Between southwest China's two biggest cities of Chengdu and Chongqing, lies New China's first railway line AND one of the country's busiest high-speed bullet train routes. Those who have spent years of their lives on the railroads tell CGTN's Sun Ye that these transit modes are the source of their pride.

At 87, Sun Yisun says his life's most important badge of honor is the one that commemorates the opening of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway, the first-ever home-built railway in the New China era. For decades, locals had longed for such a line to connect the region's two most populous and vibrant cities. But funding, manpower, technology, resolve were all lacking, until 1950, when Sun joined the project. He was not yet 18.

SUN YISUN CHENGDU-CHONGQING RAILWAY CONSTRUCTOR IN 1950S "Everything started off in what you'd call a primitive way today. We held the pegs with our own hands. And when we tried to work in the evenings, we were using branches for torches. We WALKED the entire distance we constructed, every foot from Chengdu to Chongqing."

The 500km line first opened on July 1st, 1952.

SUN YISUN CHENGDU-CHONGQING RAILWAY CONSTRUCTOR IN 1950S "We were so excited. 100,000 people from all over the area were there. The locals who got on the first trains with us, they were touching this and then touching that— they had never seen a train before."

For the next few decades, the line became the go-to choice for those going between the two megacities, kick-starting a phase of economic growth along the line. A full ride took more than 11 hours.

SUN YE CHENGDU-CHONGQING HIGH-SPEED BULLET TRAIN "In 2015, the highspeed bullet train railway opened between Chengdu and Chongqing, a ride on the bullet train now takes just a little over an hour."

Lan Dong has been driving the bullet train ever since its trial runs. The high-speed railway has transported more than 50 million people in the last three years.

LAN DONG CHENGDU-CHONGQING HIGH-SPEED BULLET TRAIN DRIVER "The most important thing is to stay 100 percent focused the entire way. It's a busy route. We drivers bear the responsibility of the thousands on board, and WE are accountable for their safety."

The high-speed railway is now the new go-to-choice for locals. While the older line still works on a slower pace.

SUN YISUN CHENGDU-CHONGQING RAILWAY CONSTRUCTOR IN 1950S "I've taken the high-speed train. It's like stepping into a new era."

And both Sun and driver Lan Dong say, the railways WILL go on to be better and faster. SY, CGTN, CHENGDU.