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Trams keep Dalian on right track

By ZHANG XIAOMIN in Dalian, Liaoning | China Daily Global | Updated: 2021-05-11 07:54
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A worker maintains tram wheels. SONG WEI/FOR CHINA DAILY

Special journey

Zhang Sijun, an avid tram enthusiast, recalls taking his first journey in one when he was a senior university student visiting a friend in Dalian in 1998.

"Through the mist, the early morning sun shone on the near-empty street. Our tramcar trundled along, with passengers ringing the bell to get off. It was so special," he said.

Five years later, Zhang was assigned by his company to work in Dalian. During a weekend, he arranged to take the tram, rekindling his love for this form of transportation.

Later, he became a keen photographer, with the city's trams providing the ideal backdrop. He takes photos of them at sunrise and sunset, and in all types of weather.

Yu Hong, 52, operations management director at the tram company, said, "The trams undoubtedly have a unique charm," adding that she misses the days when she used to drive them.

In 1985, she started work as a tramcar attendant, becoming a driver six years later.

"It was not an easy job. If I worked the early shift, I had to leave home at 2:30 am and walk to the depot. Our tram was the earliest one people could take to get to work. If I was on the late shift, I had to walk home at midnight," Yu said.

In winter, she had to wear thick clothing, as there was no heating on the trams. "However, the passengers' greetings and smiles made me feel happy," Yu said.

At the time, the tram route connecting Xinggong Street, Dalian Railway Station and the sea was densely populated and many residents were familiar with the drivers and attendants, she said.

Now, as some residential areas have been relocated, the route is less crowded.

Zou Benhong, a tramcar attendant on the route, said more tourists are taking the trams for sightseeing.

"Young people like taking photos and videos in the tramcars. Such visual records will enable more people to become familiar with the vehicles," she said.

"I've been in this job for 31 years and I'm due to retire in two years, but I will find it hard to leave.

"Maybe when I retire, I'll volunteer to become a narrator to tell people the stories of our century-old trams."

Although most Dalian residents wanted to retain the trams, there was some opposition.

Rush hour congestion led some car owners to suggest that the slow-moving trams be taken off the roads, especially those on Route 202, which overlaps partly with the city's subway Line 1 that started to operate in 2015.

Wen Wu, deputy general manager of the Dalian Passenger Transport Group Co tram branch, said, "With the rapid development of the subway, light rail and new energy buses, the number of tram passengers has been gradually falling.

"Trams have become part of my life, my blood and my soul," said Wen, 50, who has worked for the company for 30 years. "With our experience, it is the responsibility of employees such as myself to think about what's next for the city's trams."

Wen believes passenger transportation and the culture of trams hold the key to the future.

"The tram is becoming a cultural brand in Dalian. We need more joint efforts on a number of fronts to make the city more influential."

Wen hopes that one day people around the country will be aware that they can take trams in Dalian to trace the city's history and discover its present-day charm.

Wang Hao contributed to this story.

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