A rail story of success worth telling

IN 1975, deep in the Qinling Mountains, China’ first fully electrified railway, the Baoji-Chengdu Railway, marked the beginning of a transformative journey toward railway modernisation.

- LI XINPING

Halfa century later, on the Chengdu Plain, engineers are developing a cutting-edge 400kp/h traction power supply system for the CR450 bullet train, which is expected to establish a new global benchmark in high-speed rail operations.

From humble beginnings to a globally leading network, electrification has played a pivotal role in China’s railway evolution, from conventional lines to high-speed rail, and from operations to digital systems.

By the end of 2024, China's operational railway network had reached 162.000km, with more than 120000km, or 75.8% electrified.

Electrified railways rely on electric traction power, with high-speed rail representing their most advanced form. The core components — power supply systems, traction, communications, and signaling - form the technical backbone of the electrified network.

Compared to diesel-powered lines, electrified railways offer superior performance. In freight transport, China's heavy-haul electrified railways can handle 5000 tons with a single locomotive, while the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway has normalised operations with trains weighing up to 20000 tons. In passenger services, a 16-car high-speed train carries approximately 900 tons.