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In recent years, China has laid almost 10,000 kilometers of HSR track, investing billions of yuan in a state of the art train network. And they're not stopping there as Chinese authorities aim to build more than 13,000 kilometers of high-speed lines by 2012 and 16,000 kilometers by 2020.
As a result, China is now producing fast trains that are comfortable and come with eye popping architecture. Let's first take a look at the trains themselves. From skyscrapercity.com...
(Posted by clkgtr)
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Leading-edge BOMBARDIER ZEFIRO technology to feature maximum operating speeds of 380 kph
Bombardier Transportation announced today that its Chinese joint venture, Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation Ltd., has been selected by the Chinese Ministry of Railways (MOR) to supply 80 ZEFIRO 380 very high speed trains (1,120 cars) for the country’s rapidly growing high speed rail network. The contract, including 20 eight-car trainsets and 60 sixteen-car trainsets, is valued at an estimated 27.4 billion Chinese Renminbis ($4 billion US, 2.7 billion euros).[1] Bombardier’s share of the contract is estimated at 13.5 billion Chinese Renminbis, ($2 billion US, 1.3 billion euros). The first train is scheduled for delivery in 2012 with final deliveries expected in 2014.
The new trainsets will be an integral part of an evolving high speed rail capability in China, which is developing more than 6,000 km of new high speed lines to create one of the most advanced high speed rail networks in the world. The trains, with maximum operating speeds of 380 kph, are based on Bombardier’s next-generation ZEFIRO high speed rail technology, and powered by a highly energy efficient BOMBARDIER MITRAC propulsion and control system.
The ZEFIRO 380 trainsets will also incorporate Bombardier’s advanced ECO4 energy saving technologies to create best-in-class energy and operating efficiencies. Bombardier launched its ECO4 technology package in 2008 as part of an ongoing focus to extend rail’s position as the most sustainable form of transportation in the world. Bombardier is first in the industry to create a new formula for total train performance with a portfolio that can create substantial overall energy savings of up to 50%.
The ZEFIRO 380 trains will be manufactured at Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation production facilities in Qingdao, China. Engineering will take place in Qingdao and at Bombardier centers in Europe with project management and components provided from sites in Europe and China.
Established in 1998, Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation Ltd. is a joint venture between Bombardier and CSR Sifang Locomotive and Rolling Stock Ltd. dedicated to supplying passenger rail rolling stock for China. It has delivered over 1,000 passenger rail cars into China since its inception, including a range of high speed trains and high-grade passenger coaches.
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Here are some more high speed rail cars developed by the Chinese...
(most pictures taken from: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=174030)
Now let's take a look at the high speed rail stations the Chinese have built for their high speed rail system...
Smaller Stations-
Yanchen Station:
Yan An Station:
Yantai Station:
Huaihua Station:
Chifeng Station:
Yiwu Station:
Zhangjiajie Station:
Wuchang Station:
Lhasa Station:
Larger Stations:
Beijing West:
New Suzhou Central Station
Wuhan:
Fuzhou:
Beijing North renovation:
Qingdao:
Chengdu:
Nanjing South:
Guangzhou:
Shanghai West
Shenzhen North Station
New Dalian Station
Tianjin West Station.
Nanjing
Suzhou
Suzhou Industrial Park station
Wuxi
Changzhou
Danyang
Zhenjiang
The massive Hongqiao Traffic Hub (maglev, metro, HSR, airport) in Shanghai:
Guiyang new railway station.
Changsha South railway station
Hengyang East Station, the largest Class II station of the Wuguang PDL
Beijing South
The Chinese have also built some impressive high speed rail infrastructure outside of their stations...
Xixiaoping Tunnel
Taihang Mountain Tunnel West Exit (tunnel 27.839km)
Bridge/tunnel is 60% of total length
North of Yangquan County
Xichengwu Bridge (3.57km)
Driving to the other part of tunnel
Gushan Bridge, the design serves the purpose of not breaking S314 road
Yehe Bridge
Yehe Bridge and Duan Zhuang Tunnel
Kulong Peak Bridge and Miaoling Mount Tunnel
Out of Xiaopo Mount Tunnel
The only low-speed train the new rail
Taiping River Bridge (2.23km)
As a result of all of this investment, the Chinese have created hundreds of thousands of jobs with in their high speed rail manufacturing plants...
When you compare this investment to what we have here in the U.S...
Detroit Amtrak Station
Houston Amtrak Station
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
Houston Amtrak Station
New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
You see why the U.S is no longer leading the world in job creation, manufacturing, or technological innovation. It begs the question: When are we going to stop wasting billions on interstates from the 1950s and start building 21st century infrastructure like the Chinese are with their high speed rail.
Just this past year, China announced that they will be building maglev lines for Beijing which go even faster than traditional high speed rail...
Here in Evansville, we have plenty of room to manufacture high speed rail with a slack water port, we have plenty of room to build a high speed rail station in Downtown Evansville, and we would be saving money while creating jobs by redirecting highway and interstate funds to high speed rail.
We need to say Yes on High Speed Rail!
