On November 4 at around 6 p.m., dusk gently colored the land of northern Sichuan. The Guangyuan South Station, operated by China Railway Chengdu Group, handled a record 19,316 freight cars that day. "During peak periods, daily freight car processing can exceed 20,000," said Zhang Yu, deputy section chief of the station.

As a crucial rail freight hub connecting northwest and north China for Chengdu Group, Guangyuan South Station links northward to Yangmu Station (Lanzhou Group) and Ranjiahe Station (Xi'an Group), while its southern routes via the Baoji-Chengdu and Lanzhou-Chongqing lines connect to the Chengdu hub. Handling traffic from two boundary junctions, it is dubbed the "Pocket Hub." "The station is like a massive pocket, accommodating trains from all directions," explained Wan Du, stationmaster of Guangyuan South.

Amid the ongoing 100-day campaign for passenger and freight transport efficiency, Guangyuan South has maintained high traffic volumes. On that day, duty officer Tang Kunhao managed three tasks simultaneously within 15 minutes—receiving a Lanzhou Group train, coordinating brake repairs, and notifying the locomotive crew. With a phone in one hand and a walkie-talkie in the other, he affirmed, "Year-end is approaching—we’re pushing full throttle!"

The signal tower serves as Guangyuan South’s "nerve center." Nine arrival-departure tracks, 15 shunting tracks, and six freight lines, along with boundary junction coordination, rely on precise control by dispatchers. To optimize the "Pocket Hub," the station implements a "dual-operator + accountability loop" system. The lead dispatcher focuses on train movements and coordination, while the deputy monitors tracks and shunting progress to prevent errors or delays.

Historically, mismatches between schedules and traffic flows posed challenges. "Heavy trains from one bureau would wait on sections while tracks were held for another bureau’s trains—static plans struggled with dynamic demand," recalled Wan Du.

To address this, Guangyuan’s rail section formed a task force, analyzing 3,000+ cross-bureau train datasets to develop a "3-hour dynamic staging plan." Daily plans are split into eight adjustable units, with hourly coordination with Xi'an and Lanzhou dispatchers, plus fixed track zones. This year, plan fulfillment surged from 90% to 98.6%, shifting from "waiting for trains" to "calculating their flow."

Cross-bureau coordination hurdles also hindered operations. "Differing haulage standards—4,000 tons for Lanzhou, 4,500 for Chengdu, 2,600 for Baoji—often required axle adjustments. Lanzhou’s maintenance window (10 a.m.–1 p.m.) clashed with our peak, demanding constant communication," noted Zhang Yu. In late 2024, Chengdu and Lanzhou Groups established a cooperation mechanism to resolve boundary issues, followed by a "unified strategy" pact with Xi'an Group in August this year.

Late on November 4, lights burned bright at Guangyuan’s office as Zhang Yu reflected: "Smooth operations at Guangyuan South stem from ironing out operational wrinkles—aligning time with space, and individual efforts with teamwork. Every ounce of precision cuts delays; every bit of collaboration keeps junctions flowing."

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