Zhan Tianyou (詹天佑), also known as Jeme Tien Yow, was a pioneering Chinese railroad engineer who lived from 1861 to 1919. He is celebrated as the "Father of China's Railroad" for his contributions to designing and building railroads in China, and is especially known for leading the construction of the Peking-Kalgan Railway (Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway), the first railway constructed in China without foreign assistance.

• Born in Namhoi (now Nanhai), Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on April 26, 1861.
• In 1872, at age 12, he was selected to be part of the Chinese Educational Mission to the United States.
• Studied in Connecticut, attended Hillhouse High School, and in 1878, was admitted to Yale University's Sheffield Scientific School.
• Majored in Civil Engineering with a focus on railroad construction, earning a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1881.
• Was fortunate to complete his degree before the Qing government recalled students from the United States.

• Upon returning to China, he faced underutilization of his skills due to the Qing government's skepticism toward foreign-educated students.
• Initially assigned to the Foochow Arsenal and later became an intern engineer for the construction of the Kaiping Railway (later the Peking Mukden Line) under British engineer Claude W. Kinder in 1888.
• Quickly rose through the ranks to become an engineer and then a district engineer, gaining valuable experience.

• In 1905, the Qing government decided to build a strategically important railway linking Peking (Beijing) to Kalgan (Zhangjiakou) without foreign assistance, appointing Zhan Tianyou as chief engineer.
• Despite skepticism, Zhan completed the railway two years ahead of schedule and under budget.
• Overcame the steep gradient near Qinglongqiao Railway Station by designing a zig-zag section.
• Accelerated the excavation of the Badaling railway tunnel by employing the "shaft construction method," drilling vertical shafts to increase the number of working teams.

• Served as a technical advisor for the construction of the Lo Wu Bridge on the Kowloon-Canton Railway in 1906.
• Elected as a member of the North British Academy of Arts in 1909 and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
• A founding member of the Chinese Institute of Engineers, later serving as chairman.
• Awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Hong Kong in 1916.

• Zhan Tianyou died in Hankou, Hubei Province, on April 24, 1919, at the age of 57.
• Buried at Qinglongqiao Railway Station.
• The Zhan Tianyou Museum was established near Badaling to commemorate his achievements.
• Remembered as a national hero and an icon in Chinese railway history.

• Located near the Badaling Great Wall.
• Features exhibits about his life, achievements, and contributions to Chinese railway history.
• Displays include mapping instruments, drawing papers, books, manuscripts, medals, and proposal plans.
• Includes photos and models related to his life and early railway construction in China.
• A large-scale granite relief outside the museum highlights Zhan Tianyou's portrait and his contributions.

• Proposed the adoption of standard gauge and Janney couplers for all Chinese railroads.

• His work on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Line has inspired engineers and workers.
• He is considered the spiritual father of modern Chinese engineering marvels in rail infrastructure.

• The first commercial railway was the Woosung Railway, built by the British in 1876, but later dismantled by the Qing government.
• The Qing government was initially hostile to railway construction, granting concessions to foreign powers starting in 1895.
• By 1911, about 9,000 km of railroads were built, mostly by foreign companies.

• Railway development slowed due to civil wars and the Japanese invasion.
• In 1937, the Qiantang River Bridge, the first two-tier highway and railway bridge designed and built by China itself, was completed but later bombed to prevent Japanese attack.

• The new government invested heavily in the railway network for industrialization and military logistics.
• Lines were expanded, especially in western China.
• Steam engines were gradually replaced by diesel and electric locomotives.

• Significant railway expansion and technological advancements have occurred since the 1990s.
• China has built the world's longest high-speed rail (HSR) network.
• The railway network aims to connect all cities with a population of over 200,000 by rail and over 500,000 by high-speed rail by 2035.

• The railway sector is operated by the China State Railway Group Company, Limited, a state-owned company.
• Railways are categorized into national, local, and designated railways.