Taiyuan–Zhongwei–Yinchuan railway

The Taiyuan–Zhongwei–Yinchuan railway (Chinese: 太中银铁路) is a railway line in northern China, connecting Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province, with Zhongwei and Yinchuan in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. It is a double-track electric railway, opened in 2011.

Taiyuan–Zhongwei–Yinchuan railway 太中银铁路
A T70 passenger train from Beijing West to Urumqi North on the Taiyuan–Zhongwei–Yinchuan railway over the Wuding River in Suide, Shaanxi Province near the intersection with the Shenmu–Yan'an railway (Photo taken in 2014).
Overview
Owner	China Railway
Locale	Shanxi and Ningxia
Termini	Taiyuan South Zhongwei
Stations	37
Service
Type	Class 1 main line
Operator(s)	China Railway: Taiyuan Group, Xi'an Group, Lanzhou Group
History
Opened	January 11, 2011
Technical
Line length	945 km (587 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification	50 Hz, 25,000 V
Operating speed	160 km/h (99 mph)
Route map Legend km Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan HSR from Shijiazhuang Datong–Xi'an HSR from Datong South 0 Taiyuan South Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan railway to Shijiazhuang Datong–Xi'an HSR to Xi'an North Zhongdingwuliuyuan (freight only) Taiyuan southwest ring line 61 Qingxu 72 Jiaocheng 86 Wenshui 103 Fenyang Lüliangshan tunnel (20,785 m） Wucheng Lishi tunnel (10,236 m) 185 Lüliang 000km Lüliang–Linxian branch 000km Dawu Chegan tunnel (11,818 m) Sanjiao Linjiaping／Qidao Qikou／Renjiagou Mengmen／Linxian 210km Liulin South Wubu Yellow River bridge (866 m) 236 Wubu Wubu tunnel (12,310 m) Baotou–Xi'an railway from Xi'an 274 Suide Baotou–Xi'an railway to Baotou 304 Zizhou Hengshan tunnel (11,448 m) Xingwangmao tunnel (11,055 m) 415 Jingbian 520 Dingbian 623 Taiyangshan Yanchi 670 Hongshibu Lingwu Yinchuan–Lanzhou HSR from Yinchuan 702 Zhongning East Yinchuan–Lanzhou HSR to Zhongwei South Yongning Yellow River bridge (3,942 m) Zhongning Yellow River bridge (4,423 m) Baotou–Lanzhou railway from Baotou Yinchuan 724 Huangyangwan Baoji–Zhongwei railway from Baoji 751 Zhongwei Baotou–Lanzhou railway to Lanzhou This diagram: view talk edit

Routing

The main line of the railway runs in the general east-west direction from Taiyuan to Zhongwei via Lüliang and Dingbian, serving a number of communities in western Shanxi, northern Shaanxi and Ningxia, many of which previously did not have rail service at all. The Dingbian-Yinchuan branch runs from Dingbian northwest, to Ningxia's capital city Yinchuan.

The railway also has a short dead-end branch from Lüliang to Lin County (Linxian) in the northwestern Shanxi.

In some areas (a section of the main line east of Dingbian, and the Dingbian-Yinchuan branch), the railway route roughly parallels the Great Wall of China.

Service

Together with the Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan high-speed railway, the Taiyuan–Zhongwei–Yinchuan railway provides a more direct route between Beijing and Ningxia than those that were available before. Together with the Zhongwei-Wuwei line in Ningxia and Gansu, it offers a shorter route between Beijing and Xinjiang than the more standard route via Zhengzhou and Lanzhou.^[1]

History

Construction started in May 2006. The railway was opened on January 11, 2011. It includes the 20 km (12 mi) long Lüliangshan Tunnel near Lüliang City in western Shanxi.

Rail junctions

• Taiyuan: Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan railway, Taiyuan–Jiaozuo railway, Shitai passenger railway
• Liulin:Shanxi–Henan–Shandong railway
• Suide:Shenmu–Yan'an railway
• Zhongwei:Baotou–Lanzhou railway
• Yichuan:Baotou–Lanzhou railway

References

1. 从北京西开往乌鲁木齐T69次列车时刻表 - schedule of Train T69, Beijing–Urumqi, using the Taiyuan–Zhongwei–Yinchuan railway (in Chinese)