China HSR News And Information: Original Translation

[AndrewJin]

"WAS" skeptical before. I didn't expect HSR would able to recoup the money that rapidly.

Money is not an issue, it's impossible to calculate positive social impacts.

 

[cirr]

鈾 前进！中国！--- No.1 【陆地巡洋舰】(P-8) - 原创摄影 - 鼎盛论坛 -

 

[TaiShang]

Li: China to boost railway construction in central, western regions
Xinhua, April 11, 2015

China will speed up railway construction in central and western regions to lend steam to economic growth, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang noted Saturday.

Railway construction is crucial to steadying growth, economic restructuring and improving public welfare and China will continue to focus on developing major railway projects in central and western regions to boost growth, Premier Li Keqiang sent the message to a work conference on regional railway development held in southwestern Chongqing Municipality.

Local governments should reform investment and financing mechanism such as introducing more social capital to support railway project development and make coordinated efforts to streamline administrative approval and facilitate land acquisition and relocation, Li noted.

China aims to invest over 800 billion yuan (130.36 billion U.S. dollars) in railway construction to put more than 8000 kilometers additional railway lines into operation, generally the same with last year's target.

Local governments should optimize construction management of current projects, ensure timely and smooth running of operational railways, start new projects orderly and maintain high quality and work safety throughout the projects, Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai said at the meeting.

Related departments such as railway bureaus should work together to improve efficiency, expand financing channels and address land acquisition and relocation challenges, Ma added.

 

[AndrewJin]

Li: China to boost railway construction in central, western regions
Xinhua, April 11, 2015

China will speed up railway construction in central and western regions to lend steam to economic growth, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang noted Saturday.

Railway construction is crucial to steadying growth, economic restructuring and improving public welfare and China will continue to focus on developing major railway projects in central and western regions to boost growth, Premier Li Keqiang sent the message to a work conference on regional railway development held in southwestern Chongqing Municipality.

Local governments should reform investment and financing mechanism such as introducing more social capital to support railway project development and make coordinated efforts to streamline administrative approval and facilitate land acquisition and relocation, Li noted.

China aims to invest over 800 billion yuan (130.36 billion U.S. dollars) in railway construction to put more than 8000 kilometers additional railway lines into operation, generally the same with last year's target.

Local governments should optimize construction management of current projects, ensure timely and smooth running of operational railways, start new projects orderly and maintain high quality and work safety throughout the projects, Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai said at the meeting.

Related departments such as railway bureaus should work together to improve efficiency, expand financing channels and address land acquisition and relocation challenges, Ma added.

Just arrived in UNESCO world heritage site, Hongcun.
En route from Tunxi to Hongcun, I saw Hefei-Fuzhou HSR which is under its final test before inauguration in June or July. It's good news for local tourism, but not for me.

 

[TaiShang]

Combined market capitalization for China's two leading train makers has exceeded that of Boeing after their shares in Shanghai rose by the daily trading limit of 10 percent for four consecutive days.

China announced the merger of China CNR Corporation Ltd. and CSR Corporation Ltd. late last year in hope of gaining greater edge over overseas rivals like Canada's Bombardier and Germany's Siemens in global competition. The merger has yet to be finalized.

Both companies floated their shares on the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges and have seen their combined market capitalization surge to 942.9 billion yuan, or 152.1 billion U.S. dollars, as of Thursday, thanks to strong rallies since the beginning of this week on both bourses.

Boeing, the world's largest aircraft maker, is currently valued at 107.22 billion U.S. dollars after its shares closed down 0.51 percent on Wednesday at the New York Stock Exchange.



CCTV

 

[AndrewJin]

Combined market capitalization for China's two leading train makers has exceeded that of Boeing after their shares in Shanghai rose by the daily trading limit of 10 percent for four consecutive days.

China announced the merger of China CNR Corporation Ltd. and CSR Corporation Ltd. late last year in hope of gaining greater edge over overseas rivals like Canada's Bombardier and Germany's Siemens in global competition. The merger has yet to be finalized.

Both companies floated their shares on the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges and have seen their combined market capitalization surge to 942.9 billion yuan, or 152.1 billion U.S. dollars, as of Thursday, thanks to strong rallies since the beginning of this week on both bourses.

Boeing, the world's largest aircraft maker, is currently valued at 107.22 billion U.S. dollars after its shares closed down 0.51 percent on Wednesday at the New York Stock Exchange.



CCTV

In the domestic market, they still have to compete. The merger is mostly for international market.

 

[TaiShang]

China exports bullet trains to Argentina
Xinhua, April 16, 2015

The contracted diesel multiple-units (DMU). [CNR]



China has finished building and shipped its first bullet train to Argentina, China North Railway (CNR) announced on Wednesday.

The contracted diesel multiple-units (DMU) shipped to Argentina mark China's biggest DMU order in South America, CNR said.

The CNR's subsidiary in Tianjin Municipality won the bid for Argentina's Belgrano Sur railway contract in November, 2013, involving 21 lines with 81 DMUs.

Painted in blue and white like Argentina's national flag, the shipped DMU's highest speed can reach 100 kilometers per hour, faster than the same type of DMU made in other countries.

The trains applied special paint and rubber to resist strong ultraviolet light and corrosion in accordance with Argentina's climate and local operation, said the company.

Meanwhile, the DMU also has special areas for wheelchair and bicycle access.

Controlling China's entire high-speed rail market, CNR and its counterpart China South Railway announced a merger on Dec 30, 2014.

 

[AndrewJin]

China exports bullet trains to Argentina
Xinhua, April 16, 2015

The contracted diesel multiple-units (DMU). [CNR]



China has finished building and shipped its first bullet train to Argentina, China North Railway (CNR) announced on Wednesday.

The contracted diesel multiple-units (DMU) shipped to Argentina mark China's biggest DMU order in South America, CNR said.

The CNR's subsidiary in Tianjin Municipality won the bid for Argentina's Belgrano Sur railway contract in November, 2013, involving 21 lines with 81 DMUs.

Painted in blue and white like Argentina's national flag, the shipped DMU's highest speed can reach 100 kilometers per hour, faster than the same type of DMU made in other countries.

The trains applied special paint and rubber to resist strong ultraviolet light and corrosion in accordance with Argentina's climate and local operation, said the company.

Meanwhile, the DMU also has special areas for wheelchair and bicycle access.

Controlling China's entire high-speed rail market, CNR and its counterpart China South Railway announced a merger on Dec 30, 2014.

First? I thought CSR had exported DMU before.

 

[TaiShang]

First? I thought CSR had exported DMU before.

As far as I know, this is the first. But I might be wrong because there has been so many deals recently.

 

[AndrewJin]

As far as I know, this is the first. But I might be wrong because there has been so many deals recently.

Maybe the first DMU deal is for suburban trains. CSR trains have already been in Argentina for years.

 

[AndrewJin]

@ahojunk All my photos of Wuhan-Dawu HSR experience are gone!

 

[ahojunk]

@ahojunk All my photos of Wuhan-Dawu HSR experience are gone!

@AndrewJin
After the PDF crash, its database was restored to Friday.

So, anything posted after Friday would be gone.

You would have to repost again.

Unfortunately, that's life. And it has to go on.

 

[TaiShang]

China trainmakers seek control of Bombardier's rail unit
China Daily, April 30, 2015

CRH380 (China Railway High-speed) Harmony bullet trains are seen at a high-speed train maintenance base in Wuhan,Hubeiprovince, Dec 25, 2012. [China Daily]



China's top two trainmakers have been in discussions with Bombardier Inc about possibly buying a controlling stake in the Canadian company's railway unit, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

China CNR Corp Ltd and State-owned CSR Corp Ltd, now in the process of merging to create the world's biggest railway company, are exploring a stake purchase of the Bombardier unit, complementing China's plan to sell its high-speed rail technology abroad, the sources said.

But discussions cannot move forward until after the Chinese trainmakers complete a planned $26-billion merger next month, said a person close to one of the Chinese companies.

Canada's Bombardier has been exploring a possible sale of all or part of its railway business as it seeks to pay for the huge cost overruns in its aircraft business, Reuters reported this month.

The Canadian company is working with banks on strategic options, that also include a possible initial public offering either in Germany, where the business is based, or in Britain. Bankers value a possible deal at up to $5 billion.

"I have no knowledge of this matter," said Xu Houguang, a CSR executive. Zhang Yong, an executive at CNR, also said he had no knowledge of this matter.

Bombardier spokeswoman Isabelle Rondeau declined to comment: "We will not comment on any speculation."

In February, Bombardier said it "will explore other initiatives such as certain business activities' potential participation in industry consolidation".

CNR and CSR are already the world's largest train makers by revenue but the bulk of their sales are from domestic contracts.

Yet a Chinese bid could face political opposition in Canada, which is due to hold a general election in October.

The federal government would most likely take a skeptical view of any such bid, especially if it happened during an election year, said a source familiar with government thinking. The government of Quebec, where Bombardier is based, could seek job guarantees.

A purchase of Bombardier's rail assets would "open the doors for the Chinese to all Western train markets," one of the sources with direct knowledge of the situation said.

"It would be the most concrete example of China executing on its Belt and Road strategy," the source said, referring to China's aim to create a modern Silk Road economic belt through a network of infrastructure links through Central, West and South Asia to Europe and Africa.

"We believe CNR/CSR would be the most likely and viable option for the company," said RBC Capital Markets analyst Walter Spracklin in a note to clients, noting that Bombardier already has joint ventures with the two Chinese companies.

A purchase of a stake in the Bombardier unit by Chinese companies would require approval from the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission and the China Securities Regulatory Commission as well as European Union, US and Canadian regulators.

In February, a CNR official told Reuters that the firm was interested in buying foreign rail-linked technologies and had been in touch with some companies.

Bombardier, whose presence in China goes back to 1954, currently has a number rail joint ventures in the country, three of them with CNR and CSR units.

Shares of Bombardier rose 2.4 percent to C$2.55 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

 

[AndrewJin]

China trainmakers seek control of Bombardier's rail unit
China Daily, April 30, 2015

CRH380 (China Railway High-speed) Harmony bullet trains are seen at a high-speed train maintenance base in Wuhan,Hubeiprovince, Dec 25, 2012. [China Daily]



China's top two trainmakers have been in discussions with Bombardier Inc about possibly buying a controlling stake in the Canadian company's railway unit, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

China CNR Corp Ltd and State-owned CSR Corp Ltd, now in the process of merging to create the world's biggest railway company, are exploring a stake purchase of the Bombardier unit, complementing China's plan to sell its high-speed rail technology abroad, the sources said.

But discussions cannot move forward until after the Chinese trainmakers complete a planned $26-billion merger next month, said a person close to one of the Chinese companies.

Canada's Bombardier has been exploring a possible sale of all or part of its railway business as it seeks to pay for the huge cost overruns in its aircraft business, Reuters reported this month.

The Canadian company is working with banks on strategic options, that also include a possible initial public offering either in Germany, where the business is based, or in Britain. Bankers value a possible deal at up to $5 billion.

"I have no knowledge of this matter," said Xu Houguang, a CSR executive. Zhang Yong, an executive at CNR, also said he had no knowledge of this matter.

Bombardier spokeswoman Isabelle Rondeau declined to comment: "We will not comment on any speculation."

In February, Bombardier said it "will explore other initiatives such as certain business activities' potential participation in industry consolidation".

CNR and CSR are already the world's largest train makers by revenue but the bulk of their sales are from domestic contracts.

Yet a Chinese bid could face political opposition in Canada, which is due to hold a general election in October.

The federal government would most likely take a skeptical view of any such bid, especially if it happened during an election year, said a source familiar with government thinking. The government of Quebec, where Bombardier is based, could seek job guarantees.

A purchase of Bombardier's rail assets would "open the doors for the Chinese to all Western train markets," one of the sources with direct knowledge of the situation said.

"It would be the most concrete example of China executing on its Belt and Road strategy," the source said, referring to China's aim to create a modern Silk Road economic belt through a network of infrastructure links through Central, West and South Asia to Europe and Africa.

"We believe CNR/CSR would be the most likely and viable option for the company," said RBC Capital Markets analyst Walter Spracklin in a note to clients, noting that Bombardier already has joint ventures with the two Chinese companies.

A purchase of a stake in the Bombardier unit by Chinese companies would require approval from the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission and the China Securities Regulatory Commission as well as European Union, US and Canadian regulators.

In February, a CNR official told Reuters that the firm was interested in buying foreign rail-linked technologies and had been in touch with some companies.

Bombardier, whose presence in China goes back to 1954, currently has a number rail joint ventures in the country, three of them with CNR and CSR units.

Shares of Bombardier rose 2.4 percent to C$2.55 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

They have excellent technology, but no interests in HSR in Canada...That's how private business works, no nationality.

 

[AndrewJin]

@ahojunk back!
Andrew’s half-day HSR travel
Don’t ask a railway fan why I spent several hours taking train just for fun. If I had seven days, I could spend all my time on train, HSR in the daytime and slow over-night train as hotels.

Hankou( in Wuhan) --- Dawu ---Wuhan --- Hankou

Part 1 Hankou Railway Station to Dawu County

Hankou Railway Station, one of the three major stations of Wuhan City, Hubei Province(Central China)

I thought I could buy the ticket at the automatic ticket office, but even standing tickets(10%-15% of the number of seats) to Dawu County were all sold out. So I had to buy a cheapest ticket of some random train to get access to Hankou Railway Station.

@Georgeclark Don’t learn from me. Always buy tickets ahead of time in China unless on a busy line(3-10 minutes a train like Shanghai-Hangzhou) from Monday to Thursday.

Automatic ticket machine in the underground floor (only available to 2nd-generation Chinese ID card)
If u take metro to Hankou railway station, there are AVM and station entrance in the same floor, no need to go to the ground floor.

Too many people in the waiting room…Outdated interior design

My bullet train, G310(Chongqing-Beijing)
A train attendant(really really beautiful girl from Chongqing, Chongqing perhaps ranks No.1) helped me buy a ticket with only 2 yuan compensation fair. She also asked my why I had wasted some money to buy that random ticket. LOVE HER!

Once the train left suburban Wuhan, there were a lot of tunnels but no slowing down.

Mountains and villages

Sound proof walls, if the rail is too closed to a village