China to build international HSR network

China is in negotiations to build an international high speed rail (HSR) network for trains capable of travelling almost as fast as aircraft. &nbspBy Jennifer PerryThree networks are planned: London to Beijing, with the route to be extended to Singapore, India and Pakistan a second route from the north of China through to Russia and on to Germany, linking to the European railway system and a third network extending south to connect Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia, the London newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported. The trains are expected to travel at more than 320 km/h, almost “as fast as aeroplanes”, Wang Mengshu, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a senior consultant on China’s domestic high-speed rail project, told The Daily Telegraph. Considering China last year unveiled the world’s fastest train, the Harmony Express, which can reach speeds of 350 km/h, and recently tested a train at 380 km/h that cut a 1000 km journey to just two hours and 50 minutes, trains that run as fast as planes seem entirely plausible. China is already “in negotiations” with 17 countries over the HSR networks, Wang said, adding that Central and Eastern European countries are “keen for us to start”. The “best case scenario”, according to Wang, is for the three networks to be completed within a decade. China’s desire for the HSR to run on the same gauge as its domestic network and the necessity for other countries to convert to this is a major issue that China faces, The Daily Telegraph reported. Vietnam has agreed to change its standard gauge, though other countries are yet to come on board. China is spearheading the global HSR “revolution”. It currently has 6552 km of track, the longest in the world, and has plans to extend this to 50,000 by 2020. HSR is already well established in many first world countries – most notably those in Europe. While HSR is now considered to be a “mature technology”, Australia has so far failed to look at implementing it in any in-depth way. Two of Australia’s major rail associations – the CRC for Rail Innovation and the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)&nbsp- both believe “the time is right” to seriously examine HSR in Australia. A recent study into HSR in the Australian context conducted by the CRC concluded that factors such as constrained airport capacity, a rising and increasingly urbanised population, maturing technology and an increased focus on reducing transport emissions, all indicate that HSR in Australia should be seriously investigated. In particular, the report strongly suggested that Sydney airport capacity issues should be considered in conjunction with future HSR options. A HSR network linking some of Australia’s top cities could for example, reduce Melbourne/ Canberra/Sydney/Newcastle//Gold Coast/Brisbane air patronage and consequently free up significant Sydney airport capacity. “There are 78 flights each day each way from Sydney to Melbourne. If a big part of that task was carried HSR that would release slots at Sydney airport that could then be used for longer haul traffic,” CRC chief executive David George said. “If Australia can link its major cities in the three to four hour mark, then the prospects for high level capture of patronage from airlines is very, very significant.” George said this is “exactly what’s happened in Europe”. &quotFew people for example, now fly Paris to Brussels or London to Paris,&quot he said. ARA chief executive, Bryan Nye, said that an economic analysis needs to happen now to ensure that crucial corridors are preserved to reserve future HSR options. “HSR will also free up passenger networks and enable us to put more freight on rail,” Nye said.&nbsp

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