Chongqing - On February 7, at the Xinglongchang Railway Station's IV hump, workers from Chongqing Engineering Section's Ganshui Line and Xinglongchang Line Workshop performed maintenance, including the replacement of retarders and steel components.

Xinglongchang Railway Station, the starting point for the China-Europe Railway Express, manages the disassembly and assembly of trains to Europe, Laos, and Vietnam. As Southwest China's largest marshaling station, it is crucial for public service and economic growth along its route.

The work site. (Photo/Gao Shilong)

This year signifies the ninth annual spring maintenance at Xinglongchang Railway Station since its opening, which is set to finish by March 5. Since January 26, the Chongqing Engineering Section has diligently worked to guarantee the safety of the China-Europe Railway Express during this critical period.

They've been mitigating safety risks and improving transportation reliability by conducting track tamping and rail grinding, replacing turnout steel components, and maintaining retarders.

"The carriage gains a certain speed as it rolls down from the hump, and external forces are needed to reduce its speed within an acceptable range to prevent it from derailing or colliding with the carriage ahead," explained Peng Cong, an assistant engineer at the Xinglongchang Railway Station Line Workshop. 

The retarder, essential for carriage braking, requires replacement aged parts to maintain functionality.

Meanwhile, workers at Xinglongchang Railway Station's VI site conducted track tamping to enhance track quality on the last construction day before the Spring Festival.

Workers are adjusting the position of the rail tracks. (Photo/Luo Shuai)

During the tamping operation, Project Manager Wang Jiajie was seen squatting or walking next to the machine, closely overseeing its function amidst the dust.

"Enhance coordinated control among all positions, ensure operational safety, maintain a safe distance from the machinery, and promptly measure the track parameters after tamping to guarantee the quality of the work," said Wang, under whose command every position operated efficiently and in sync.

The spring maintenance at Xinglongchang Railway Station has achieved significant milestones: replacing 19 turnout steel sets, tamping 19.75 km of track, using heavy machinery on 30 turnouts, maintaining eight retarders, using light machinery on 35 turnouts, and tamping 7.93 km of station tracks. These efforts have stabilized China-Europe Railway Express transportation for the Spring Festival.