The Chengdu-Dujiangyan High Speed Railway is a dual-track, electrified, passenger-dedicated, high-speed rail line in Sichuan Province, China. It connects the provincial capital, Chengdu with the satellite city of Dujiangyan in Guan County. The line is 65 kilometres (40 mi) in length with 15 stations. China Railways CRH1 train sets on the line reach a maximum speed of 220 kilometres per hour (140 mph) and make the full-trip in 30 minutes. The line was built in 18 months and entered into operation on May 12, 2010. The railway is built to withstand an 8.0-magnitude earthquake.
Route
The railway runs from the Chengdu North Railway Station to Dujiangyan's Qingchengshan Station and passes through Pi County. Bridges and tunnels account for 67.8% of the line's total length. The longest viaduct is some 21 kilometres (13 mi). The line is built to withstand future earthquakes. Sound insulation panels were installed alongside the railway to reduce train noise near the tracks.[1] Clear panels allow passengers to enjoy rural scenery along this route.[1] The line shortened rail travel time from Chengdu to Dujiangyan by half, and will bring more tourist traffic to Dujiangyan's World Heritage Sites, the city's ancient irrigation system and Mount Qingcheng, a sacred Daoist mountain.
Trains
The route uses CRH1 trains in eight-car train sets, which can carry 661 passengers.[2] Each day, 15 pairs of trains are scheduled daily between Chengdu and Dujiangyan's Qingchengshan Station.
History
Chengdu-Dujiangyan High Speed Railway under construction.On May 28, 2008, 16 days after the Wenchuan Earthquake devastated Dujiangyan and the western suburbs of Chengdu, the Chengdu city government and the Ministry of Railways agreed to build a high-speed railway line as part of the reconstruction of the disaster zone. [3] Construction began on November 4, 2008 and involved 20,000 workers at the cost of Y13 billion.[1] The line entered trial operation on April 1, 2010 and full commercial operation began on May 12, 2010, the second anniversary of the large earthquake that killed some 70,000 people in the region.