Guardians of the Gobi railways

As trains thunder across the tracks like streaks of lightning, few pause to think of the silent sentinels safeguarding Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's 9,525.68 kilometres of railway — much of it cutting through the barren Gobi Desert. Braving sandstorms and searing heat, railway workers toil day and night, lighting lamps against the wind, and inspecting every inch of rail to ensure safe, smooth journeys. What once relied on ropes and muscle has evolved into a force of mechanised maintenance — sweat and steel forging a modern Silk Road across the wilderness.