Digital News

　　This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the railway.

　　From July 8 to 11, the 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail was held in Beijing under the theme of “High-Speed Rail: Innovation and Development for a Better Life”.

　　According to information from the conference, China’s high-speed rail, widely regarded as a “national namecard” and an “international benchmark”, has grown from scratch to independently develop a wide array of technological innovations represented by Fuxing. Overall, China’s high-speed rail technology has reached an advanced level globally, with some areas leading the world. China’s global leadership in high-speed rail continues to expand.

　　Statistics show that by the end of 2024, China’s high-speed rail operating mileage had reached 48,000 kilometers, accounting for more than 70% of the world’s total. China’s electric multiple unit (EMU) trains have transported a cumulative total of 22.9 billion passengers. The development of high-speed rail in China has greatly facilitated travel, strongly promoted regional connectivity and coordinated socioeconomic development, spurred urban development and industrial growth along railways, and served as a key link for infrastructure connectivity and mutual cultural exchange and appreciation among the Belt and Road Initiative countries. It is increasingly becoming a major global public good benefiting all humanity.

　　More Advanced Technology

　　With a push of a button and a thrust of the control lever, the scenery on the giant screen rushes backward, offering a great experience of operating a Fuxing EMU train at 350 km/h.

　　Zhao Xianghong, Deputy Director of the Science, Technology and Information Research Institute at the China Academy of Railway Sciences, explained that China’s autonomous train operation system integrates cutting-edge technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and 5G communication. This system not only enhances operational safety and punctuality but also optimizes energy management, reduces operating costs, and provides passengers with a safer, more comfortable, and more efficient travel experience.

　　Still think it’s not fast enough? The world’s fastest EMU train, with an operating speed of 400 km/h, is sure to impress. At the National Railway Test Center, reporters observed a test run of the CR450BF EMU.

　　“The train’s exterior design, themed ‘Light of Technology,’ fully showcases Chinese culture, wisdom, and spirit,” said Wang Lei, Director Designer at CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd. The CR450BF follows a minimalist design philosophy infused with elements of Eastern aesthetics, aiming to deliver optimal performance with the simplest structure. “The CR450BF features “six more” next-generation enhancements: higher speed, enhanced safety, improved energy efficiency, superior comfort, greater intelligence, and greener performance. It achieves significant improvements in drag reduction, energy conservation, and noise control.”

　　In terms of EMU development, China has established a comprehensive technical and standards system covering R&D, manufacturing, testing, and maintenance of high-speed trains, with commercial operating speeds reaching 350 km/h. By the end of 2024, the total number of standard EMUs in operation in China will exceed 4,800.

　　According to Li Yongheng, Director of Equipment Technology Division at the Department of Science, Technology and Information Technology of China State Railway Group, achieving full technological independence, securing proprietary intellectual property rights, and establishing a self-controlled innovation and industrial chain, placing core technologies firmly in China’s own hands, was a critical step in the advancement of Fuxing. With a sustained operating speed of 350 km/h and world-leading safety and operational capabilities, China’s high-speed rail has set a benchmark for global commercial high-speed rail systems in terms of technical performance and passenger comfort. Additionally, the establishment of China’s high-speed rail technology and standards system has laid a solid foundation for coordinated industrial development, product systematization, and future technological upgrades.

　　Today, the Fuxing high-speed train has successfully transformed China’s high-speed rail from a follower reliant on technology imports into a global trendsetter. Building upon the independent innovation achievements of the Fuxing series, China State Railway Group has launched the CR450 Science and Technology Innovation Project. The overarching objective is to develop a new generation of high-speed EMUs, thereby upgrading the technology and industrial capabilities of high-speed railway mobile equipment, achieving higher-speed commercial operations on eligible routes, consolidating and expanding China’s leading position in high-speed rail, and better meeting people’s demand for better travel.

　　“Significant progress has been made in the CR450 EMU’s key technological breakthroughs. The test speed exceeds 450 km/h, with a maximum operating speed of 400 km/h, which will further enhance the efficiency of the railway network and improve the travel experience for passengers. Under high-speed operation, the train demonstrates enhanced structural safety, reduced braking distance, and features an intelligent train brain that establishes a proactive safety assurance mechanism,” explained Li Yongheng.

　　“Currently, the CR450 prototype EMU is undergoing type testing to lay the groundwork for its early entry into commercial service,” according to a relevant responsible person from China Academy of Railway Sciences Group Co., Ltd.

　　Smarter Construction

　　At the 17th China International Modern Railway Technology and Equipment Exhibition (MODERN RAILWAYS 2025), a small black box displayed at the China Railway Group booth attracted the attention of visitors. “This box is China’s independently developed, internationally leading HSP advanced geological prediction system. When mounted on a tunnel boring machine (TBM), it enables remote control, making tunnel construction smarter, more efficient, and safer,” said Gao Hongbing, General Manager and Deputy Party Secretary of China Railway Academy Group Co., Ltd.

　　High-speed rail construction spans numerous industries and demands extremely high technical standards, requiring not only advanced equipment manufacturing but also strong construction capabilities.

　　“The geological and climatic conditions faced by China’s high-speed railway construction are highly complex, with no precedent in the world to follow. We have relied entirely on independent innovation to develop a unique advantage in engineering and construction technology,” noted Xue Hui, Director of the Engineering Management Division of China Railway Construction Co., Ltd.

　　Taking tunnel construction as an example, high-speed rail projects often require traversing mountainous terrains. Traditional methods such as blasting and rock drilling can no longer meet the demands of high intensity, precision, and efficiency, making it necessary to adopt new equipment and technologies such as TBM.

　　Tunnel construction using TBMs enables rapid progress, but the TBM body occupies a large amount of tunnel space and is subject to strong interference from vibration and electromagnetic sources, limiting the use of traditional forecasting technologies. The China Academy of Railway Sciences developed the HSP217T onboard forecasting system, based on TBM rock-breaking seismic sources. This system introduces innovations in equipment integration, automated detection, real-time data processing, intelligent interpretation of graphical outputs, and digitalized forecasting information management. It enables TBMs to achieve real-time geological perception within a 100-meter range, completing the entire forecasting process in under 10 minutes, with an accuracy rate of up to 90% for fault and fractured zones. To date, the system has been applied in over 350 TBM (or shield tunneling) projects both domestically and internationally.

　　Through the tireless efforts of construction units, China has overcome a series of engineering challenges and successfully built a substantial number of high-speed railways that operate effectively in harsh environments, such as extreme cold, heat, drought, sandstorms, and complex geological conditions including soft soil, loess, seasonal permafrost, and karst formations. This has demonstrated China’s capability to construct high-speed railways under diverse climatic and geological conditions.

　　According to Xue Hui, China now possesses the world’s most comprehensive technologies for bridge design and construction and modern construction equipment. Significant breakthroughs have been made in constructing large-diameter shield tunnels in urban areas and tunnels through squeezing surrounding rocks. Furthermore, key railway track components such as high-speed rail steel rails, large-number turnouts, fastening systems, and rail expansion adjusters have been independently developed. China has also mastered the technologies required for designing and constructing large-scale railway passenger stations and has established a comprehensive Building Information Modeling (BIM) standard system for rail infrastructure.

　　According to the 2016 National Medium- and Long-Term Railway Network Plan, the development of the “Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal” high-speed railway grid has proceeded smoothly. As of the end of June this year, approximately 81.5% of the primary channels have been completed and put into operation, with around 14% currently under construction. Notably, key channels such as the Beijing-Shanghai, Beijing-Harbin, and Beijing-Hong Kong (Macau), Qingdao-Yinchuan, Lianyungang-Urumqi (Land Bridge Passage), Shanghai-Kunming, and Guangzhou-Kunming channels have been fully connected. Preliminary works are underway on sections such as the Fengtai-Xiong’an segment of the Beijing-Hong Kong (Taipei) high-speed railway channel and the Yichang-Changde segment of the Hohhot-Nanning high-speed railway channel.

　　A More Advanced “Brain”

　　At the exhibition booth of China Railway Signal & Communication Co., Ltd. (CRSC), four major sections were presented: globally leading rail transit operation control system solutions, digital transformation enabling high-quality development of railway safety control systems, artificial intelligence driving the intelligent evolution of railway operations, and low-altitude intelligent control technology promoting safe and green railway development.

　　“High-speed rail is an extensive and complex systems engineering project. Its tracks, bridges, and tunnels form the ‘bones and channels’; EMUs provide the ‘flesh and pulse’; and the train control system functions as the central ‘nervous system’, ensuring safe and efficient train operation while delivering high-quality travel services,” explained Chen Zhiqiang, Director of the Safety Control Technology Institute at CRSC Research & Design Institute Group Co., Ltd.

　　China has already constructed tens of thousands of kilometers of high-speed rail lines and deployed thousands of EMU trains, which are remarkable achievements visible to the naked eye. In the invisible place, China’s high-speed train control system has also achieved leapfrog development.

　　In terms of independent innovation, China has successfully developed a fully proprietary train control system, achieving 100% independence in system platform, core software, and set equipment. Regarding technological breakthroughs, China pioneered the commercial operation of automatic driving for 350 km/h high-speed EMUs, adopted BeiDou-based positioning and other innovative technologies to enable moving-block tracking control, and developed a dual-mode communication train control system supporting speeds of up to 400 km/h.

　　China’s high-speed rail control technologies have also begun to gain international recognition. In 2022, the Serbian Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the Hungary-Serbia Railway was inaugurated, marking compatibility with EU railway standards and integrating Chinese technology into the European railway network. In 2023, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia commenced operations, featuring full deployment of China’s CTCS-3 train control system industrial chain, showcasing China’s global technological competitiveness.

　　“In the face of the railway digitalization wave, we will focus on digital and intelligent empowerment. This includes developing large signal-system models to enhance operational efficiency and safety, building digital equipment architectures for intelligent operation and maintenance, and establishing intelligent operation control and health management platforms to promote integrated operation control and maintenance”, Chen Zhiqiang said.