The coal has fueled the rapid growth and subsequent prosperity of those who live at the eastern end of the railway, but for those on the other side of the tracks living conditions remain poor.

Like most of his neighbors in the shantytown near the Meiyukou mine, 45-year-old Ren was born into a mining family.

His father, Ren Pu, now 82, arrived in Datong from the countryside in 1959 to work as a miner. The family has lived in the two-room bungalow in the shantytown, built by the miners themselves from mud and stones, ever since.

After working underground for 24 years, Ren senior's poor health resulted in him quitting work in 1983. He has serious pneumoconiosis, or black lung disease, a common affliction among miners.

Ren Xinming followed in his father's footsteps and headed down into the mine at the age of 18. Five years ago, he retired at age 40.

Ren Xinming shares one room with his wife and their 9-year-old daughter, while his father, mother, 80, and 38-year-old sister live in the other.

Ren Jie, 9, daughter of Ren Xinming, doing her homework. Li Yi/ For China Daily

He receives 2,800 yuan ($448) every month from Datong Coal Mine Group, his former employer, and his wife earn another 1,000 yuan doing odd jobs. The financial pressure is overwhelming, especially as the couple pays about 20,000 yuan per annum in tuition and living expenses for their older daughter, 17, who is studying at a senior high school in another town.

"The market price of a new apartment would be at least 150,000 yuan and there's no way we could afford that," said Ren.

Above: The shantytown in the old city of Datong, Shanxi province. [File Photo/Xinhua] Below: A residential community sits on a place which used to be a shantytown in Datong, Shanxi province, Aug 10, 2012.[Photo/Xinhua]

All mod cons

However, soon a new apartment with all mod cons will no longer be a daydream for the Ren family.

A housing project subsidized by the government and Datong Coal Mine Group has helped more than 60,000 mining households, including Ren's neighbors across the railway, to move to the newly built Hengan residential community, 5 km east of the shantytown. The new buildings sell for 480 yuan per square meter.

The Rens, together with around 30,000 other households, are expected to move into a new home in the residential community by the end of next year, according to Gao Yuwu, executive director of the Pengcheng property management company, part of Datong Coal Mine Group.

"Working as a miner is probably the most laborious job in the country and most of the men have also been living in terrible conditions for a long time." said Gao.

Improving the living conditions of low-income families, especially those of miners and foresters, has been a high priority on the agenda of China's central leadership during recent years and Vice-Premier Li Keqiang has paid numerous visits to shantytown families across the country, including a trip to Datong in 2009.

The central government invested 73 billion yuan in housing projects for slum residents from 2007 to 2011 and more than 10 million low-income households have moved to government-subsidized apartments measuring at least 45 square meters, according to a recent statement from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

A further 12 million households will need to be re-housed in the coming years, the statement said.