World's Longest Bullet train service??

[JR 500系]

In Yahoo news today:

 

Read here:

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/worlds-longest-bullet-train-launched-china-150337424.html

 

Is it longer than JR? I'm having so many doubts with regards to the recent high speed train crash... Or is this news OLD?

[Densha]

If I have to believe this page the new Beijing - Guangzhou line is as long as the total Shinkansen network in Japan:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_by_country

[Guest Closed Account 1]

I was reading this this morning.

 

http://travel.cnn.com/worlds-longest-high-speed-rail-link-opens-006781

[Eisenbahn]

The GuangZhou-Wuhan part of the run has been operating for exactly three years, since 26 Dec 2009. Looks like the extension to Beijing is now operating!

Earlier this year I posted some photos in this forum which I took in or near Guangzhou.

 

THe article also said that the Chinese were doing High Speed Rail projects in Turkey & Venezuala. Might be something to keep an eye on.

[JR 500系]

Thanks for the wiki page Densha! Very interesting to know that Spain is 2nd in the world for high speed rail lines! Japan is an unfortunate 3rd place only...

 

Is it me, or does that China train looks so much like the Kamome?   

 

Let's hope the system is as good as JRs as we really do not hope to see another high speed accident....

[westfalen]

The GuangZhou-Wuhan part of the run has been operating for exactly three years, since 26 Dec 2009. Looks like the extension to Beijing is now operating!

Earlier this year I posted some photos in this forum which I took in or near Guangzhou.

 

THe article also said that the Chinese were doing High Speed Rail projects in Turkey & Venezuala. Might be something to keep an eye on.

Venezuala for crying out loud. If they can do it why not Australia?

[Eisenbahn]

Hi JR500

 

Yes, "front on" it does look like a Kamome but "side on" it is  definitely a Chinese copy of Siemens Velaro ICE3.

 

[smg id=1496]

 

 

Hi Westfalen

 

Exactly!  The  900 kilometre distances between each of  Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane are just perfect for HSR. It would mean an under 3 hour run CBD to CBD for a HST. WHereas a plane takes about 4 hours CBD to CBD by the time you get to & from airports and all the time it now takes to clear security at airports. There is also the congestion issue at Sydney airport where you usually do a few loops in the stack waiting to get down.  Australia's public sector debt is very low compared to other countries and could withstand a 70Billion$ debt on the balance sheet. Track construction over 6 years would give the very needed stimulus to our patchy  economy in the Eastern States. The travel market along the Eastern seaboard would expand. A win for everyone really!

 

cheers.....Eisenbahn

[to2leo]

IMHO, I think it is very hard for any auto-based developed country to pursue high speed passenger rails given many jobs and urban forms are auto-dependent.  1/5 jobs in Ontario, Canada is related to the auto industry, for example.  So it is politically impossible.

 

Also, the perceived usage of rail is very different in these auto-based developed countries.  Aside from the few intercity passenger corridors of NEC in US or Quebec City to Windsor in Canada, most of the railways in these countries are mainly used for transporting freight.

 

In regards to China's high speed rail safety, it is definitely a concern and hopefully it will quickly learn from its errors just like Germany did with its ICE Eschede disaster in 1998 and its many minor ones that followed after.

 

In many ways, I feel the safest and smartest high speed trains are designed or run by Japan (Shinkansen), France (TGV) and Spain (Talgo) but unfortunately they are not able to expand beyond the borders of its neighbouring countries in recent years when compared to Germany's Siemens offerings.

[disturbman]

Yes, "front on" it does look like a Kamome but "side on" it is  definitely a Chinese copy of Siemens Velaro ICE3.

 

They only look (a bit) alike because the Series 885 looks a lot like Siemens's Velaro. Also, the CRH3 design is not a Chinese copy of the Velaro, it's a Chinese Velaro. I don't think Siemens has been suing the Chinese for making copies. Parts of the CRH3 fleet were build by Siemens, some other build under license and for some others Siemens still produces 18% of the in-board equipments.

[Eisenbahn]

Disturbmann,

 

Perhaps "Chinese Variant of a Velaro" might be a good way to characterise that particular train.  Amongst other things, the body was widened to give 3+2 seating in Economy class. ( I posted a photo of this earlier in the year. )The trains were built under technology transfer contracts with Siemens on commercial terms and there is an ongoing commercial arrangement with Siemens.  I gather that Siemens also modified their Velaro design for the Sapsan Russian trains (Russian gauge).  Of course it will be interesting to see where the Chinese take the  ongoing development of these trains and whether the  Chinese  later sell  later versions of these trains in third countries claiming it to be their own intellectual property.  I gather that  there may be some concern in Japan about the technology transfers Japanese companies entered into with the Chinese in this regard. Litigation across national borders can be difficult and in the end, intellectual property disputes  may come to be resolved commercially if at all.

 

I see that you are in Berlin. I always enjoy my visits there. It seems to be quite a laid back, relaxed place to be. You are lucky to live there.

[IST]

A small video about the first train on the line:

 

http://video.sina.com.cn/p/news/c/v/2012-12-26/174561957871.html

[disturbman]

Perhaps "Chinese Variant of a Velaro" might be a good way to characterise that particular train.  [...]

 

Yes. You coined this better than I was able to. As myself I'm not really expecting the Chinese to produce a direct copy of those trains for sale on the international market. They are already developing their own technologies and they have anyway a wide range of technology to choose from (Alstom, Siemens, Bombardier and the Japanese).

 

I see that you are in Berlin. I always enjoy my visits there. It seems to be quite a laid back, relaxed place to be. You are lucky to live there.

 

Thanks. It is. I'm not a local, I have chosen to migrate there and so far it has been a success. Berlin is perfect and I'm not sure where I would be able to live if not there.