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Trains are like dragons: massive, majestic, mystical and capable of quickly taking you on an exotic adventure.
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Feb 9 20 tweets 13 min read
I saw this ad on the MTR (and railfan news TBF) that ✨Station Rail Voyage✨ has added the KTT or the Kwongdong (Guangdong) Thru Train to its exhibit so I had to go check it out again. A thread of my experience. Image
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The KTT is a Joint intercity railway service operated by China Railways and the KCR (Later MTR after merger) between Hong Kong's Hung Hom station and Guangzhou, Foshan and Zhaoqing. MTR used an electric locomotive hulling double deck cars for the service.
Feb 7 7 tweets 4 min read
Updated Shenyang Metro Phase 4 plans revealed today after public feedback. There was a lot of public pushback against the the 2 express lines (K1 & K2) that replaced Lines 7 & 8, Lines 7 & 8 are now back in and K1 & K2 deferred. A little🧵on the evolution of Phase 4 planning. Image
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The backlash for the removal of Line 7 (repost) was so strong they put it back a few months after unveiling the express lines in 2023 (1st pic). It's good that now Line 8, which still received particularly strong support is also back in play (2nd pic). Image
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Feb 6 14 tweets 7 min read
Henan Intercity Railway Construction Plan for short listed regional railways revealed for public comment today. A small thread of proposed lines. Below was when I took the existing Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Regional Railway Line of the Henan Intercity Railway system. (1/14) The 1st project is Zhengzhou to Xinmi connecting line. 34 km long, 29 km elevated and 5 kilometers underground with 4 stations. Seems to be the south branch of the Zhengzhou East West RER system (see repost). (2/14) Image
Feb 4 6 tweets 3 min read
On the MTR today I ponder, its estimated that retrofitting the entire Toronto Subway with Platform Screen Doors is 4.1 billion CAD or 176,000 INT$/m of platform edge. HK retrofitted PSDs on all MTR urban line stations for, after inflation, 34,000 INT$/m of platform edge.... To put it another way, the entire 1999 Hong Kong MTR system, already carrying +2 million pax/day, invented brownfield PSD installation and became the 1st metro system in the world to retrofit PSDs. At a cost of 2.3 billion HKD or 850 million CAD today.... Image
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Jan 29 4 tweets 3 min read
Chongqing Metro Line 15 Phase 1 a regional express metro line completed its largest bridge, crossing a valley as it enters Chongqing's airport. L15 trains will soon glide 140kph over a 2.7km long bridge with 29 spans, the largest being 130m and supported by piers ~100m high... Image
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...over the valley floor. Still not the highest metro bridge in the world, that goes to the Caijia Rail Transit Bridge also in Chongqing but for Line 6...
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Jan 29 8 tweets 4 min read
Lately🇻🇳has rolled out tough fines on running red lights, riding on sidewalks and driving in the wrong direction. Mostly these measures are directed at motorcycle and moped users who regularly break those rules.
Image China has similar issues with the massive proliferation of illegally modified high power e-scooters which occupy a grey area of bike and car. They illegally drive and park everywhere and widely disregard rules. Ruining the walking and cycling experience. Image
Jan 25 9 tweets 5 min read
On the last day of 2024 I went to Guangzhou to see two recent metro openings. A thread of my experience with one of them, Line 3 East Extension. A small thread. (1/9) Image
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I took the HSR up from Hong Kong into Guangzhou and arriving at Guangzhou South and confronted with the new Guangzhou Metro map with Line 11 bolded (stay tuned). (2/9)
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Jan 25 6 tweets 2 min read
Interesting what is going on with Mumbai Ahmedabad HSL. Where 🇮🇳 has announced they will initially install ETCS and use hypothetical domestically developed ~250kph class trains. Then install Japanese signaling and import a hypothetical Shinkansen trains in the 2030s. (1/6) Image Could be some frictions in negotiations between Japan and India. India seems to be balking at the cost and vendor lock in of new Shinkansen trains. India claims their new domestic WIP trains cost 13 million INT$/car. Japan's proposed Indian E5 Series was 23 million NT$/car. (2/6) Image
Jan 18 10 tweets 6 min read
Last month I finally got to see Beijing Subway Line 19 Ping'an Li Station. A little thread of my experience. (1/10) Image
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Ping'an Li Station is a 3 line interchange station. If you start on Line 6 you get to see some of the ground based wayfinding taking you to the other lines. (2/10) Image
Jan 13 5 tweets 4 min read
I missed this HSL opening last week that I have been following for awhile, the Shanghai–Suzhou–Huzhou HSL. A 160km long 350kph class relief HSL bypassing the existing heavily used Shanghai-Hangzhou HSL. Part of the reason I follow this project closely is... (1/4) Image
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... there is a cool cross shaped interchange station (Suzhou South/Fenhu) on the Shanghai–Suzhou–Huzhou HSL with the under construction Nantong–Suzhou–Jiaxing–Ningbo HSL, Suzhou Express Metro Line 10 and Shanghai Regional Rail... (2/4) Image
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Jan 8 7 tweets 4 min read
Tonight I ride the Shenzhen Metro and was in Futian, so let's see how Shenzhen Metro's freight delivery by metro experiment is going. A 🧵 (1/7) The volume of freight being processed is much higher. (2/7)
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Jan 2 17 tweets 8 min read
I have not watched Half as Interesting in a long time. To see them make poorly researched Wiki verbatim slop is sad. Half as Interesting's entire premise of "HKZM Bridge is useless" is wrong because he only counted cars/trucks, ignoring 80% of the bridge's traffic on buses. A😡🧵 Image Let's address the elephant in the room, ignoring most of the HKZM bridge's traffic which is carried on buses. The HKZM "golden bus" shuttles run up to every 2-5min between HK and Macau or Zhuhai. Every time I use the bridge (~once a month) there is an ocean of people and buses. Image
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Jan 1 4 tweets 4 min read
Last Monday (30 Dec 2024), the 23km long 14 station Shenyang Metro Line 3 Phase 1 West section opened. The line uses 6 car Type B trains. Bringing the Shenyang Metro to 187km long. Maps by MetroMan地铁通. (1/4) Image
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Last Monday, Shenyang Metro L3 Phase 1 West section opened. The Phase 1 West Section is mostly elevated, making Shenyang Metro no longer the world's longest fully underground metro system. The fully underground East Section is still in construction. Pics by Jennings-foto. (2/4) Image
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Dec 29, 2024 4 tweets 3 min read
Today, Phase 1 of Lines 7 and 8 of the Zhengzhou Metro opened. L7 is 26.8km long with 20 stations and L8 is 51.8km with 28 stations. The 11 year old Zhengzhou Metro is now 450km long. (1/4) Image
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More pictures of the first phase of Zhengzhou Metro Lines 7 and 8 stations which opened today. (2/4) Image
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Dec 29, 2024 5 tweets 4 min read
Today the CR450-AF and -BF sub-series has been officially unveiled by CRRC in Beijing. Both with a design speed of 450kph and a rated service speed of 400kph. First, third and right of fourth pics is the CR450AF second and left of fourth pics is the CR450BF. (1/5) Image
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Inside the new CR450 series HSTs unveiled today in Beijing. (2/5) Image
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Dec 28, 2024 6 tweets 6 min read
The Shanghai Airport Link Line opened on 27 December 2024. A regional railway line between Shanghai's two airports with trains every 10-15 min. Travel time between the two airports on the line is 40 mins. A picture🧵. Pics by Akiryo秋凌. (1/6) Image
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The trains on the Shanghai Airport Link Line are 4 car regional trains with wireless charging, luggage racks, 2+2 seating and the works. Overall quite nice. Pics by Akiryo秋凌. (2/6) Image
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Dec 25, 2024 4 tweets 4 min read
Today Xi'an Metro Line 8, a monster 50km long loop line opened. The line uses 6 car fully automated type A trains. Bringing the 13 year old Xi'an metro to 394km in length. Pictures and maps by 乐天派zhz. (1/4) Image
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The various stations on the newly opened Xi'an Metro Line 8. Pics by 乐天派zhz. (2/4) Image
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Dec 14, 2024 5 tweets 5 min read
Changtai Yangtze Bridge in🇨🇳: A highway-railway cablestayed🌉with a main span of 1,176m supported by two 352m towers, making it the tallest bridge in the🌐. A pair of 388m main span steel arch bridges flank both ends of the main bridge over the world's busiest waterway... (1/5) Image
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Profile of the Changtai Yangtze Bridge the tallest bridge in the world. Profile published in "Settlement analysis of the giant open caisson during the construction of the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge" by M.-W. Guo, Xuechao Dong, Zhi Yang in "Frontiers in Earth Science". (2/5) Image
Dec 2, 2024 6 tweets 5 min read
Suzhou Metro Line 7 Phase 1 central section opened yesterday. The fully underground crosstown urban section is 24.4km long with 21 stations. The line uses 6 car type B trains costs 180 million INT$/km. Pictures by KINJYOWAN. Picture Thread. Image
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Suzhou Metro Line 7 Phase 1 central section (Red) will also take over a branch line of Line 4 (Purple) The North Section (Grey) is still under construction. The whole Line 7 will be 40.6 km long with 32 stations. Map by 乐天派zhz Image
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Dec 1, 2024 4 tweets 3 min read
Yesterday, Zhengzhou Metro Line 6 Phase 1 Northeastern Extension opened. The extension is 26.4km long, fully underground under Zhengzhou city center with 18 stations of which 8 are interchange stations. L6 Phase 1 is estimated to cost 190 million INT$/km to build. Picture🧵... Image
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...Line 6 Phase 1 was originally a short purple stubway in the suburbs with minimal use. This city center extension tripled its length and now makes it a central trunk line. The 10 year old Zhengzhou Metro is now over 370km long. Maps by MetroMan地铁通.... Image
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Nov 14, 2024 6 tweets 3 min read
Last month the Environmental Impact Report for Beijing Subway Line 19 Phase 2 N Extension was released. The extension is mostly underground, 24.2km long, serves 7 stations with 2 branches with a reservations for a 3rd. Line 19 is an express line supporting 120kph operations.... Image No much change in the design of the project since it's approval as part of Beijing Subway's Phase 3 expansion noted in repost. However...
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