China High Speed Rail

[staff]

That'd be awesome, Jaroslaw.

[caveman42]

This is too expensive...

[Jonas]

That looks simply amazing. Judging from those projects China seems to be taking the development of its transport system quite seriously.

[Urban Zombie]

China's high speed trains are some seriously sweet schidtt! I've taken the Shanghai-Nanjing train several times--what once took over four hours has now been reduced to less than two. In fact I'll be on it again next week. I'll try take some pics to complement this thread.

[Jaroslaw]

These are from a section between Fuzhou and Wenzhou, this spring. It was evening and cloudy, thus the photos didn't come out too sharp.

[staff]

Awesome! Thanks!

[R@ptor]

Originally Posted by Urban Zombie®

China's high speed trains are some seriously sweet schidtt! I've taken the Shanghai-Nanjing train several times--what once took over four hours has now been reduced to less than two. In fact I'll be on it again next week. I'll try take some pics to complement this thread.

From Shanghai to Nanjing in less than two hours...that's quite impressive. So what's currently the second fastest rail line in China after Beijing-Tianjin? Is it now Shanghai-Nanjing or still Guangzhou-Shenzhen?

[JDRCRASH]

Man.....what a slum. Thats not fair.

[zilfondel]

Man, is it all elevated? Thats crazy... do they not have earthquakes in China? Although I can certainly see how they can afford to build it over there, as there isn't much in the way in the rural areas.

[Urban Zombie]

As promised, the Shanghai-Nanjing high-speed train:

[staff]

Did you have a nice trip, UZ?

[SnyderBock]

Wow, that many miles of elevated high speed rail must be immensely expensive. The cost of that line, must be simular to the $60 Billion USD cost of the California High Speed rail line from San Fransisco/Bay Area to Los Angeles. It's very impressive!

Is this line all inside one Province? Which Province is undertaking this huge project? Is it nationally backed? If so, what percentage of funds comes from the Chinese government?

[The Chemist]

^^^Based on the banner in this photo...



...this portion of the line is in Fujian province. However, Jaroslaw said it's going all the way to at least Wenzhou, which is in Zhejiang province.

I'm pretty sure that high speed rail construction in China is 100% financed by the Central Government. And given the low labour costs in China, I'd say it'll cost a lot less than any HSR project in the US.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by zilfondel

Man, is it all elevated? Thats crazy... do they not have earthquakes in China? Although I can certainly see how they can afford to build it over there, as there isn't much in the way in the rural areas.

I believe it's elevated because those portions are in river valleys that flood periodically... kind of like how the interstates here in Louisiana are all built on piers through the bayou country.

[Jaroslaw]

In Asia high speed rail is generally elevated. In Japan it seems that only the oldest section, Tokyo-Nagoya-Osaka(?) is not elevated 100%. In Taiwan, the line is entirely off the ground, and includes the longest single elevated section in the world, 200km or something like that. In Korea, also elevated (when not in a tunnel). It's elevated like this mostly to reduce the risk of accidents, I suppose.

[Urban Zombie]

Originally Posted by staff

Did you have a nice trip, UZ?

Not really...I'm not extremely fond of NanJing.

[amor de cosmos]

wtf this is hsr shock & awe:

Page last updated at 14:52 GMT, Wednesday, 9 September 2009 15:52 UK
China unveils high-speed railways
By Shirong Chen
BBC News, China analyst

China has announced plans to build 42 new high-speed railway lines over the next three years.

In a breakthrough, China has developed trains that can run on both high-speed and normal lines, said railway official Zhang Shuguang.

A 500km/h train will be tested by the end of next year, Mr Zhang said.

China will have added 13,000km of high-speed lines by 2012, shortening journey times considerably for the expected seven billion annual passengers.

Journey times from the capital Beijing to most provincial capitals will be as short as seven hours, said Mr Zhang, the Chief Engineer of the Chinese Academy of Railway Sciences.

He revealed the plans at a science and technology conference in the city of Chongqing.

Overcrowding

Four north-south and four east-west links are taking shape across China's vast geography.

Construction on the Beijing-Shanghai line is in its second year. The section from Wuhan in central China to Guangzhou in the south will be completed in December, shortening the journey time to four hours.

Mr Zhang said China's breakthrough in developing trains that can run at high speeds on both normal tracks and specially-laid high-speed lines will greatly enhance the network's efficiency.

Overcrowding is often a problem on Chinese trains, especially during peak periods such as the National Day holidays and the Chinese New Year.

The country is investing heavily to expand its railway system by 2020.

When the high-speed network is completed in 2012, it will be able to carry more than seven billion passengers annually, Mr Zhang said.

By then, the existing system will have been expanded by about 20,000km to more than 110,000km.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8246600.stm

[electricron]

Originally Posted by Jaroslaw

In Asia high speed rail is generally elevated. In Japan it seems that only the oldest section, Tokyo-Nagoya-Osaka(?) is not elevated 100%. In Taiwan, the line is entirely off the ground, and includes the longest single elevated section in the world, 200km or something like that. In Korea, also elevated (when not in a tunnel). It's elevated like this mostly to reduce the risk of accidents, I suppose.

110 or more mph trains have to be grade separated in America too. The biggest gripe from rural Americans in the very high speed rail corridor plans is lost of acres to farming and ranching. At least, that's what happen at the environmental study meetings in Texas over a decade ago. Elevating the tracks, either using viaducts or fills, solves the problem of farmers and ranchers getting to their back 40 acres cut off from the rest of their property by the rail line. That's why California wishes to reuse the existing rail corridors as much as possible, to minimize this lost of access to property. Although California may use more below grade ditches, they will be using above grade viaducts and fills too.

Getting back on topic, that's one very nice looking high speed rail project. Thanks for posting the construction photos.

[amor de cosmos]

China is in negotiations to build a high-speed rail network to India and Europe with trains that capable of running at over 200mph within the next ten years.

The network would eventually carry passengers from London to Beijing and then to Singapore. It would also run to India and Pakistan, according to Wang Mengshu, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a senior consultant on China's domestic high-speed rail project.

A second project would see trains heading north through Russia to Germany and into the European railway system, and a third line will extend south to connect Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia.

Passengers could board a train in London and step off in Beijing, 5,070 miles away as the crow flies, in just two days. They could go on to Singapore, 6,750 miles away, within three days.

"We are aiming for the trains to run almost as fast as aeroplanes," said Mr Wang. "The best case scenario is that the three networks will be completed in a decade," he added.

Mr Wang said that China was already in negotiations with 17 countries over the rail lines, which will draw together and open up the whole of Central, East and South East Asia. Mr Wang said the network would also allow China to transport valuable cargoes of raw materials more efficiently.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...l-network.html

[mfastx]

Originally Posted by amor de cosmos

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...l-network.html

Wow! Now the US needs to learn from China, they have their act together!



BOW DOWN to the commies!