Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway construction under normal operation despite freezing temperature-Xinhua

A worker of the China Railway 20th Bureau Group operates at the construction site of the Weihe River super major bridge of the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 25, 2024. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

Spanning over about 299 km, this railway is the first of its kind built for the old revolutionary base area in northern Shaanxi. Upon completion, it is expected to shorten the travel time between Xi'an and Yan'an from current 2.5 hours to around one hour. This holds significance in consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation for old revolutionary base areas, advancing rural revitalization on all fronts, and fostering a new paradigm for the development in west China. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 21, 2024 shows a train carrying 500-meter steel rails arriving at the track-laying base of the China Railway 11th Bureau Group in Yanliang District of Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

A worker of the China Railway 20th Bureau Group operates inside the Fuyi Tunnel of the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Luochuan County of Yan'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan.16, 2024. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

Workers of the China Railway Shanghai Bureau Group operate at the Fuping super major bridge of the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Fuping County of Weinan City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan.18, 2024. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

Workers of the China Railway 20th Bureau Group operate at the construction site of the Weihe River super major bridge of the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 25, 2024. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 25, 2024 shows the construction site of the Weihe River super major bridge along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Xi'an city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

An aerial drone photo shows workers of the China Railway Shanghai Bureau Group operating at the Fuping super major bridge of the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Fuping County of Weinan City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan.18, 2024. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan.16, 2024 shows the construction site of the Beiluohe super major bridge along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Luochuan County of Yan'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan.16, 2024 shows the entrance to the Fuyi Tunnel of the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Luochuan County of Yan'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

Workers operate at a railway sleepers factory for the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Tongchuan City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan.18, 2024. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 25, 2024 shows workers of the China Railway 20th Bureau Group operating at the construction site of the Weihe River super major bridge of the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway in Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Shaanxi Province has weathered several rounds of cold waves so far this winter, with temperatures plummeting to minus 26 degrees Celsius in Yan'an City, but constructors are still beating the adverse weather with normal operations at the construction site along the Xi'an-Yan'an High-Speed Railway.