The new Chongqing–Wanzhou (Chongwan) high-speed railway in southwest China entered joint commissioning and testing on Oct. 20. China News Service reported that inspection train 57022 left Chongqing East station that day, starting the tests.
According to China News Service, the Chongwan line runs from Chongqing East through Nan’an and Banan districts, Fuling district, Fengdu county and Zhong county to Wanzhou North, with a main line of about 254 km. The design speed is 350 km/h and the line has five stations: Chongqing East, Fuling North, Fengdu North, Zhongxian and Wanzhou North. The opening date was not given in the report.
광고 문의 · 300×250Joint commissioning is the procedure in which, after a high-speed rail project passes static acceptance, test trains and inspection equipment comprehensively check and adjust each system’s functions, performance and status and how systems match each other. China News Service said the aim is to bring the whole system up to design standards so it can operate at the design speed. It is regarded as the last major verification stage before opening.
From catenary energization to joint testing
Science and Technology Daily reported on Oct. 19 that the line’s overhead catenary was energized on Oct. 18. According to the paper, the post-station ‘four electrical systems’ works thereby moved from installation and adjustment to full live operation; the builder was China Railway Wuhan Electrification Bureau. The report gave the main line as 253.6 km, in line with China News Service’s figure of about 254 km.
Earlier, in early September, rails were reported laid along the whole line. Science and Technology Daily covered the progress under a headline noting daily track-laying of up to 11 km. Construction thus appears to be following the usual sequence from static acceptance and energization to joint testing.
Expected benefits and remaining steps
China News Service said that once completed the Chongwan railway will strengthen links between town clusters in the Three Gorges reservoir area of northeast Chongqing and the main Chongqing metropolitan area, and support the Chengdu–Chongqing economic circle. It is described as part of the Baotou (Yinchuan)–Haikou and Beijing–Kunming corridors of China’s ‘eight vertical, eight horizontal’ high-speed rail network.
After joint testing, however, further steps such as trial runs and safety assessment remain, and passenger travel times, fares and the opening date were not given in the report. The investment size also did not appear in the reports checked. A firm schedule must await an official announcement from the railway authorities.