High-speed trains in China can usually impress people with the rapid development, but some older, slower trains are still running around the country to serve passengers with different demands.
Traveling at a speed of about 80 kilometers per hour, a pair of old-fashioned low-speed trains, painted in green, has provided services for residents in Northeast China's Jilin province for 56 years.
The 401-kilometer rail line between Jilin city and Tumen city in Jilin province has 19 stops, most of which are located in rural areas with less-developed road systems.
For residents along the route, the train has become their preferred choice for daily travels or going out to sell agricultural products.
"During every spring and autumn, there will be a large number of passengers on the train going to the mountainous areas to pick mushrooms, wild vegetables and fruit," said a train attendant. "The train's daily passenger volume can reach 600 in these two seasons."
For Tian Changshen, a 56-year-old farmer in Xiaogujia village, the period in the winter just before the Spring Festival is the busiest time around the whole year.
Tian's handmade doubao has become highly popular in nearby city markets.
Doubao, a sticky steamed bun stuffed with sweetened bean paste, is a popular snack in northeast China, but now few know how to make it.
Tian and his wife usually prepare 400 kilograms of doubao every winter and sell them in nearby cities, which can earn them about 3,000 yuan ($435.4).
"That's thanks to this slow train that takes us outside," he said. "The extra income can be used for Spring Festival and spring plowing."
To keep warm, the windows of the train are all equipped with windproof crystal board. Temperatures in the coach can reach 20 C even during the coldest periods.
The train passes through several settlements of the Korean ethnic group, so all notices and slogans have been written in both Chinese and Korean.
"The slow and inexpensive train will be reserved for the convenience of passengers," said an officer of the Jilin Passenger Transport Section. "Furthermore, we will pay more attention to improve service quality."
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