The whistling and chugging sounds of the Jiayang mini steam train has filled the air of Qianwei county in Sichuan province's Leshan city, for more than half a century. With a total length of 19.84 km, the rail gauge is only 76.2 cm - half the standard width. Initially meant to solve the problem of coal haulage in the late 1950s, the train became the main mode of transport for residents to connect with the outside world. Tickets are priced at 5 yuan (80 cents) for seated passengers and 3 yuan for standing passengers, regardless of how far. Each day, the steam train makes four trips, with each run taking about two-and-a-half hours. What's amazing is, residents say the train has never been late!

Winding through green mountain ranges, whistling and steaming, Jiayang mini steam train has run for almost half a century and is China's only steam train that is still in operation. [Photo by Wang Bin / for China Daily]

Conductors sell tickets at the door of each carriage: 5 yuan for seated passengers and 3 yuan for standing passengers. [Photo by Wang Bin / for China Daily]

The train runs without the help of modern machinery, so it's all manual, including brakes and rail switches. [Photo by Wang Bin / for China Daily]