HighSpeedRail

The Xi’an-Shiyan High-Speed Railway achieved a significant milestone with the completion of the Tianzhushan No. 2 tunnel. This 4,118-meter tunnel presented complex engineering challenges, addressed using advanced technology.

This railway, spanning 256 kilometers, will cut travel time between Xi’an and Shiyan to under one hour. It also halves the travel time from Xi’an to Wuhan, improving regional accessibility.

A new high-speed rail network is emerging from the sands of Egypt, over 2000km in length and connecting cities with hitherto remote regions. The network being built by consortium leader Siemens Mobility and its partners, Orascom Construction and The Arab Contractors, is set to transform the country’s transport landscape and become the world’s sixth-largest high-speed rail network. It will provide safe, efficient and, in particular, environmentally-friendly transport for nearly 90% of the Egyptian population.

To ensure successful operation in harsh desert conditions, the Velaro has been specially adapted for Egypt, with specific modifications to combat sand, dust and extreme heat to offer both high levels of performance and passenger comfort.

Several features have been incorporated to resist sand and dust infiltration. These modifications include sealed external gaps and special covers for vulnerable components, coupled with innovative brushes and aerodynamic spoilers that actively deflect sand and dust away from critical areas. They protect the train’s mechanical and electronic systems from the abrasive effects of desert sand, extending the life of the train and minimising the need for frequent maintenance.

Other modifications include an advanced filtration system to ensure that only clean air enters the train, providing a constant flow of dust-free air to both the passenger areas and critical onboard electronic systems, reducing the risk of dust accumulation that could impair performance. The improved filtration system not only ensures passenger comfort, but also extends the life of the train by keeping sensitive equipment free from dust.

In the new strategic plan of Ferrovie there are 100 billion euros of investments and the initiatives that will have to make the difference in terms of growth of revenues and margins. Explaining this to the “Corriere della Sera” is Stefano Donnarumma, since last June, CEO of FS, indicating the creation of a new company to enhance the high-speed network, international development and investments in railway infrastructure and connectivity.

Overall rail operators do not deliver satisfactory services. But differences between them show that strong improvements are possible. The sector has not managed to sort things out on its own, which is why policy change is urgently needed.

Highlighting the expansion of high-speed train lines, Uraloglu said: “Passengers can currently travel directly to 11 cities by high-speed trains. In 2023, 11.9 million passengers used our high-speed trains, and we expect this number to reach 12.4 million in 2024.”

“Currently, Türkiye’s rail network extends 13,919 kilometers (8648.8 miles), of which 11,668 kilometers are conventional lines, while 2,251 kilometers are high-speed,” he added.