ancestor of the Chinese people, is believed to have once resided, was historically a remote and secluded area. This changed with the establishment of a railway station, thanks to a group of dedicated youth.

In January 2022, staff from across the country arrived in Shennongjia Forestry District, located in Central China's Hubei province.

At that time, the station was still under construction. With the dormitory and cafeteria unfinished, they had to live in temporary housing for the first few months.

"It took me over six hours on the bus to get here, but we were all determined to get the station up and running soon because we knew it was the dream of generations of local people to have a railway station," said Zhang Yawen, a 27-year-old station staff member.

Despite their determination and passion, the team initially underestimated the challenges ahead.

Shennongjia, with an average altitude of 1,700 meters, is known as the "Roof of Central China". Winters are long and bitterly cold, with temperatures dropping as low as -20 C. "There is no heating here, so it feels even colder than my hometown of Mudanjiang city in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province," said He Ruihan, 27.

Zhang further explained that due to the extreme cold, the water supply pipeline would sometimes freeze and crack. During the Spring Festival of 2023, the station experienced blizzards and freezing rain, and all staff members had to give up their holidays to clear snow and ice from the railroads to ensure smooth transit for passengers.