At 03:35am on 6th September, after nearly 4 hours of continuous efforts, CRSC connected newly-built Rizhao-Lankao and Xuzhou-Huaian-Yancheng High Speed Railways (HSRs) with Beijing-Shanghai HSR, achieving interoperability among their train control systems, and connection of the new lines to China's railway network.
As an investor and contractor of the two lines, CRSC built their signaling, communication and information systems, providing its own CTCS-3 train control systems, which serve as the "brain" and "nerve center" of HSR trains. It also set a new record of HSR construction, connecting two new lines to an existing 350km/h HSR for the first time since Beijing-Shanghai HSR was opened, accumulating experience for future retrofitting of railway arteries and hubs.
Designed at 350km/h, the 494km Rizhao-Lankao HSR is the longest HSR involving the largest investment and most complex construction conditions and benefiting the largest population in Shandong province. Connecting with Beijing-Shanghai HSR in the east, and Qingdao-Yancheng Railway in the west, it constitutes an important corridor of China's "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" railway network. Once completed, it will make HSR services available to Yimeng Mountains. It also forms an important economic corridor in southern Shandong.
As the first east-west railway in northern Jiangsu province, Xuzhou-Huai'an-Yancheng HSR connects such major cities as Xuzhou, Huai'an, Suqian and Yancheng. It will also connect with Yancheng-Nantong and Shanghai-Nantong HSRs, shortening the distance between northern Jiangsu and Yangtze River Delta, and promoting the integration of Yangtze River Delta economic circle, thus creating the "urban agglomeration effect" , and a new situation of mutual complementarity for mutual benefit and common development among northern, central and southern Jiangsu.