A passenger pose for photo with a Fuxing train at the Hongqiao Railway Station in Shanghai, Sept. 21, 2017. (Photo/China News Service)
(ECNS) -- Advanced design and technology help guarantee Fuxing bullet trains run safely and efficiently at 350 kilometers per hour, making China the fastest country in the world when it comes to providing high-speed train services. [Special coverage]
The speed of 14 Fuxing trains linking the capital Beijing and financial center Shanghai was increased to 350km/h on Sept 21. The increase could cut travel time along the 1,318-km rail line to 4 hours and 28 minutes from roughly five hours, according to China Railway Corp, operator of the services. The speed of other trains remain at 300 km/h, CRC said.
The streamlined Fuxing, meaning rejuvenation, resembles a "flying dragon", which not only makes it attractive, but also helps reduce air resistance, said Ding Sansan, a deputy chief engineer at CRRC Sifang.
The height of the train body was increased to 4.05 meters, from the original 3.7 meters, increasing internal space by 7.3 percent, Ding said. The new body design also required the locomotive to be more powerful. The "flying dragon" style was chosen from 46 different shapes, it was added.
Its surface is composed of 80 pieces of 'skin' in various shapes and sizes, according to Zhang Zhiyi, director of the technical engineering department of CRC Sifang.
However, such complicated work helps ensure excellent performance. It means that on a round trip from Beijing to Shanghai, air resistance is reduced by 12 percent, saving 5,000 kilowatts in electricity, Ding said.
Fuxing also utilizes an intelligent sensing system with over 2,500 sensors, 500 more than other trains. Tao Guidong, deputy director with CRRC Sifang's technical center, said the sensors can collect over 1,500 types of information on the train, including data on vibration, bearing temperature and internal environment. Fuxing can record 1 million pieces of data per second.
Passengers on Fuxing trains will be more safe and comfortable as they have an additional "security lock": a device to absorb collision energy. If a crash is to occur, the device will reduce the impact. Ding said the collision protection system can absorb 6.8 mega joules of energy, which is a world leading level.
In addition, a noise reducing device on the train can reduce the operational sound to 65 decibels, providing passengers an exceptionally quiet environment.
