"Many foreigners join us in making the dumplings. We have a translator who explains everything to them," said Sun. "They enjoy it."
Over the years, Russia's railway workers and border control officers have come to understand what Spring Festival means to Chinese, Sun said. "During the festival season they extend greetings to us Chinese crew, and we send them warm wishes on Christmas and Easter as well."
COLD JOURNEY, WARM HEART
The journey between Beijing and Moscow offers passengers spectacular views of the vast Gobi Desert, grasslands with clear creeks, Lake Baikal and boundless forests. These picturesque sights are famous among tourists around the globe.
For Puzicha, working on the K3/4 train seems to be "a cool job."
Cool it may be, but the job can also be trying.
For instance, as long portions of the route are through frigid landscapes, the train needs to be heated for as much as eight months of the year.
During winter, the temperature in Russia regularly dips to below negative 30 degrees Celsius. In order to ensure the comfort of the passengers, a trans-Eurasia trip requires five tons of coal for each carriage -- and all of that coal has to be shoved into the stove by two crew members.
A shift typically lasts for eight hours, and five hours of that shift may be occupied with shoveling, Sun said.
"Their hands and faces are filthy by the end of their shifts," Wei said.
For 57 years, Train K3/4 has marched onward, undaunted by wind or snow. Its total mileage amounts to 1,250 trips around the Earth's circumference. It has served 1.5 million passengers from over 100 countries.
Every Monday over the last 18 years, Gao Jun, deputy head of the Beijing Passenger Transport Department of the Beijing Railway Bureau, walks onto the platform of the Beijing Railway Station, waiting to meet his colleagues and passengers who have just finished the long journey.h In 1982, Gao joined the railway authority, and he was chosen to work as an attendant on Train K3/4 in 1985.
Gao left his position as the crew chief in 1999, but still walks across the street to Beijing Railway Station to welcome his colleagues when the train rolls into town.
"I feel so attached to the train," said Gao, fully uniformed. "Beijing, Siberia and Moscow dominate my memories of younger years."
