High-speed rail in China

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Contents

[edit] Railways Currently Operational

[edit] Maglev Train

Transrapid maglev train in Shanghai, PRC. At MOR (maximum operational speed) of 431 km/hr (267mph), the Shanghai maglev is the world's fastest commercial train.
Transrapid maglev train in Shanghai, PRC. At MOR (maximum operational speed) of 431 km/hr (267mph), the Shanghai maglev is the world's fastest commercial train.

Shanghai Maglev Train, a turnkey Transrapid maglev project imported from Germany, is capable of an top operational speed (MOR) of 430 km/h and of a top non-commercial speed of 501 km/h, has connected Shanghai Longyang Road Station and Shanghai Pudong International Airport since March, 2004. It is the first, fastest, and largest commercial operation of a maglev. However, it has not been without its problems, as it has caught fire. The line has plans to be extended.

[edit] Updated conventional railways

China's maximum operating speed (MOR) is currently 160 km/h on conventional railways, set by law. However, some passenger rail services are currently being upgraded to 200km/h for CRH and heavy-haul freight transportation is at MOR of 120km/h. This law is scheduled to be extended to 200 km/h in April 2007 if all goes well[1] Some of these railways are planned to eventually reach high speed rail status.

In 2007, CRH's service covers the main cities in the east on the updated conventional tracks. This by no means implies maximum speed usage throughout the network, however, some parts such as Guangzhou-Shenzhen regularly operate at the top speed. Beijing-Shanghai, Beijing-Shenyang, Beijing-Changchun, Beijing-Harbin, Beijing-Tianjin, Beijing-Qingdao, Beijing-Jinan, Beijing-Shijiazhuang, Beijing-Zhengzhou, Beijing-Wuhan, Shanghai-Nanjing, Shanghai-Changzhou, Shanghai-Wuxi, Shanghai-Suzhou, Shanghai-Hangzhou, Shanghai-Yiwu, Shanghai-Nanchang, Shanghai-Changsha, Shanghai-Zhengzhou, Shanghai-Qingdao, Nanjing-Hangzhou, Zhengzhou-Wuhan, Wuhan-Changsha, Changsha-Nanchang, Guangzhou-Shenzhen, Xi'an-Baoji.

[edit] Railways in Development

[edit] China Railways High-speed

China Railways Highspeed (CRH) (中国铁路高速) is a term used to denote the high speed portions of railways and the trains run on them by China Railways. Any high speed railway in China whether or not run by China Railways is referred to by the term (中国高速铁路), which means China High-Speed Railway. The system will run different trainsets, the designs of which all are imported from other nations, CR1 to CR5. Some of the trainsets will be manufactured locally through technology transfer, a key requirement for China. The signalling, track and support structures, control software, station design seems to be developed domestically with foreign elements as well, so the system as a whole could be called Chinese. This may be a double edged sword for China, as Taiwan has regretted not importing a full system from Japan, requiring extensive testing due to safety and operational concerns, China may eventually suffer from taking bits and pieces from several incompatible systems and nations.[1]

The CRH-1 thru CRH-5 refer to a series of electric multiple unit (trainsets) in China. CRH are intended to provide fast and convenient travel between cities.

In 2006, China has revealed a modified version (CRH2)of the Japanese Shinkansen E2-1000 series, it has been confirmed that an order of 60 8-car sets has been acquired in 2004, with no public announcement at the time.

CRH1, CRH2, CRH5 are designed for maximum operating speed (MOR) of 200km/h, and design test speed of 250km/h. In reality, design test speed is of little consequence as maintainance, comfort, cost, and safety are critical factors, some French TGV's have design test speeds of over 570 km/h.[2] CRH3 and CRH2 designs have an MOR of 300km/h, the fastest current in-service speed (or MOR) for railed trains, TGV Est (Paris-Strasbourg) will have operational speed of 320 kph in 2007, and Spanish AVE Madrid - Barcelona will have a MOR of 350 kph when it opens in 2008.

[edit] China High-speed Railway Definitions

According to UIC's standard, China's high-speed railway including 4 parts:

  • Passenger Dedicated Line (PDL), synonymous as High-speed Rail. For some political reasons, people call it PDL to replace High-speed Rail. As a whole PDL net,four east-west lines and four south-north lines, total 7000km project is on the plan which is the bigggest network of High-speed Rail on the world. There are two levels of PDL in China:
    • 200~250km/h, exactly, this level is not PDL only, it is for both passengers and freight. But for the reasons hereinabove, it is also called PDL. Mostly, this level is used in the important corridors where no railway exists. Further more, in the long-term plan, once new freight dedicated lines are built in the future, there PDLs are able to update to the maximum speed 300km/h.
    • 350km/h, this is the top high-speed railway in the world. No freight cars can run on this level PDL.
  • Intercity Line, with the maximum speed 200~250km/h, built in Megalopolis.
  • Updated conventional railways, some of the main lines of conventional tracks are already updated to the maximum speed 200km/h, at least three sections are capable to the maximum speed 250km/h.
  • Some other similar levels rail which doesn't under the name of Passenger Dedicated Line (PDL), these railways are for both passengers and freight with standard 200~250km/h, which are not included in the long-term PDL plan.

[edit] Passenger Dedicated Line Network

PDL is a high speed rail network in China, however, it's name is misleading in that some lines are not passenger only.

No rail line in China (Maglev doesn't have rails) is currently in operation above speeds dictated by Chinese law, currently 160 km/h. China is planning to change the law to 200kph in April, 2007 if all goes well. All of the following are currently being prepared for high speed rail service at 200 kph or above. Most lines will start high speed rail MOR at 200 kph, limited by trainsets (or EMU) MOR, and national law, and over time increasing up to maximum track design as denoted below.

4 south-north lines: (PDL)

4 east-west lines (PDL)

These 8 Lines total 7000 km.

The construction schedule for lines (not necessarily operation) is as follows:

Once tracks and lines are ready, testing phase begins, and need to be completed before commercial operation at which maximum operating speeds will be limited by the combination of national law, EMU design, and track design.

Besides those line under construction, the lines follows are at the preparation stage to construction:

[edit] Intercity Line

Intercity Lines are express services between major cities, with the maximum speed (MOR) of200~250km/h. Some utilize part or parts of the PDL network, others have dedicated lines.

Among these, Beijing-Tianjin Line , Changchun-Jilin, Nanchang-Jiujiang, Guangzhou-Zhuhai are under construction. Shanghai-Nanjing, Nanjing-Anqing, Nanjing-Hangzhou, Mianyang-Chengdu, Haikou-Sanya are at the preparation stage to construction.

[edit] Other express rail outside PDL network

There are several such railways being built with the same standard of 200~250km/h level PDL for both passengers and freight which are newly planned outside the PDL network.

[edit] Additional Maglev Lines

In the year 2006, prolongation project of maglev was approved by Central Government. This project will link from Shanghai Longyang Road Stantion through Shanghai South Railway Station to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, together with a length of 160 km from Shanghai South Railway Station to Hangzhou East Railway Station (Shanghai-Hangzhou maglev line).

However, big debate is raised whether Chinese people really need this expensive transportation. Obstacle also comes from Germany, whether they can transfer enough technology to China. So far, only the project from Longyang Road Station to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to link two airports in Shanghai is progress, the project to link Hangzhou is at stagnation.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ [http://english.people.com.cn/200610/11/eng20061011_310594.html


High-speed rail
v • d • e

High-speed trains: Acela Express • AVE • InterCityExpress • JR-Maglev MLX01 • HST • HSR-350x • Pendolino • Shinkansen • TGV • Transrapid • Treno Alta Velocità • X2000
High-speed lines: Beijing-Tianjin • CTRL (London-Channel Tunnel) • Cologne-Aachen
Cologne-Frankfurt • French LGV lines • Hanover-Würzburg • Northeast Corridor (Boston-Washington DC)
Nuremberg-Ingolstadt • HSL 1 (Brussels-Paris) • HSL 2 (Leuven-Ans) • HSL 3 (Liège-Aachen)
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