Wuhan–Yichang railway

Wuhan-Yichang railway Wuhan–Yichang section of theShanghai–Wuhan–Chengdu passenger railway
Hankou railway station
Overview
Other name(s)	Wuhan–Yichang railway Hanyi railway
Native name	Hán nghi thiết lộ Ninh dung tuyến hán nghi đoạn
Status	Operational
Owner	CR Wuhan
Locale	Hubei province
Termini	Hankou Yichang East
Stations	8
Service
Type	Higher-speed rail Class I
System	China Railway High-speed
Operator(s)	CR Wuhan
History
Commenced	September 17, 2008(2008-09-17)
Opened	July 1, 2012(2012-07-01)
Technical
Line length	292 km (181 mi)
Number of tracks	2 (Double-track)
Track gauge	1,435 mm(4 ft8+1⁄2in)standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC(Overhead line)
Operating speed	200 km/h (120 mph)
Maximum incline	0.6%
Route map km elev Hewu railwayfromHefei South fromFengtaiviaJingguang railway–Hankou link line 0 Hankou toGuangzhouvia Jingguang railway–Hankou link line 46 Hanchuan 71 Dafu Wuhan–Xiantao intercity railway 83 Tianmen South 114 Xiantao West 134 Qianjiang 204 Jingzhou Jingmen–Jingzhou high-speed railwaytoJingmen West 248 Zhijiang North link toJiaoliu railway Yueshan Liuzhou Yayi Railwayfrom Yaqueling 291.83 Yichang East Yayi RailwaytoYichang Yiwan railwaytoDazhou

Wuhan–Yichang railway,orHanyi railway(simplified Chinese:Hán nghi thiết lộ;traditional Chinese:Hán nghi thiết lộ;pinyin:Hàn-Yí Tiělù), is a 291-kilometre (181 mi) longhigher-speed railwaybetweenHankou(inWuhan) andYichang,inHubeiprovince, China. The railway forms a section of theHuhanrong passenger-dedicated linefromShanghaitoWuhantoChengdu.The Hanyi Railway was completed in spring 2012 and started commercial operations on July 1, 2012.Adjacent high-speed rail sections, theHefei–Wuhan railwayto the east and theYichang−Wanzhou railwayto the west, opened respectively in April 2009 and December 2010.

Unlike most otherhigh-speed railways in Chinawhich generally follow the route of pre-existing railway lines, the Hanyi railway takes a new, more direct, route between Wuhan and Yichang, bringing rail service for the first time to cities along the Yangtze River in central Hubei such asHanchuan,Xiantao,andQianjiang.Jingzhou,previously only served by abranch rail linetoJingmento the north, now enjoys frequent through-train service to Wuhan and Yichang.

Construction history

According to a news item from the Wuhan City Government dated July 10, 2008, the plans for the railways were finalized at the time, and the construction was to begin shortly.According to the plans, the construction should have been completed by the end of 2011, however, this deadline was not met. A more recent schedule (confirmed in early May 2012 by Hubei provincial authorities) is for the railway to open in May 2012.It is constructed by the China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co.

On March 1, it was reported that soft earth had been used in the foundation of the railway. Later, the director of Hubei railway construction office reported that a section of the railway had sunk more than the allowed tolerance.On 9 March 2012 it was reported that due to heavy rainfall, a 300 metres (980 ft) section of rail collapsed in central Hubei Province.

Stations

There are eight stations on the line:

• Hankou railway stationHán khẩu trạm
• Hanchuan railway stationHán xuyên trạm
• Tianmen South railway stationThiên môn nam trạm
• Xiantao West railway stationTiên đào tây trạm
• Qianjiang railway stationTiềm giang trạm
• Jingzhou railway stationKinh châu trạm
• Zhijiang North railway stationChi giang bắc trạm
• Yichang East railway stationNghi xương đông trạm

Even though Tianmen City is west of Xiantao City, Xiantao West railway station (located north of Xiantao's Sanfutan Town) is located west on Tianmen South railway station (located near Tianmen's Duoxiang Town). In fact, Xiantao West is the closest station to downtown Tianmen, and Tianmen South is the closest station to downtown Xiantao. This geographical oddity has resulted because of the way the border between the twocounty-level cities(which runs mostly along theHanshuiRiver) is located relative to the new railway's route.

Tianmen South railway station is the station that early plans called "Xiantao railway station".

As of 2012, the Hanyi Railway's trains have never served the Yichang railway station in downtown Yichang. In 2012, that station was closed for renovations; it is expected that after the renovation project is completed, the station will also receive EMU (i.e., D-series) trains,presumably extending the route of Wuhan-Yichang trains by one more station, much closer to downtown Yichang.

Service

As of July 2012, the Hanyi railway is primarily used by frequent high-speed D-series trains circulating between Yichang East and Wuhan's three major rail stations (Hankou, Wuchang, and Wuhan). Some of them continue to the east (to Nanjing and Shanghai Hongqiao), or to the southeast (toNanchang,over theWuhan–Jiujiang Railway). A few "conventional" (K, T, Z-series) trains use the line as well.