China’s green trains are for many fond reminders of their youth. No wonder a recently-reopened attraction has been such a big draw. After all, steam trains for some reason have the ability to bring out the romance in almost all of us.
At 22:17 on 24 March, 2012, the last green train from Nanjing West Railway Station departed, K171, on its long, long journey to distant Xiamen. After 104 years serving the people of Nanjing as the city’s principal station, Nanjing West fell silent, at least to passenger trains, with their operations moved to Nanjing Railway Station.
This Labour Day holiday, however, has seen more people flocking to the area around Nanjing West than at any other time in the last decade.
On 2 May was officially unveiled the upgraded Xiaguan Train Theme District (下关火车主题街区), located near Nanjing West at the site of the former train ferry terminal, which shuttled trains on boats across the Yangtze until the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge was opened in 1968.
The memories therefore run deep, especially in this part of Nanjing that is Xiaguan, one of the city’s districts until it was swallowed up by Gulou in 2013. Once run-down, the increasingly up-market area is also the place for those to come in search of reliving their childhood.
This is the backdrop which has led all those many visitors to the new Theme District this Labour Day holiday, a chance to once again experience those green carriages with their delectable brown leather (albeit somewhat hard) seats.
Formerly the Xiaguan Train Theme Park, the landmark has become a popular place since it was completed and opened in 2017. More recently, local authorities took the decision in favour of the upgrade to expand the Park into being a “District”.
Reporters for the Yangtze Evening News who were in attendance at this Monday’s opening revealed the District has several new attractions, such as the West Railway Station Tea House. And with the long green train situated on the banks of the Yangtze, there is also the riverside waterfront, with its passing ships, to amuse.
The immersive, time-tunnel experience that is the Xiaguan Train Theme District is to be found on Jiangbian Lu about 3 kilometres upstream of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge and not far from Nanjing West Railway Station. Entry is free.
