(MENAFN- TimesNewswire ) In Jinan City, Shandong Province, China, this old city is the memory of every Jinan people. There is also an eternal Jiaoji Railway, which roars along the tracks, silent in the smoke, and surging in the new era.
On June 1, 1904, the 395.2-kilometer Jiaoji Railway was officially opened to traffic. The opening of this railway greatly promoted the prosperity and development of urban and rural economies along the line, causing unprecedented changes in the economic pattern of the entire Shandong Peninsula. In the same year, Jinan's application for independent port opening was also successfully approved.
“No matter rain or shine, wind and dust are everywhere; Transportation changes are no less than in Western Europe.” The opening of railways has greatly shortened people's travel time and brought great convenience to their lives. Before the opening of the railway, only over 360 foreigners entered Jinan by boat, carriage, or donkey, and by 1932, the number had exceeded 10000. At this time, the population of Jinan was close to 400000, twice as much as before the opening up.
The opening of the railway line not only changed the lifestyle of Jinan people, but also the buildings that accompanied the railway line changed the style of Jinan, making it a new cultural landmark of modern Jinan.
At 8:05 am on July 1, 1992, the old clock on the clock tower of the railway station stopped, and the railway station that had been with the people of Jinan for over 80 years also disappeared.
Time flies like an arrow, and under the call of the 21st century, the old railway station is full of vitality. In 2016, at No. 30-1, Jingyi Road, Jinan railway station, formerly known as“Jiaoji Railway”, became“Jiaoji Railway Museum”. The building exhibits a simple and practical style in its plane layout, with rough and powerful facade lines, rigorous overall structure, and delicate local details.
The museum contains four main theme areas, showcasing the past and present of the two old railway stations in Jinan, the Jiaoji Line and historical celebrities, the revolutionary Jiaoji Line and one century's vicissitudes”. The museum also has a restoration area for the station master's office, and the scene of the station master answering telegrams at Chengyang Station, all based on photos taken by Germans in the early 20th century. There are also wall clocks, ticket cabinets, tables and chairs, as well as coding machines.
It is a treasure of railway industrial heritage with human touch, charm, and connotation. Although the sound of the whistle has passed away, that period of history still echoes, making it a worthwhile place to explore. (Kong Xue)