Viral video shows China's 5,000 km of high-speed rail built in a year; watch

[beijingwalker]

Viral video shows China's 5,000 km of high-speed rail built in a year; watch​

In a video going viral on social media, the 5,000 km of high-speed rail can be seen being constructed with the use of precast ballastless track slabs​

FP Trending March 07, 2023 16:17:25 IST

China, which is known for having the world’s largest high-speed railway network, plans to expand it further by nearly 32% by 2025. This is roughly equal to the combined length of the five largest countries (Spain, Japan, France, Germany, and Finland), as stated by the five-year transport plan issued by China’s State Council.

While works in the railway network continue to remain underway in China, the country was also recognised for launching 5,000 km of new high-speed rail earlier in 2019, which brought the national total to 35,000 km. With that said, a video of the 5,000 km of the new rail network has recently gone viral on social media. Shared by former Norweigan diplomat Erik Solheim, the video shows the entire process of the rail track remaining under work with ballastless rails installed on precast concrete slabs.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1632546284883116036

Wondering how China managed to build 5,000 km of high-speed rail in a way, Solheim further added that the US government can also get the railway track technology from China.

Reacting to the video, social media users in the comment section spoke about rail networks from different countries including the US and India. A user wrote, “US would adopt a better technology. There was a reason for holding it…”, while another user wrote, “What I am most inspired from China is their bold architectural engineering and sense of aesthetics.”

“Any Innovation which can save money and times should be adopted by the Rest of the countries,” a user commented.

China’s high-speed railway

Speaking about the high-speed railway network operating in China, it began in 2008 between Beijing and Tianjin following which the country has so far built a network that spans nearly 40,000km (25,000 miles) and is now the world’s largest for bullet trains that can travel up to 350km/h (220mph).

As a part of the Chinese high-speed railway system, precast ballastless track slabs have been widely applied.

Watch China's 5,000 km of high-speed rail built in just a year

In a video going viral on social media, the 5,000 km of high-speed rail can be seen being constructed with the use of precast ballastless track slabs

www.firstpost.com

 

[S10]

With China's population projected to decline in the decades ahead, is there really a need to build new infrastructure designed for current level of population? China might need to start thinking about consolidating existing ones and upgrading them.