Beijing–Guangzhou Railway

Beijing–Guangzhou Railway 京广铁路
The Jingguang Railway on the Snake Hill in Wuhan. In the far background, the railway crosses the Yangtze over the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge.
Overview
Type	Heavy rail
System	China Railways
Status	Active
Termini	Beijing West Guangzhou
Stations	53 active
Operation
Operator(s)	China Railways
Technical
Line length	2,324 km (1,444 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in)
Operating speed	120–200 kilometres per hour (75–124 mph)
Route map Legend to Beijing–Shanhaiguan Railway to Fengtai–Shacheng Railway Yongding River Changxindian to Beijing–Yuanping Railway Liangxiang Doudian Liulihe to Zhoukoudian–Liulihe Railway entering Hebei 64 km Zhuozhou 84 km Gaobeidian to Gaobeidian–Yi County Railway 122 km Xushui County 146 km Baoding to Baoding–Mancheng County Railway Shunping County 179 km Wangdu County 206 km Dingzhou to Shuozhou–Huanghua Railway Zhaixidian 239 km Xinle Zhengding County Liuxinzhuang to Shijiazhuang–Dezhou Railway 277 km Shijiazhuang to Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan Railway 309 km Yuanshi County 328 km Gaoyi County 390 km Xingtai 414 km Shahe to Shahe–Wuji Railway 442 km Handan to Handan–Changzhi Railway to Handan–Jinan Railway Matou to Matou–Cishan Railway 473 km Ci County entering Henan to Anyang–Lizhen Railway 502 km Anyang 524 km Tangyin County to Tangyin–Heshan Railway 543 km Hebi 561 km Qi County 584 km Weihui 609 km Xinxiang to Xinxiang–Jiaozuo Railway to Xinxiang–Shijiugang Railway Wuzhi County Yellow River to Longhai Railway 689 km Zhengzhou to Longhai Railway Xinzheng to Qi County Railway 753 km Changge to Xutai Railway 775 km Xuchang 801 km Linying County to Mengmiao–Baofeng Railway 829 km Luohe 851 km Xiping County 877 km Suiping County 895 km Zhumadian 915 km Queshan County 952 km Minggang to Nanjing–Xi'an Railway 991 km Xinyang to Nanjing–Xi'an Railway entering Hubei 1,056 km Guangshui to Hankou–Danjiang Railway 1,101 km Huayuan 1,135 km Xiaogan to Hengdian–Macheng Railway 1,205 km Hankou to Hankou–Danjiang Railway Yangtze River to Wuhan–Jiujiang Railway 1,225 km Wuchang District Wuchang South to Wuhan–Jiujiang Railway 1,305 km Xianning 1,343 km Chibi entering Hunan 1,398 km Linxiang 1,410 km Lukou Yunxi Yueyang North 1,440 km Yueyang Rongjiawan Miluo River 1,509 km Miluo 1,587 km Changsha Yijiawan to Hunan–Guizhou Railway 1,639 km Zhuzhou to Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway G4 Beijing–Hong Kong–Macau Expressway 1,722 km Mount Heng 1,773 km Hengyang to Hunan–Guangxi Railway Linghu 1,836 km Leiyang to Zixing–Xujiadong Railway 1,920 km Chenzhou 1,986 km Pingshi to Pingshi–Muchongcun Railway entering Guangdong 2,023 km Lechang Lishi 2,073 km Shaoguan East Maba G4 Beijing–Hong Kong–Macau Expressway 2,156 km Yingde Feilaixia Yuantan 2,267 km Guangzhou North to Guangdong–Kowloon Railway Guangzhou West to Pearl River Bridge Railway

The Beijing–Guangzhou Railway or Jingguang Railway (simplified Chinese: 京广铁路; traditional Chinese: 京廣鐵路; pinyin: Jīngguǎng tiělù) is a major arterial railway that connects Beijing in the north with Guangzhou in the south. This dual-track electrified line has a total length of 2,324 kilometres (1,444 mi) and spans five provinces through north, central and south China. The line passes through the provincial capitals of each of those provinces, namely: Shijiazhuang (Hebei), Zhengzhou (Henan), Wuhan (Hubei), Changsha (Hunan) and Guangzhou (Guangdong). The line's two terminal stations are the Beijing West Railway Station and the Guangzhou Railway Station.

History

Dazhimen Station in Hankou, the original southern terminal of the Jinghan Railway

The Jingguang Railway was originally two railways: the Beijing–Hankou Railway in the north from Beijing to Hankou, and the Guangdong–Hankou Railway in the south from Wuchang to Guangzhou. Hankou and Wuchang were cities on opposite sides of the Yangtze River that became part of the present city of Wuhan in 1927.

The Beijing–Hankou (Jinghan) Railway, 1,215 km in length, was built from 1897 to 1906.^[1] The concession was originally awarded to a Belgian company that was backed by French investors. A strong desire to bring the route under Chinese control led to the formation of the Bank of Communications to secure the financing needed to buy back the railway from its Belgian owners. The successful redemption of the railway in 1909 enhanced the prestige of the Communications Clique, which became a powerful political force in the early Republic.^[2]

The Guangdong–Hankou (Yuehan) Railway began construction in 1900 and progressed more slowly.^[1] The concession was originally awarded to the American China Development Company, but a diplomatic crisis erupted when the Belgians purchased a controlling interest in the company. The concession was cancelled in 1904 to prevent Franco-Belgian interests from controlling the entire route between Beijing and Guangdong.^[2] The Guangzhou–Sanshui branch line was completed in 1904.^[3] The Changsha-Zhuzhou section was then completed in 1911, followed by the Guangzhou-Shaoguan section in 1916 and the Wuchang-Changsha section in 1918.^[1] Work on the last section between Zhuzhou and Shaoguan began in 1929 and was finally completed in 1936.^[1][4]

On 7 February 1923, workers of the Beijing-Wuhan Railway Workers' association launched a massive strike demanding better workers' rights and protesting oppression by warlords. The strike organized by Shi Yang and Lin Xiangqian was an early example of worker mobilization by the Communist Party of China.^[5]

Locations served

A train from Beijing to Guangzhou entering the Huaishuling Tunnel in Fengtai District, Beijing.

From north to south:

• Beijing (Fengtai Station)
• Baoding, Hebei
• Shijiazhuang, Hebei
• Handan, Hebei
• Xinxiang, Henan
• Zhengzhou, Henan
• Luohe, Henan
• Xinyang, Henan
• Hankou, Hubei
• Wuchang, Hubei
• Yueyang, Hunan
• Changsha, Hunan
• Zhuzhou, Hunan
• Hengyang, Hunan
• Shaoguan, Guangdong
• Guangzhou, Guangdong

Service

The Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, built in 1957, connected the Beijing-Hankou Railway and Guangzhou-Wuchang Railways to form the Jingguang Railway.

Currently, the nonstop Beijing-Kowloon "Jingjiu" Through Train operates on this line. Prior to 2003, this train called at stops along the route before they were eliminated to create a through service directly from the capital to Hong Kong.

Parallel lines

The Beijing–Kowloon Railway, completed in 1996, is another "conventional" railway connecting Beijing with the Pearl River Delta. It runs mostly within 100–300 km to the east of the Beijing–Guangzhou Railway.

The Beijing–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway runs through the same major cities as the "original" Beijing–Guangzhou Railway, on a slightly different route (avoiding built-up areas, and having a greater curve radius, for higher speeds and somewhat shorter overall length). In most cities along the line, the high-speed trains will stop at different, purpose-built stations, rather than the older stations served by the "original" Beijing–Guangzhou Railway.^[6] The Wuhan to Guangzhou section of the high-speed railway opened in 2009, and the Beijing to Wuhan section opened in 2012.

As consecutive sections of the Beijing–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway become operational, the railway authorities shift a large portion of passenger traffic from the original Beijing–Guangzhou Railway to the new high-speed line. This allows an increase in the amount of freight volume transported over the original Beijing–Guangzhou Railway. For example, according to preliminary estimates, after the entire Beijing–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway opens, the annual freight capacity of the northern half of the Beijing–Guangzhou Railway (between its two main freight stations, Beijing's Fengtai West Station and Wuhan North Railway Station) would increase by 20 million tons.^[7]

Accidents

• 2009 Hunan train collision, 3 dead, 50+ injured.

See also

• List of railways in China
• Beijing-Kowloon Railway
• Rail transport in the People's Republic of China

References

1. (Chinese) "京广铁路" Tieliu 2007-01-08
2. Lee, En-han (1977). China's Quest for Railway Autonomy, 1904-1911: A Study of the Chinese Railway-Rights Recovery Movement. Singapore University Press.
3. The Directory & Chronicle for China, Japan, Corea, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Netherlands India, Borneo, the Philippines, &c. for the Year 1912. The Hongkong Daily Press Office. 1912. p. 1026. Work upon the branch line from Canton to Samshui (about 30 miles) commenced in December, 1902, and a length of ten miles, as far as Fatshan, was opened on November 15, 1903. The line was extended to Samshui the following year.
4. "Canton-Hankow Railway". The Sydney Morning Herald. June 9, 1936. English newspapers announce that the last rail has been laid of the railway link between Hankow and Canton.
5. "Anniversaries of important events -- Feb. 7 Great Strike"
6. Hung, Wing-tat; Brunello, Lara; Bunker, Jonathan, Critical Issues of High Speed Rail Development in China (PDF), p. 4
7. 京广高铁座位分四档 武汉赴京最低约500多元 Archived 22 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine. (Seats on Beijing–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway will come in four classes; lowest Wuhan to Beijing fare around 500 yuan), 2012-12-15 (Chinese)