China completes world's longest bullet train line

[marmar]

from the Infrastructurist:



As America continues its game of high-speed rail hot potato, China has quietly finished laying the tracks for the longest bullet line in the world. Spanning more than 800 miles, the line will link the Chinese capital of Beijing with Shanghai, an economic hub on the east. Travel between the two cities will drop to four hours—down from 10—when train service begins in 2012.



As the BBC points out, five years ago China had no high-speed rail track to speak of. Today, at roughly 4,000 miles, China’s bullet train network is already the world’s most extensive. That total is set to double within two years, according to the World Bank, which would give China more high-speed mileage than the rest of the globe combined. The trains on the Beijing-Shanghai line, called the CRH380A, will travel up to 236 miles per hour, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday, and they will be part of a national network expected to reach 9,700 miles by 2020.

The central Chinese city of Wuhan is already reaping the benefits of this network, which connects it with Shanghai in about four hours (covering roughly the same distance as Chicago to New York). The train line has “transformed” the city, the president of the Wuhan American Chamber of Commerce told NPR:

There’s more traffic because more people are able to afford cars, so you’re seeing a lot more consumers that have a vehicle. So I can tell that the income level is going up because of that. We’ve got subways that are being added here, you know, American companies coming in, Wal-Mart, they’re adding more and more stores all the time.

At least Americans can take solace in the fact that cultural progress in China is judged on the ability to attract a Wal-Mart.


http://www.infrastructurist.com/2010/11/18/china-completes-worlds-longest-bullet-line/

[Parker CA]

1. That's great! All in 5 years. Pretty depressing that we can't manage to get our act together here.

[marmar]

2. It's taken New York City decades to even begin building a 3 mile subway line on the east side.....

Sad indeed.

[ladjf]

13. Political gridlock. Politicians too busy stealing money to worry

about Americans problems. nt

[gateley]

3. WHAT is our fucking problem? It's the same with solar power, hybrid and electric

cars, everything! We do it "our way" and fall so far behind.

Wasn't there recently a big deal made about rail going within one State - Florida? - which will take YEARS to complete and far too much money? Why bother? :shrug:

[surrealAmerican]

6. We all know what the problem is here.

There are people profiting off the current transportation infrastructure who don't want the competition.

[gateley]

9. Sigh. Why do I even bother to ask? It's ALWAYS about the $$$ and I KNOW that!

It's so discouraging. America. Who'da thunk? :shrug:

[WhiteTara]

8. well, for one thing, they have a central government

and when the government decides something, there is no dissent and the project moves through to completion. I'm thinking about the 3 Gorges Dam and now the bullet train. Maybe giving up all freedom is worth having trains that run on time and budget. (No...joking! I'm feeling cynical tonight.)

[AsahinaKimi]

4. California is supposed to have a bullet train however..

I am betting I will not see it in my lifetime.

[malaise]

5. We can either develop the war industry

or develop our societies.
While Bushco was invading Afghanistan and Iraq, China was building infrastructure. It's heartbreaking to watch.

[Bullet1987]

7. Exactly...the amount of money we're pumping into the military expenditure is killing our ability

to modernize our technology. Many parts of America still utilize technology from the 50s. That crap isn't "modern" anymore. Too many of our leaders are living in the past when it comes to our crappy infrastructure. Yea, it was cutting edge when YOU were 20...but it's not anymore. In 20 years this stuff will be ancient...actually I don't know if our infrastructure can even last another 20 years.

[Strelnikov_]

10. Damn those command economies!! n/t

[hunter]

12. We have a command economy.

It says we have to drive cars and fly planes.

[veganlush]

11. K&R n/t.