When visitors ask the doorman to the Meilong compound in Xuhui district where they can find the man who makes trains, they will be pointed directly to Lu Jiming's residence. Lu is something of a celebrity in his neighborhood, where everyone is aware of his passion for making passenger-pulling, steam-engine trains.  

"In other people's eyes, I am always busy 'working' in my studio, but for me, it feels more like playing," Shanghai-born Lu told the Global Times. Lu has been making miniature train engines for around 30 years.

Variety of sizes

Having created 12 train engines in a variety of sizes - as large as a five-inch-wide railroad track, to as small as a three-inch-wide track - Lu is proud that all his engines are steam-powered. Every part works like a real engine, such as the boiler, the water-level indicator and the smoke funnel. The number of passengers each train can pull depends on the size of the engine. 

"Before I build a train engine, I just have a pile of steel and iron. And every time I finish another one, I am overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment," he said. "The fun involved in creating these machines is priceless."

Lu's first-ever steam engine, which has now been purchased by a collector, took the 59-year-old about five years to build. The process includes initial sketches, figuring out the mechanics, preparing the necessary materials and finally building by hand. And in order to make an engine as accurately as possible, Lu researches a lot of reference materials and examines real trains at railway stations. Sometimes, when encountering technical problems, Lu will consult professional mechanical engineers. "But once I start putting the engine together, I find that any problems can be gradually solved by myself."

Lu's roughly 10-square-meter studio was formerly the patio of his ground-floor apartment. Inside the room is a lathe and an assembly table. Each day Lu spends about 7 to 8 hours here, a place he describes as a "paradise of fun."

All the metal parts for the engine are bought or handmade by Lu from scratch, and the expense involved is not inconsiderable. "Once I begin building, I will pay whatever needs to be paid. At first I had to use my own money, but now I am able to use the money I have earned from selling other engines."

Dream job

Now retired, Lu spends all his time working on engines. He said that he has had a passion for trains since he was a young child when he would take toy models apart to see how they worked. 

"I was also curious as to how a human voice could be 'contained' in a small box, so I used to dismantle wireless radios as well," he said. According to Lu, it was commonplace for people of his generation to mend mechanical objects that had stopped working, rather than simply buying a new one as most people do today.

As a student, Lu's dream job was a train driver. However, at that time, jobs for high school graduates were assigned by the State which meant the individual had no say in their future career. Lu was employed by a State-owned company working in logistic services and purchasing departments, a role that was completely unrelated to mechanical design and manufacture. "My dream of being a train driver stayed with me, and I realized I could make my own train once I had some economic security," he said.

Among Lu's other novel creations is a mini Chinese corn popper, commonly seen on the streets of Shanghai many years ago. It was named the "smallest puffed rice machine in China" in 2009 by China Records Headquarters, an organization set up to appreciate "stunts, unique skills and rare objects."

This was his eighth attempt at making such a corn popper, and he admits that some of the early prototypes didn't turn out as planned. "When I would test the early mini poppers, my room would end up splashed with popcorn!" Lu said.

Vivid understanding

Lu said he wants to give people a more vivid, direct understanding of steam-powered machinery.

In his spare time, Lu brings his engines, complete with seating for passengers, to communities outside his own compound. Lu naturally drives the train himself, while putting pieces of coal into the boiler, and adding water to the water tank. "My greatest satisfaction comes from the approving looks of passers-by," he said.

Lu is also keen to educate the younger generation about the wonders of steam-powered machinery.

"I want youngsters, who were born in the era of airplanes and high-speed railways, to know the important role that steam machines played in the evolution of industrialization," he said.

Lu is planning to manufacture a steam-powered bicycle in the near future. "No matter how many wheels a steam-powered machine has, I can make it!" he said.