Chinese train maker showcases cutting-edge tech for sustainable rail transit

Chinese train maker CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles has become a trailblazer in the development for intelligent subway systems and high-speed trains, while making headway in the advancement of sustainable rail transit.

Currently, China's high-speed rail accounts for more than two-thirds of the global total network, with around 40 percent of these trains produced by CRRC Changchun Railway, which is based in Changchun City, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province.

Founded in 1954, CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles is famed for pioneering China's subways and high-speed trains. After three years of research and development, the train maker developed a built-in bogie, crucial for the running system of rail vehicles.

"The new built-in bogie moves components like the axle box and frame inside the wheels, making it approximately 20 percent lighter than traditional designs. This change results in a 15-percent reduction in energy usage, 30-percent reduction in wheel-rail wear, and a noise level reduction of about two decibels, promoting eco-friendliness and efficiency," said Liu Zhiyuan, director of the bogie research and development department under the CRRC Changchun Railway Engineering Research Center.

CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles garnered much attention with its hydrogen-powered train, which was launched in March. The train reaches a speed of 160 kilometers per hour and is now a benchmark of sustainable rail transit.

"This hybrid train uses hydrogen fuel cells alongside energy storage batteries, offering a range of 1,000 kilometers and consuming an average of five kilowatt-hours of energy. Its only emission is water, making it clean and environmentally-friendly. Each train can reduce CO2 emissions by about 25,000 tonnes over its life-cycle, equivalent to 10,000 cars over 10,000 kilometers," said Wang Jian, deputy director of the new technology research department under the CRRC Changchun Railway Engineering Research Center.

The company also designed China's new generation high-speed train "Fuxing". The "Fuxing" smart train is the first in the world to operate automatically at 350 kilometers per hour, capable of automatic departures, operations, braking and door control. Passengers can adjust their seats at various angles and even enjoy wireless phone charging during their journey.

Chinese train maker showcases cutting-edge tech for sustainable rail transit

Cities in China's Yangtze River Delta region have triggered emergency responses, including cancellation of trains and flights, road closures, and the relocation of affected civilians, after Typhoon Bebinca made landfall in Shanghai on Monday, causing extensive disruption as it moves northwestward.

Bebinca, the 13th typhoon of the year, made landfall in the Pudong District of Shanghai around 07:30 on Monday morning.

At the time of landfall, the maximum wind speed near the eye of the storm was about 42 meters per second, making it the strongest typhoon to land in Shanghai in decades.

In preparation for the storm, the city had relocated over 410,000 residents, canceled 577 trains and 1,461 flights.

On Monday afternoon, the first flights landed at Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai since the two airports announced on Sunday evening that all flights were cancelled because of Bebinca.

In nearby Jiangsu Province, cities including Nantong and Suzhou have been lashed by gales and strong rainfall. Expressways in parts of Suzhou, Nantong, Wuxi and Changzhou cities were closed while reduced speed limits, toll booth closures and the closures of bridges across the the Yangtze River were also put into effect.

Over 21,000 vessels have returned to ports in Jiangsu, while more than 7,700 construction sites and 315 scenic spots in the province have also been closed.

In Zhejiang Province's eastern coastal city of Zhoushan, local authorities relocated over 44,000 residents living in the danger-prone regions.

At 15:00 on Monday, China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters lowered the emergency response for Shanghai and Zhejiang from the previous Level III to Level IV, while the emergency response status for Jiangsu and east China's Anhui Province has been maintained at Level IV.

China's National Meteorological Center said that Bebinca will bring more heavy or torrential rain to Shanghai, northern Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, Anhui and Henan in the next three days.

Emergency responses triggered across eastern China in face of Typhoon Bebinca