China HSR News And Information: Original Translation

[AndrewJin]

Railway stations from the sky - II

Xining Station
Xining City, Qinghai Province, Northwest China
Open: 2014

Qinghai-Tibet railway
Lanzhou-Urumqi High-speed Railway

Last time I was there, the entire old one had been demolished and all trains were moved to a temporary station.
Glad to see such a well designed transport complex.
But subway has not yet been open.
One of the best designed communal spaces around the station.

I can easily imagine how crowded at night this square will be.....

West direction, to Lhasa or Urumqi/Hexi Corridor
Dunno why the river in front of the station was covered by concrete
From the news it said it is a river project undergoing....
Maybe also about subway construction?

East direction, Lanzhou/Xi'an
The main long-distance coach station is well connected.
Some stations put long-distance bus stations at the other side of the road, that will be a bad design if the square is pretty big....

move to a smaller one
-----------------------------

Tieling Station
Liaoning Proince, Northeast China
First built in 1900
Rebuilt 1993
Upgraded in 2011

Beijing-Harbin Railway
Tieling West is for the new Beijing-Harbin HSR

Not sure what the upgrading project was about...
It does not look like an upgraded one....
Maybe bigger waiting rooms?

The square and park in them middle of the main road look good though.....
Lots of aunties can be seen......

A medium-size one
--------------------------
Xiamen Station
Open in 1950s, completely rebuilt and reopen in 2015

Yingtan-Xiamen Railway
Railway link to Xiamen North HSR Station

A dead-end station for both slow trains and bullet trains

It looks like a miracle to manage building a transport hub surrounded by high-rises in the very downtown of Xiamen.
Link to BRT Line 1-3 and subway, long-distance station.
A multi-level parking building is a plus.

Very compact design, most transport activities happen underground......
But....wtf with the preserved 3 lanes for pick-off/up if there are roads directly to under the station....
Can cause lots of traffic problems.....

Start the new series, it will be interesting to view railway stations from the sky.
Each station has its own design strategies,
also how it is intergrated into the transport hub can be some good and bad lessons.

Railway stations from the sky - I

Suzhou Railway Station
Suzhou City, Eastern China
Shanghai-Beijing Railway
Nanjing-Shanghai Intercity HSR

it was rebuilt on the original site, well connected with subways and bus.
But the problem is that the surrounding downtown is too busy, there can be easily traffic jams.
The bus tunnel and underground bus stations is a great design though.

West direction, to Nanjing/Beijing
View attachment 518725

View attachment 518726

East direction, to Shanghai/Kunshun
View attachment 518727

South entrance.
It would be better if there is an underground pedestrian tunnel direcly to the city wall and city tower.
View attachment 518731

Another angle from south to north.
This again proves a pedestrian tunnel will be a great boost for tourists.
View attachment 518732



Move to a smaller standard HSR station
----------------------------------
Tongxiang Railway Station
Tongxiang County-level City (belong to Jiaxing City), Zhejiang Province
Shanghai-Hangzhou HSR

I hate such design.
Too much walking from waiting hall to platforms.
All new stations should have waiting space directly above platforms....
Not sure why they did this since Tongxiang is an ultra rich city....
View attachment 518735

Also the road entrance to the square can be easily congested in peak time.....
View attachment 518736


Lastly, an older one built decades ago
------------------------------------
Taiyuan Station
Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, Northern China

Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan HSR
Datong-Xi'an HSR
Taiyuan-Yinchuan Railway
Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan Railway
Taiyuan-Jiaozuo Railway
etc

Nothing to say about the pre-1980s style, a different grand feeling.
Platforms have been rebuilt to accommodate bullet trains.

View attachment 518749

It's great they rebuilt the square to include some green.
Nice place for aunties at night.....
View attachment 518750

But wtf with this V-design?
Looks terrible for driving
View attachment 518748

this loco looks very close to our Indian WAP 4 class (5000 HP) Passenger class loco both in shaping and Livery.
View attachment 519199

The magic of red!

 

[Realtalk108]

The new Chongqing-Lanzhou?

Yup. The new one.

 

[Adam WANG SHANGHAI MEGA]

The track laying of China's Germu-Korla Railway (Germu City, Qinghai Province - Korla City, Xinjiang Province) has reached the
A-erh-chin Mountains in the Xinjiang section.
格库铁路新疆段铺轨抵达阿尔金山

On November 13, 2018, the bridge erecting machine was working on the girders on the Kuruke Sayit Bridge under the A-erh-chin Mountains. The track-laying project of the Xinjiang section of the grid (Korla City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region), which was built by China Railway First Bureau Group Co., Ltd., has completed 487 kilometers of track laying on the main line and has arrived in A-erh-chin Mountains.

The total length of the Germu-Korla Railway is 1213.7 kilometers (including 717 kilometers in Xinjiang), which is the third major railway route in Xinjiang. (Chen Jianfei / People Pictures)

 

[AndrewJin]

Yup. The new one.

No many photos can be found, apart from the sections already in operation before the main line.
It usually takes years for railfans to develop classic photo-taking locations.
I now have a photo book detailing the best places to take photos of railways in Northern China.
It has maps and tips, in some cases hiking routes....

This guy spent days driving for making some drone flights for this new railway.

Chongqing-Nanchong-Guangyuan section

Lanzhou section

 

[AndrewJin]

Today introduce 3 main stations in Andrew's Wuhan
Railway stations from the sky - III

Wuhan is located in the very centre of China's railway network, with a similar distance to Beijing/Shanghai/Guangzhou. Wuhan has three main stations. The older two, Hankou and Wuchang, are the only main railway stations in China that do not reflect the city name. The new Wuhan station is only for bullet trains.

The one I use most is Hankou Railway Station, rebuilt a couple of years after the 1900s version.

It has the best subway transfer I have ever seen, zero distance between subway and the underground entrance to the station.

But the road traffic around is horrible even after many tunnel/flyover projects.

When the new location was chosen in 1990s, the surrounding was farmland and a military airport.

Nobody could predict today the station is jammed among high-density downtown.

Now apart from the main station for slow trains (along with Wuchang Station), Hankou is the main station for Shanghai-Wuhan-Chengdu HSR. Nearly 100 bullet trains start from Wuhan to the second biggest city Yichang in the province.

Hankou Station
Wuhan City, Central China

Shanghai-Wuhan-Chengdu HSR
Beijing-Guangzhou Railway
Connection to Wuhan-Beijing HSR
Wuhan-Xiaogan HSR (planned to Xi'an)

Connected by Subway Line2 (Airport line)

one of the worst traffic before tunnels and subways opened.

Opposite to the station there is a lake and Wuhan Museum, free of charge.
Tens of shopping centre is the vicinity, providing entertainment for those who transfer in Hankou.

Downtown Hankou direction

Wuchang Station
At the other side of Yangtze River on the main Beijing-Guangzhou railway
This station should be completely removed......
Not a single hour without traffic jams...
and the entire district around is Wuhan's most backward region....
Lots of urban slums and crappy roads....
90+% Wuhan citizens will agree with me.

The station itself is not bad, well connected to several subways.
And it is Chu Kingdom style, but the waiting space is tiny.....

Wuhan Station
Beijing-Wuhan-HK HSR
Wuhan-Jiujiang-Nanchang HSR

Wuhan's biggest high-speed railway hub, nearly 500 bullet trains daily, another 300 from Hankou and 50 from Wuchang.

Reached by Subway Line 4.

The good part is its unique design presents a very spacious and modern vibe,
but it is built on the condition that the size of waiting space has been compromised to two ends.

Wuhan CRH Depot is not far from Wuhan Station along the main Wuhan-Guangzhou HSR

@anant_s @Realtalk108 @Game.Invade @long_ @powastick @TaiShang @cirr @Daniel808 @DESERT FIGHTER @Maarkhoor @Mista et al

Railway stations from the sky - II

Xining Station
Xining City, Qinghai Province, Northwest China
Open: 2014

Qinghai-Tibet railway
Lanzhou-Urumqi High-speed Railway

Last time I was there, the entire old one had been demolished and all trains were moved to a temporary station.
Glad to see such a well designed transport complex.
But subway has not yet been open.
One of the best designed communal spaces around the station.

I can easily imagine how crowded at night this square will be.....

View attachment 519201

West direction, to Lhasa or Urumqi/Hexi Corridor
Dunno why the river in front of the station was covered by concrete
From the news it said it is a river project undergoing....
Maybe also about subway construction?
View attachment 519202

East direction, Lanzhou/Xi'an
The main long-distance coach station is well connected.
Some stations put long-distance bus stations at the other side of the road, that will be a bad design if the square is pretty big....
View attachment 519203


move to a smaller one
-----------------------------

Tieling Station
Liaoning Proince, Northeast China
First built in 1900
Rebuilt 1993
Upgraded in 2011

Beijing-Harbin Railway
Tieling West is for the new Beijing-Harbin HSR

Not sure what the upgrading project was about...
It does not look like an upgraded one....
Maybe bigger waiting rooms?
View attachment 519204

The square and park in them middle of the main road look good though.....
Lots of aunties can be seen......
View attachment 519205




A medium-size one
--------------------------
Xiamen Station
Open in 1950s, completely rebuilt and reopen in 2015

Yingtan-Xiamen Railway
Railway link to Xiamen North HSR Station

A dead-end station for both slow trains and bullet trains

It looks like a miracle to manage building a transport hub surrounded by high-rises in the very downtown of Xiamen.
Link to BRT Line 1-3 and subway, long-distance station.
A multi-level parking building is a plus.
View attachment 519206

Very compact design, most transport activities happen underground......
But....wtf with the preserved 3 lanes for pick-off/up if there are roads directly to under the station....
Can cause lots of traffic problems.....
View attachment 519207





The magic of red!

 

[JSCh]

CR400AF Winter Olympic version.

 

[AndrewJin]

CR400AF Winter Olympic version.

Any difference inside?

 

[JSCh]

Any difference inside?

No idea. Photo from weibo -> https://weibo.com/1837551971/H2YRS3DYt

 

[AndrewJin]

The track laying of China's Germu-Korla Railway (Germu City, Qinghai Province - Korla City, Xinjiang Province) has reached the
A-erh-chin Mountains in the Xinjiang section.
格库铁路新疆段铺轨抵达阿尔金山

On November 13, 2018, the bridge erecting machine was working on the girders on the Kuruke Sayit Bridge under the A-erh-chin Mountains. The track-laying project of the Xinjiang section of the grid (Korla City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region), which was built by China Railway First Bureau Group Co., Ltd., has completed 487 kilometers of track laying on the main line and has arrived in A-erh-chin Mountains.

The total length of the Germu-Korla Railway is 1213.7 kilometers (including 717 kilometers in Xinjiang), which is the third major railway route in Xinjiang. (Chen Jianfei / People Pictures)

An important strategic freight railway....
Very extreme geological conditions especially at Xinjiang/Qinghai border, 5-7km-high mountains.

 

[Realtalk108]

No many photos can be found, apart from the sections already in operation before the main line.
It usually takes years for railfans to develop classic photo-taking locations.
I now have a photo book detailing the best places to take photos of railways in Northern China.
It has maps and tips, in some cases hiking routes....

View attachment 519577

This guy spent days driving for making some drone flights for this new railway.

View attachment 519584 View attachment 519585

Chongqing-Nanchong-Guangyuan section
View attachment 519582 View attachment 519581
View attachment 519578 View attachment 519579 View attachment 519580

Lanzhou section

This line is shared between conventional and HS trains right?

 

[Realtalk108]

An important strategic freight railway....
Very extreme geological conditions especially at Xinjiang/Qinghai border, 5-7km-high mountains.

What's the reason behind this line? Shorten the distance to South Xinjiang sector?

 

[AndrewJin]

NEW DELIVERY!
To Harbin Railway Bureau

What's the reason behind this line? Shorten the distance to South Xinjiang sector?

Lots of resources along the railway, and tackle the problem of over reliance on one Longhai Railway corridor.

Many freight railway are being built in the region
For example Dunhuang-Golmund Railway

Due to its location, Golmud abounds with natural resources from nearby salt lakes. Thus, industries involving salt lake chemicals have sprung up. Qarham Salt Lake to the northeast of Golmud proper boasts an area of 5,856 km2 (2,261 sq mi), making it the biggest inland salt lake in the world. Qarham Salt Lake resources are estimated to be worth over 15 trillion yuan. The lake is also China's largest production base for potassium, magnesium, and salt. Golmud also possesses natural gas reserves of 1 trillion m³ (35 trillion cu. ft.) plus over 50 varieties of minerals like gold, copper, jade and precious stones, lead, and zinc


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hami–Lop_Nur_railway

 

[Adam WANG SHANGHAI MEGA]

Shanghai human activity heat value

and that of Beijing

 

[Realtalk108]

NEW DELIVERY!
To Harbin Railway Bureau

View attachment 520107 View attachment 520108


Lots of resources along the railway, and tackle the problem of over reliance on one Longhai Railway corridor.

View attachment 520109 View attachment 520110

Many freight railway are being built in the region
For example Dunhuang-Golmund Railway

Due to its location, Golmud abounds with natural resources from nearby salt lakes. Thus, industries involving salt lake chemicals have sprung up. Qarham Salt Lake to the northeast of Golmud proper boasts an area of 5,856 km2 (2,261 sq mi), making it the biggest inland salt lake in the world. Qarham Salt Lake resources are estimated to be worth over 15 trillion yuan. The lake is also China's largest production base for potassium, magnesium, and salt. Golmud also possesses natural gas reserves of 1 trillion m³ (35 trillion cu. ft.) plus over 50 varieties of minerals like gold, copper, jade and precious stones, lead, and zinc


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hami–Lop_Nur_railway

View attachment 520114

Woah. There is a Chengdu-Golmud line planned?

 

[AndrewJin]

The track laying of China's Germu-Korla Railway (Germu City, Qinghai Province - Korla City, Xinjiang Province) has reached the
A-erh-chin Mountains in the Xinjiang section.
格库铁路新疆段铺轨抵达阿尔金山

On November 13, 2018, the bridge erecting machine was working on the girders on the Kuruke Sayit Bridge under the A-erh-chin Mountains. The track-laying project of the Xinjiang section of the grid (Korla City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region), which was built by China Railway First Bureau Group Co., Ltd., has completed 487 kilometers of track laying on the main line and has arrived in A-erh-chin Mountains.

The total length of the Germu-Korla Railway is 1213.7 kilometers (including 717 kilometers in Xinjiang), which is the third major railway route in Xinjiang. (Chen Jianfei / People Pictures)

Woah. There is a Chengdu-Golmud line planned?

Yes, but in this 5-year-plan it is only about planning and survey.
Many environmental sensitive regions along this future railway, require very detailed planning.

Nian Baoyuze National Geological Park at Qinghai/Sichuan border
Watershed between Yangtze River and Yellow River

This line is shared between conventional and HS trains right?

Yes, the southern section yes， up to 200km/h only.
There is planning to have bullet trains directly from Lanzhou to Chongqing by the end of year or early 2019.
But it is quite likely the power-concentrated EMUs (up to 160km/h) will be used, but they are still in trial.