Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway

Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway or Xi'an-Chengdu Passenger Dedicated Line, is a dual-track, electrified, high-speed rail line in Western China between Xi'an and Chengdu, respectively the provincial capitals of Shaanxi and Sichuan. This line, which commenced operations on 6 December 2017, runs 510 km (320 mi) through Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces and accommodates trains traveling at speeds up to 250 km/h (160 mph).[1] Travel time between the two provincial capitals was reduced from 16 to less than three hours.[2]

For the railway connecting Xining and Chengdu via Huangshengguan that is currently under construction, see Xining–Chengdu high-speed railway.
Xi'an-Chengdu
high-speed railway
西成客运专线
Overview
StatusIn operation
LocaleShaanxi and Sichuan
Termini
Service
Services1
Operator(s)CR Xi'an Group & CR Chengdu Group
History
Opened6 December 2017
Technical
Line length510 km (317 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification25 kV/50 Hz AC overhead catenary
Operating speed250 km/h (160 mph)
Route map
Up arrow Datong–Xi'an passenger railway to Datong South
Right arrow Xuzhou–Lanzhou high-speed railway to Xuzhou East
 Xi'an North
Left arrow Xuzhou–Lanzhou high-speed railway to Lanzhou West
Right arrow Longhai railway to Lianyun
 Xi'an
Left arrow Longhai railway to Lanzhou
 Xi'an West
Feng River Grand Bridge (20,944 m)
 Huyi
Qingliangshan Tunnel (12,553 m)
Donglaoyu River Bridge (243 m)
Daqinling Tunnel (14,846 m)
Caiziping Grand Bridge
 Xinchangjie
Tianhuashan Tunnel (15,989 m)
Lao'anshan Tunnel (15,161 m)
 Foping
Deli Tunnel (14,167 m)
Furenshan Tunnel (13,101 m)
 Yangxian West
Xushui River Grand Bridge (18,960 m)
 Chenggu North
Wenchuan River Grand Bridge (25,905 m)
Right arrow Yangpingguan–Ankang railway to Ankang
 Hanzhong
Left arrow Yangpingguan–Ankang railway to Yangpingguan
Han River Grand Bridge (4,908.24 m)
 Xinji
Fuchuan Tunnel (9,015 m)
Fangjiawan Tunnel (8,561 m)
Qishuba Tunnel (7,225.7 m)
Hejialiang Tunnel (12,405 m)
 Ningqiang South
Qipanguan Tunnel (9,229 m), Shaanxi/Sichuan border
 Chaotian
Xiao'an Tunnel (13,430 m)
Zhaojiayan Tunnel (8,345 m)
Jialing River Grand Bridge (1,720 m)
Up arrow Chongqing–Lanzhou railway to Lanzhou East
 Guangyuan
Right arrow Chongqing–Lanzhou railway to Chongqing North
Bailong River Grand Bridge (1,394 m)
Zhanggongling Tunnel
 Jianmenguan
Huangjialiang Tunnel (11,632 m)
 Qingchuan
Jinjiayan Tunnel (12,029 m)
Liangchahe Grand Bridge (2,562 m)
 Jiangyou North
 Jiangyou
 Qinglian
 Mianyang
 Luojiang East
 Deyang
 Guanghan North
 Qingbaijiang East
 Xindu East
 Chengdu East
Right arrow Chengdu–Chongqing high-speed railway to Chongqing
Down arrow Chengdu–Guiyang high-speed railway to Guiyang East
Xicheng Passenger Dedicated Line
Simplified Chinese西成客运专线
Traditional Chinese西成客運專線

The project was approved by the State Development and Planning Commission in October 2010.[1] Construction of the Sichuan section of the railway started on November 10, 2010,[3] and of the Shaanxi section, on October 27, 2012.[4] The line traverses the rugged Qin and Daba Mountains and connects the Guanzhong Plains with the Sichuan Basin.

The line is part of the Beijing–Kunming corridor.

Route

The high-speed rail line connects Xian, in the Wei River Valley, Hanzhong, in the Han River Valley, and Guangyuan, Jiangyou and Chengdu in the Sichuan Basin. In the Qin Mountains, it has 127 km (79 mi) of tunnels, including six over 10,000 m (6.2 mi) in length.[5] The railway passes under ecologically sensitive areas including the Taibaishan and Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserves, which are home to the endangered giant panda, golden snub-nosed monkey, takin and crested ibis.[5]

Over much of its length, the Xi'an–Chengdu Passenger Dedicated Line largely parallels existing railways: the Yangpingguan–Ankang railway in southwestern Shaanxi (between Hanzhong and the Yangpingguan junction), and the Baoji–Chengdu railway in Sichuan (from Yangpingguan to Chengdu). However, the section from Xi'an to Hanzhong, crossing in tunnels under the Qin Mountains, follows an entirely new direct route.

High speed rail reforms meant direct Chengdu-Lanzhou and Chongqing-Xi'an services would use a combination of Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway and Chongqing–Lanzhou railway from where they met at Guangyuan. This would negate the need to build a separate direct Chongqing-Xi'an or Chengdu-Lanzhou lines.[6] However, with the announcement of the expanded 8+8 high speed rail grid, the two originally planned lines were reinstated in the masterplan.[7]

The Chengdu-Xi'an HSR have to cross the Qin Mountains; to achieve that, trains must climb continuously at 2.5% inclination (2.5 meters up per 100 meters run) for 47 kilometers. Since most HSR trains with 250 km/h maximum speed are not equipped with sufficient redundant power to maintain max speed climbing, trains scheduled to run between Chengdu and Xi'an using 250 km/h max speed equipments have to reserve extra time for the tunnel. However, for trains that continue to Beijing via Xi'an-Zhengzhou High Speed Rail and Guangzhou-Beijing High Speed Rail, an equipment capable of 350 km/h operations must be utilized to reach regular speed on the Zhengzhou-Beijing part. With redundant power equipped for 350 km/h operations, they lose less speed going up the tunnel, thus spending less time; this has reportedly caused these trains to have to reduce speed to maintain proper separation.

History

Notes
  1. "China plans high-speed rail link for Chengdu-Xi'an" A.P. Archived December 9, 2010, at the Wayback Machine 2010-11-02
  2. "Xi'an-Chengdu high-speed railway enters test run - Xinhua | English.news.cn". Archived from the original on January 24, 2018.
  3. "成都至西安客运专线(四川段)等七项工程开工建设". www.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2012-10-06.
  4. 我国首条连接西北和西南地区的高速铁路开工. 2012-11-11. Archived May 9, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, 2012-11-01
  5. 中国首条穿越秦岭高铁年底开工 绕避生态敏感区. 中国新闻网 (in Simplified Chinese). 2010-11-03.
  6. 市发改委：渝西高铁搁浅. 重庆到西安将借道西成高铁. 2012-09-28. Archived May 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Chongqing Ribao, 2012-09-28
  7. 中國高鐵"八縱八橫"線路確定 包含京台高鐵. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
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