#alternate alternate Mail Online Search publisher Mail Online News RSS feed Latest News Stories RSS feed MailOnline - news, sport, celebrity, science and health stories [USEMAP:gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw== ] * Home * News * U.S. * Sport * TV&Showbiz * Australia * Femail * Health * Science * Money * Video * Travel * DailyMailTV * Discounts + TUI + Boohoo + Groupon + Argos + Very + First Choice + Travelodge + Debenhams + Nike + John Lewis + Currys + River Island + My Profile + Logout + Login * Latest Headlines * UK Election 2019 * Royal Family * Prince Andrew * News * World News * Arts * Headlines * France * Most read * Wires * My Profile * Logout * Login [DailyMail.png] Tuesday, Jan 7th 2020 1PM 9°C 4PM 9°C 5-Day Forecast Advertisement show ad Dirty and dangerous: Bullet train caked in grime after a journey shows the extent of China’s notorious smog problems * Images showing dirty trains in China have been widely shared on Chinese social media on January 4 * The original images prompted people to share their own images of dusty trains in northern China * This comes just as China issued a red smog alert for the entire country as it continues to battle pollution By Sophie Williams For Mailonline Published: 17:00 GMT, 5 January 2017 | Updated: 18:15 GMT, 5 January 2017 * * * * * * e-mail * 44 shares 10 View comments Advertisement Photos of dirty trains in China have been widely shared on Chinese social media as smog continues to blanket the country. The original images were taken by a photographer from The Economic Daily newspaper however the images prompted many people to post their photos of dust covered trains to Chinese social media. The response has prompted officials to reply to the questions on how the trains managed to be covered in so much dust. After travelling through northern China After travelling through northern China During the cleanup operation During the cleanup operation Two sides: Pictures show a train completely covered in dirt before it is then cleaned by a member of staff Needs a clean up: Fingermarks can be clearly seen as a member of staff wipes the side of the train with his hand Needs a clean up: Fingermarks can be clearly seen as a member of staff wipes the side of the train with his hand Needs a clean up: Fingermarks can be clearly seen as a member of staff wipes the side of the train with his hand Getting the dust away: A Chinese worker cleans a high-speed train at a maintenance station in Beijing, China Getting the dust away: A Chinese worker cleans a high-speed train at a maintenance station in Beijing, China Getting the dust away: A Chinese worker cleans a high-speed train at a maintenance station in Beijing, China RELATED ARTICLES * Previous * 1 * Next * [3BDD821500000578-0-image-m-17_1483626464066.jpg] PICTURED: 'Drunk' pilot found 'slumped over in the cockpit... [3BDECBD700000578-0-image-m-32_1483621653668.jpg] Headmistress threatens to FINE primary school parents by... [3BDF37E500000578-0-image-a-21_1483627298681.jpg] Tucker Carlson to replace Megyn Kelly at Fox News, taking... [3BDD18BF00000578-0-image-a-44_1483615246351.jpg] What a sinking feeling! Woman drives her brand new car into... [3BDDE92700000578-0-image-m-45_1483620554233.jpg] Wife is found dead on her 53rd birthday after she was 'shot... [3BDF7BA000000578-0-image-m-78_1483650373873.jpg] BREAKING NEWS: Horror in Turkey as two die in huge car bomb... Share this article Share 44 shares A photographer from The Economic Daily newspaper took the images while travelling from Shanghai to Beijing on Wednesday. The majority of this journey went through the current red smog alert zone. China's high-speed trains travel at their highest speed at 300km an hour. The journey between the two cities takes around five hours on average. The images prompted people online to post their own images of filthy trains travelling through northern China. This comes just after China released a nationwide red smog pollution warning with visibility in some areas down to just 160 feet. In the middle: A high-speed bullet train is covered in dirt due to heavy smog after travelling through smoggy areas In the middle: A high-speed bullet train is covered in dirt due to heavy smog after travelling through smoggy areas In the middle: A high-speed bullet train is covered in dirt due to heavy smog after travelling through smoggy areas The images prompted people online to post their own images of filthy trains travelling through northern China The images prompted people online to post their own images of filthy trains travelling through northern China The images prompted people online to post their own images of filthy trains travelling through northern China Working hard: A Chinese worker cleans a Chinese high-speed train covered in dirt due to heavy smog Working hard: A Chinese worker cleans a Chinese high-speed train covered in dirt due to heavy smog Working hard: A Chinese worker cleans a Chinese high-speed train covered in dirt due to heavy smog Air pollution: The recent smog is both dense and moist meaning that the trains are becoming blanketed in the dust Air pollution: The recent smog is both dense and moist meaning that the trains are becoming blanketed in the dust Air pollution: The recent smog is both dense and moist meaning that the trains are becoming blanketed in the dust Officials have responded to the viral post in a report by the People's Daily Online. A mechanic from Beijing Railway Bureau told Beijing Youth Daily that there are trains with eight or sixteen cars. Every day the trains are sent to the train garages for cleaning. A cleaner is responsible for cleaning two to three train cars. The mechanic said: 'It takes half an hour to clean the train. But this time the smog made cleaning difficult and we have to spend more time.' Another member of railway staff added that the trains would be particularly dirty during the early morning and late at night as its more foggy during those times. Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, said at an interview with Beijing Youth Daily that the smog consists of aerosol particles, which would swell after they absorbed the moisture. As the recent smog is both dense and moist, if the trains had to travel a long journey through the area blanketed by smog, pollutants would stick on to the trains and they would get dirty. Many people have commented on the pictures on social media site Weibo. One user commented: 'The trains look like that now. How about our lungs?' While another wrote: 'The officials might regret producing white trains.' And one user said: 'Trains can be washed but not our lungs.' Chinese workers clean a China Railway High-Speed train that has been coated in thick heavy smog Chinese workers clean a China Railway High-Speed train that has been coated in thick heavy smog Chinese workers clean a China Railway High-Speed train that has been coated in thick heavy smog It comes after China released a nationwide red smog pollution warning with visibility in some areas down to just 160 feet It comes after China released a nationwide red smog pollution warning with visibility in some areas down to just 160 feet It comes after China released a nationwide red smog pollution warning with visibility in some areas down to just 160 feet Need a bigger mop: Chinese workers team up together to clean the top of a high-speed rail carriage in Beijing Need a bigger mop: Chinese workers team up together to clean the top of a high-speed rail carriage in Beijing Need a bigger mop: Chinese workers team up together to clean the top of a high-speed rail carriage in Beijing Advertisement Read more: * People's Daily Online * Sina Visitor System Share or comment on this article: Bullet train caked in grime after journey shows extent of China’s smog * * * * * * e-mail * * 44 shares Most watched News videos * Moment plane's landing gear sparks with flames and detaches itself * Mother of British teen in gang rape case says she is 'suffering' * Hezbollah leader says retaliation should not target American civilians * Man in Gateshead chews parking ticket before hurling it at warden * Buddhist monk distracted by cat during five-hour prayers * Britain's worst serial rapist prowls streets for victims on CCTV * Thousands take part in funeral procession for General Soleimani * Piers Morgan rants about vegans and bees on Good Morning Britain * Ricky Gervais makes controversial joke about Jeffrey Epstein * Soleimani's replacement vows revenge for US killing * Traffic police signal in sync with Pump It Up playing on the radio * Massive crowds gather as the body of Soleimani arrives for funeral More top stories NEW ARTICLESHomeTop Share * Back to top * Home * News * U.S. * Sport * TV&Showbiz * Australia * Femail * Health * Science * Money * Video * Travel * DailyMailTV * Discounts Sitemap Archive Video Archive Topics Index Mobile Apps Screensaver RSS Text-based site Reader Prints Our Papers Top of page Daily Mail Mail on Sunday This is Money Metro Newzit Mail Travel Zoopla.co.uk Prime Location Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group dmg media Contact us How to complain Leadership Team Advertise with us Contributors Terms Do not sell my info Privacy policy & cookies Cookie regulation logo Advertisement Advertisement