Carrying on history

Sept 15 was Yang's last day as station head. He bought a bouquet to lay on Zhan's tomb as tribute and then climbed a hill to a rugged section of the Great Wall to take a last look at the station.

"I won't be back here often," he said, taking photos of a train entering and leaving the station.

"When one of the trains blew its whistle, I knew it was time to go home when I was a boy," he said.

He now plans to tell the story of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway and of Qinglongqiao and said that although China is now known for the rapid development of its railways, people should not forget where it all began.

"It all started with Zhan Gong," he said.