A train conductor from Northeast China has become a social media sensation after posting amusing and informative videos of herself online explaining the workings of the nation's impressive rail network.

Li Xin, 32, serves as chief conductor on the high-speed route between Jilin city in Jilin province and Shanghai, and has gained recognition for rapping about how the sheets on the trains are cleaned, posting about how to arrange ticket transfers, and even explaining how the onboard toilet works.

Her videos, posted under the user name Tie Xinran, have attracted more than 50,000 followers on the short-video app Douyin.

Part of Li's charm is her earthy Northeast China dialect, her exaggerated gestures and catchy rhymes.

"They say the sheets are dirty, I say, 'Bro, just follow me!' See how they sparkle on the line, clean as clean can be!" she raps in one video that takes viewers inside a laundry facility.

Another video showcases an iconic slow, "green-skin" train that was once ubiquitous nationwide, traveling from Changchun to Haikou, Hainan province — a favorite route among elderly vacationers who'd spend winters in tropical Hainan. The video has been liked over 100,000 times.

Li graduated from the then Jilin Railway Technology College in 2015 and started working on passenger trains soon after. When she began experimenting with short videos on Douyin last year, her employer took notice.

The Changchun passenger transport section Party committee of China Railway Shenyang Group assigned Li a small team, bought professional filming equipment and provided office space for the team.

The group includes a writer, a camera operator and an editor, all rail staff working in their spare time.

Before that, Li had been filming mostly with help from her mother.

"Sometimes my mom would ride the train just to film me with the camera. I had no clear direction about the content. There are many railway content creators online, but I didn't want to copy anyone," said Li.

"At first, I struggled with the format and content, and progress was slow. But after reaching out and brainstorming with the media department of my company, things started to come together."

Her team now produces up to four videos a week. Li continues to work her full three days on, three days off rotation as a conductor, filming and editing on her days off.

"I just love it. On my rest days, editing short videos feels like play. It's tiring but interesting," she said.

Li's content is closely tied to what passengers actually need. For student travelers, she makes guides on buying discounted tickets. Before holidays, she focuses on elderly travelers, explaining how to request wheelchairs, book accompanying services or find space for large suitcases.

She uses rap to make routine rules more engaging, while delivering new policies with clear, direct communication.

"The real meaning comes from knowing that the tips and facts I share are put to good use by passengers. It validates my personal worth, not just when I'm on duty, but even during my downtime. That ability to consistently add value is the real shift in how I see myself," Li said.

Passengers have even recognized her on trains, saying, "I saw your videos. Now I know how to do a transfer."

Beyond practical tips, Li has also used her platform to promote small villages along little-known rail routes, including rural villages in Jilin that have been developing agriculture and tourism.

"A village official told me that after I made videos, more tourists started coming in. That made me feel so valuable, like I'm contributing something real to society," she said. "'Revitalizing the Northeast' might sound like a big slogan. For me, I just want more people to understand and love this region."

Li describes herself as someone who cannot sit still. "If I stayed home all day doing nothing, I'd feel like I'm wasting time. I have a high need for meaning," she said, noting her team sometimes works past midnight when inspiration strikes. "We research, we brainstorm. Sometimes we are too excited to sleep a wink."

Her conductor colleagues have also become enthusiastic supporters. "They'll say, 'help me make a video on how to use the train toilet or how to properly store a piece of luggage'."

Li is clear about her mission.

"My goal is to keep serving as a train conductor both online and offline, sharing tips that actually help, and adding a bit of ease and joy for passengers through my videos," she said.

"More than that, I hope my railway stories inspire people to see Northeast China through trains …and to fall in love with it."

lihongyang@chinadaily.com.cn