In an exclusive interview, we delve into the lives of the dedicated workers at the Luojia Du railway maintenance facility under the Guangzhou Railway Group in the mountainous area of Pingshi, often described as the “Gateway to Northern Guangdong.” This facility, managed by a team of nine individuals of varying ages, oversees a vast 25.8 kilometers of track that includes four tunnels and five bridges, as well as 18 sets of switches. Their daily routine involves traversing deep mountains, faithfully ensuring the safety of their railway lines through monotonous and repetitive tasks.
**Thirty Years of Dedication in the Mountains**
A 50-minute drive from Lechang East Station brings us to the Luojia Du facility. The site is modest, featuring two double-story buildings, a half-basketball court, a gazebo, fitness equipment, and a small garden along with chickens, loofahs, peanuts, green onions, and pumpkins. There’s even a little black dog who has been their companion for eight years.
Overhead, the towering cliffs and mountain peaks add to the feeling of isolation. Qing Jian, a 51-year-old veteran who has been here since the end of 1995, reflects on nearly 30 years of service. He recalls that initially, around 200 personnel from various railway sectors and military teams were tasked with monitoring the tunnels.
As railway maintenance systems evolved, however, only a few staff members remained, making the team of nine at Luojia Du a relatively significant presence. Qiu Qing, the foreman who joined the team eight years after Qing Jian, has also spent 21 years in this isolated setting.
“We face harsh conditions here, and young workers tend to develop quickly under the guidance of seasoned veterans, but they often move on after a few years,” Foreman Qiu shares. “The tougher the environment, the more it molds you. Our place is like a training base; we’ve seen countless young people come and go.”
**Precision in Every Detail for Safety**
At 6:30 PM on October 14, the staff of the Luojia Du facility loaded their tools and embarked on a bumpy journey down a narrow road towards the 1964 kilometer mark of the Jingguang Line for routine track maintenance. After a grueling 40 minutes on the road, they arrived just 20 minutes before the scheduled work window, unloading their tools as heavy rain began to pour.
Once they received confirmation about the track closure, Qing and Deputy Foreman Zhou Zhipeng took out their measuring tools to inspect the reported issues, marking the ground with chalk. “This section is a bit low; we need to raise it slightly to ensure the line is smooth,” Qiu noted while expertly making a vertical mark to signal where the lifting equipment should be placed. The task required elevating the steel rails and using a tamper to compact the ballast.
“The work tonight isn’t overly strenuous; it’s primarily about addressing issues identified by the track inspection vehicle and making adjustments on-site. It might seem simple, but it requires precision down to the millimeter—there’s no room for error,” Qiu explained as the sound of the tamper filled the air. Just as they completed the job, the rain started pouring unexpectedly, leaving all workers drenched before they could even climb back into the vehicle.
**A Positive Outlook in a Monotonous Routine**
It’s hard to imagine how these “railway doctors” have persevered in such remote mountains for decades. However, a conversation with Qing Jian sheds light on their resilience. At 51, he seems younger than his years, attributing his vitality to a positive mindset. “It’s all about having a good attitude,” he says, quoting a popular saying: “A happy day or an unhappy day—the choice is yours, so why not choose happiness?”
While this might sound like a cliché to some, for him, it reflects the reality of nearly three decades of experience. A cheerful attitude is undoubtedly their weapon against the monotony of life in the mountains.
Due to their limited number, workers often stay on call over weekends, making it an average of three weeks between trips home for those who live far away. “Despite the transportation challenges, the camaraderie in our little community is strong; we rarely hear complaints,” Qiu notes, adding that they tackle any personal issues together.
Liu Chuanwen, the youngest at just 25, travels at least half an hour by bus to the nearest town. Each time he returns, he brings plenty of snacks from home to help sustain him for the next two weeks, reflecting his personal approach to combating the tedium of his work.
Amidst an endless expanse of mountains where railway lines weave through tunnels and over bridges, these railway workers take great pride in their responsibility for ensuring the safety and efficiency of the vital Jingguang railway artery.
