(CCTV.com)
Updated: 2008-02-03 09:38

Thousands of railway workers and volunteers are struggling to end the biggest railway crisis in southern China's busiest railroad line.

Wei Zhiming at the Guangzhou Railway Station normally works in the control room, but is taking a sick colleague's post. He has been working in the main waiting hall of the station for days. With his other colleagues. they organize and guide passengers to get on trains.

With train service restored, more than 100,000 passengers depart from the railway station everyday. Wei and his colleagues work 12 hours a day answering numerous inquires from passengers. They hardly have a moment's rests.

Wei Zhiming said, "This is just our duty. We are particularly busy for each year's Spring Festival peak travel season, especially this year. There's no reason to complain."

Wei Zhiming says their biggest wish is to get all stranded passengers get on to trains and back home as soon as possible.

There are many others like Wei Zhiming who are working to help stranded travelers.

Medical staff from different hospitals in Guangzhou have set up more than 20 temporary medical treatment clinics both inside and outside the railway station. Many of the medical workers have volunteered to be here."

Peng Rong is a nurse form a local hospital. Together with five of her colleagues, she has been working here at the railway station for six days. As the disruption of train services continues, the number of patients increases each day.

Nurse Peng Rong said, "There are a lot more passengers today. So are our patients. Many have not had a meal for days and faint. So we are especially busier today."

Peng Rong and her colleagues have to work twelve hours on the night shifts. They give treatment to hundreds of sick passengers each day. The night shift is especially busy as there are usually more patients during that time.

Thousands of railway and other staff have been working hard and long hours on the front line of the crisis each day. Student volunteers from colleagues have also been here to help. There are also thousands fo police and soldiers standing guard both day and night to keep order and ensure passenger safety.

They all share a common goal - to get all stranded passengers home for festivities as soon as possible.