Big gains on slow tracks

"Our train stops at every station. Villagers often board carrying 10 to 15 kilograms of fresh vegetables and other farm produce to sell in the city, then return by train," he says while helping a passenger secure a basket.

Hu adds that many sellers disembark at Kaili in the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture and sell at a market less than 100 meters from the station, a spot he visits regularly.

For Hu, his role goes beyond routine duties. He and the other conductors act as informal market liaisons.