China's self-developed technology advances its high-speed railways

BEIJING -- China's self-developed technology in high-speed railways is marking significant progress in both technological innovation and operational capability.

The recent launch of the Shenyang-Baihe high-speed railway in northeastern China highlights these advances, featuring new trains and systems designed for extreme conditions and intelligent operation.

The Fuxing CR400BF-GS Electric Multiple Unit (EMU), deployed on this new line, is specifically engineered for extremely cold regions.

Meanwhile, construction of this railway has benefited from advances in intelligent manufacturing. Its "base-like" track slabs are key in allowing trains to run smoothly at high speeds. Notably, production of Shenyang-Baihe high-speed railway track slabs, each measuring 5.6 meters in length and 2.5 meters in width, now takes only 10 minutes per unit, with height variations controlled to within the thickness of a human hair, greatly enhancing both precision and efficiency, said Yang Zhenhua, an official from China Railway No 9 Group Co Ltd.

Further pushing the boundaries of speed, the world's fastest bullet train, the CR450, has begun a battery of pre-service trials on a high-speed line in China, achieving a single-train speed of 453 kilometers per hour and a record relative passing speed of 896 kilometers per hour.

Exceeding 400 kilometers per hour means China's high-speed rail technology lacks mature reference as there is no commercial high-speed rail in the world operating at speeds higher than this, said Wang Lei, a designer from CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co Ltd.

A major challenge was to reduce the train's running resistance. From 350 to 400 kilometers per hour, the resistance increases by 30 percent, and 95 percent of this running resistance comes from the air.

To solve such aerodynamic drag, the CR450 features a longer, sleeker nose, a 20-centimeter lower roofline, and 50-tonne weight reduction, thereby cutting aerodynamic drag by 22 percent.

The excellence of China's high-speed railway is demonstrated not only through its robust "steel framework" but also by its advanced "intelligent brain."

The CTCS-3 ATP (Automatic Train Protection) and ATO (Automatic Train Operation) system, independently developed by the CRSC Research & Design Institute Group Co Ltd (CRSCD), has been implemented on the CR450 EMU.

Jiang Ming from CRSCD noted that the system features full intellectual property ownership and supports key autonomous functions, including inter-station operation, overspeed protection and precise stopping, thus ensuring safety even in low-visibility weather, among other features.

To support railway development in western China, a new generation train control system has also been designed to perform reliably in harsh environments.

Integrated with the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, this new train control system fuses multiple data sources, such as satellite positioning, electronic maps and speed sensors, which significantly enhances the precision and reliability of train positioning.

China's high-speed railway network is on track to surpass 50,000 kilometers in total length by the end of 2025. Additionally, China is showing growing expertise in building a high-speed rail network that is not only extensive but also intelligent, resilient and ready for the future.