On 6 mErts, 08:26, Glen Labah <
gl4...@yahoo.com> wrote:
In article <mn.2d557db3b2e25ba3.104...@invalid.skynet.be>,
aMarc Van Dyck <marc.gr.vand...@invalid.skynet.be> wrote:
Hans-Joachim Zierke expressed precisely :
Beam erection has started for the longest high-speed railroad in the world, Lanzhou - Urumqi.
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/8595/11022415105578e9d4b3687.jpg
Hans-Joachim
I really wonder what the chinese expect, with that one. After all, a
high speed line becomes profitable only with a minimal level of traffic
on it. Something like 1-2 trains per hour at least. Are the cities
located along this line large/busy enough to generate that volume of traffic ? Or do they have a much longer term goal in mind, seeing that
line as only the first step in a more ambitious journey, Kazakhstan and beyond ?
Many of the rural poor went to work in factories in urban areas. aAfter deciding that the terrible wages and conditions were unsuitable for long
term careers, those who made money this way are returning to their countryside after a few years of employment, starting businesses of
their own using the skills and money they did gain, and making better
wages by industrializing their own villages.
Among other things, this means many former villages are rapidly turning
into fairly significant cities. aAdding a high speed line here is the
next logical step in trying to meet the needs of these return migrating workers.
Also, as discovered in certain other countries, when the economic
outlook is very dim in a place, the people start to become difficult to manage. aA high speed line here will add some badly needed closer a
economic ties to the rest of the country.
A realistic average speed for 350 km/h line could be 296 km/h. Wuhan-
Guangzhou line had end to end time 3:08 for 968 km nonstops, but the
nonstops were abolished and time increased to 3:16 with 1 stop .
For 1776 km, 296 km/h means 6:00 trip time, and allow for 2...3
intermediate stops (I would suggest Xining and Turfan). Slightly short
for overnight, long for day train. Yet Lanzhou is not so good a final destination anyway. It would take perhaps 8 hours to Xian and 12 hours
to Beijing. Fair range for overnight train.
And then there will be need for all-stops train. I think there are a
total of 31 stations, so adding 27 stops to the minimum 4 would
stretch the trip to 11...12 hours.
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