Bullet train service for Olympics makes debut trip

The new bullet train service for the upcoming Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games made its maiden journey to a new railway station on Thursday.

The smart Fuxing bullet train was specially designed for the occasion, sporting white and blue colors with 24 snowflakes to represent the 24th Games.

"It is the most advanced bullet train in China," said Zhu Yan of the engineering research center at the China Railway Rolling Stock Corp's Changchun Railway Vehicles, the manufacturer of the train, adding that in addition to being a smart train, the Fuxing is also environmentally friendly and has cultural characteristics.

Its 2,700 automatic inspection sensors collect operational data from areas such as its brake and traction systems, as well as vibration and temperature data.

The previous generation of smart bullet trains had about 1,500 sensors, Zhu said, adding that there is also a system for seeing things from a distance. It functions like an advanced telescope and allows the train to spot any problems on the track ahead, such as the presence of foreign objects.

"The smart system will report any problem to the ground crew and the driver to help them decide on the safest course of action," he said.

The train was made using environmentally friendly materials, and more than 50 percent of them are recyclable. It is designed to be in service for 30 years.

Jiang Nan, an onboard mechanic with China Railway Beijing Group, said that the smart train makes his job easier and faster.

It has eight cars, including business, first-class and second-class compartments. To serve media needs, it has special working compartments with tables and international electric sockets, and there is also a high definition studio for live broadcasts of interviews with athletes and officials, supported by 5G technology. The train is the first of its kind in the world to offer HD signal transmissions while traveling at speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour.

The interiors are decorated with Winter Games motifs, including photos of winter sports on the walls and paper snowflakes hung on the roof.

For its maiden voyage, the train departed from Beijing's Qinghe Railway Station, passing through Taizicheng and arriving at Chongli Railway Station. The latter stations are both in Hebei province's Zhangjiakou city.

The train made its journey after a section with a designed speed of 160 km/h connecting Taizicheng and Chongli went into operation on Thursday. It was the last leg of the railway built for the Games.

The Olympics will be held mainly in three areas: downtown Beijing, suburban Yanqing and Zhangjiakou's Chongli district. Commuter services will be provided by the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-speed Railway and Chongli Railway.

As the train arrived at Chongli, the newly built station made its public debut. Surrounded by snowy mountains, the station is designed to look like a forest cabin.

Li Qixuan, head of the Chongli Railway Station, said the new station is only 6 km from downtown Chongli and connects the main venues in Taizicheng and Chongli. Passengers can travel between Taizicheng and Chongli in 10 minutes.