The country's 90,000 kilometres of railway is one of the most complicated in the world, Farmer Liu said.

The change in routes and frequencies reflects the country's economic development and policies.

"If you read into the changes, you will find they indicate a lot of things," Farmer Liu said.

For example, the Expressway from Chongqing Municipality in the western region to Beijing has been boosted from one train 15 years ago to five trains a day now.

"You can see the country's development has shifted from east and south to the west," Farmer Liu said.

His interest in trains and timetables was sparked during one frustrating journey home in winter from college in Tianjin municipality in North China.

The direct train from Tianjin to Yantai city in Shandong Province took 15 hours. But Liu, who was unable to get a seat on the train, had to stand for 14 hours.

"I was exhausted after the trip. So I decided to get a timetable and find the best route home," he said.

He soon discovered that a detour and a stopover does not necessarily take longer than a direct one, and it was easier to get a seat.

Farmer Liu's obsession with timetables and routes has earned him a growing reputation among friends and colleagues. He is often asked for advice on purchase of tickets, selection of routes, and costs.

Travelling almost 20,000 kilometres a year, Farmer Liu sees trains and meeting various passengers as an experience, rather than simply a trip from one destination to another.

"You sit in a train, and can watch an ever changing scenery. But if you were on a plane, you only see the sky and white clouds," he said.

But, train lovers still remain a relatively rare breed to the public. They are often given curious looks for taking photographs of trains or inspecting carriages.

1

2