Sunday, August 31, 2008

On a light and fast note… China sets sights on rail record


China will produce the world's fastest bullet train for the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, a senior railway official said. The domestically developed train will run at 380 kph, the fastest speed for any railway in the world.

China will produce the world's fastest bullet train for the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, a senior railway official said. The domestically developed train will run at 380 kph, the fastest speed for any railway in the world.

Previously, China planned to run trains at 350 kph on the 1,318-km Beijing-Shanghai line, the same speed as on the Beijing-Tianjin intercity passenger railway that opened a month ago.
And the travel time is estimated at five hours, about half of the current time. Manufacturing 380-kph trains in China is already possible in terms of technology.

China has established a comprehensive system for bullet train manufacturing, including basic theory, design, manufacture, maintenance and appraisal, he said.

Construction of the railway is progressing smoothly. It is likely that the high-speed line can be finished within four years, and become operational in 2012, one year ahead of schedule.

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