View source for Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway

{{Short description|Railway line in western People's Republic of China}}
{{About|the high-speed rail line operational since 2014|the lower-speed rail line operational since 1966|Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width                       = 300px
| name                            = Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway
| other_name                      = {{ubl|Lanzhou–Xinjiang Passenger Railway|Lanxin Second Railway}}
| native_name                     = 兰新铁路第二双线
| native_name_lang                = zh
| color                           = {{rcr|CRH}}
| logo                            = 
| logo_width                      = 
| logo_alt                        = 
| image                           = File:Menyuan Railway Station.jpg
| image_width                     = 300px
| image_alt                       = 
| caption                         = A [[China Railway CRH5|CRH5]] high-speed train at the [[Menyuan]] railway station
| type                            = {{ubl|[[High-speed rail]]|[[Heavy rail]]}}
| system                          = [[China Railway High-speed]]
| status                          = Operational
| locale                          = [[Northwest China]]
| start                           = [[Ürümqi railway station|Ürümqi]]
| end                             = [[Lanzhou railway station|Lanzhou]]
| stations                        = 31
| routes                          = 
| daily_ridership                 = 
| ridership2                      = 
| planopen                        = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}}-->
| open                            = {{Start date|2014|11|16|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Xinjiang enters high-speed rail era| author=Xinhua|work=www.gov.cn|date=Nov 7, 2014| publisher=State Council of the People's Republic of China|access-date=4 December 2019|url= http://english.www.gov.cn/news/photos/2014/11/07/content_281475006543297.htm}}</ref>
| yearcommenced                   = {{Start date|2009|11|4|df=y}}
| yearcompleted                   = {{Start date|2014|12|26|df=y}}
| close                           = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}}-->
| lastextension                   = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}}-->
| event1label                     = 
| event1                          = 
| event2label                     = 
| event2                          = 
| event3label                     = 
| event3                          = 
| owner                           = [[China Railway]]
| operator                        = {{ubl|[[China Railway Lanzhou Group]]|[[China Railway Qingzang Group]]|[[China Railway Ürümqi Group]]}}
| character                       = 
| depot                           = 
| stock                           = [[China Railway CRH5|CRH5G]], [[China Railway CRH5#CRH5E|CRH5E]], [[China Railway CRH5#CRH5G/H|CRH5G/H]], [[China Railways HXD1D|CRHXD1D]]
| linelength_km                   = 1776
| linelength_mi                   = 
| linelength                      = 
| tracklength_km                  = 
| tracklength_mi                  = 
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = 2
| gauge                           = {{Track gauge|sg|allk=on}}
| old_gauge                       = 
| load_gauge                      = 
| minradius                       = {{convert|7000|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| maxincline                      = 2.0%
| racksystem                      = 
| routenumber                     = 
| linenumber                      = 
| electrification                 = [[25 kV 50 Hz AC]] [[overhead line]]
| speed_km/h                      = 
| speed_mph                       = 
| speed                           = {{convert|200-250|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.163.com/10/0220/14/5VVMOUR2000120GU.html |title=兰新铁路第二双线新疆段春节施工热火朝天 |access-date=March 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223151844/http://news.163.com/10/0220/14/5VVMOUR2000120GU.html |archive-date=February 23, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tianshannet.com.cn/news/content/2010-12/12/content_5436119.htm|script-title=zh:兰新铁路第二双线哈密段完成投资超过50亿元|website=[[Tianshannet]]}}</ref> 
{{convert|350|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}} (planned)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3156416/why-chinas-longest-high-speed-railway-slowing-down | title=Travellers say China's Gobi Desert high-speed rail doesn't live up to its name | date=November 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| signalling                      = 
| elevation_m                     = 
| elevation_ft                    = 
| elevation                       = 
| website                         = 
| map                             = {{Lanzhou–Ürümqi High-Speed Railway RDT}}
| map_name                        = 
| map_state                       = collapsed
| embedded                        = 
}}

The '''Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway''', also known as '''Lanzhou–Xinjiang Passenger Railway''' or '''Lanxin Second Railway''' ({{zh|s=兰新铁路第二双线|t=蘭新鐵路第二雙線|p=Lánxīn tiělù dìèr shuāngxiàn}}), is a [[high-speed rail]]road in [[Northwest China|Northwestern]] [[China]] from [[Lanzhou]] in [[Gansu|Gansu Province]] to [[Ürümqi]] in the [[Xinjiang|Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region]]. It forms part of what China designates the [[Eurasia Continental Bridge corridor]], a domestic high-speed railway corridor running from the city of [[Lianyungang]] in [[Jiangsu]] to the [[Kazakhstan|Kazakh]] border. The line is also shared with conventional trains.

==History==
Construction work began on November 4, 2009. The {{convert|1776|km|adj=on}} railway took four years to complete, of which, {{convert|795|km}} is in [[Gansu]], {{convert|268|km}} in [[Qinghai]] and {{convert|713|km}} in [[Xinjiang]]. Track laying for the line was completed on November 16, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|author=陈博渊 |url=http://www.china.org.cn/business/2013-11/24/content_30688262.htm |title=Xinjiang to embrace era of high-speed rail |publisher=China.org.cn |date=2013-11-24 |accessdate=2022-08-20}}</ref> Thirty-one [[train station|stations]] will be built along the line. The project costs 143.5&nbsp;billion yuan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/14562/10317457.html|script-title=zh:兰新铁路第二双线今日在乌鲁木齐开工|language=zh|date=November 4, 2009|access-date=November 6, 2009|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175350/http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/14562/10317457.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Unlike the existing [[Lanxin railway]], which runs entirely in Gansu and Xinjiang, the new high-speed rail is routed from Lanzhou to [[Xining]] in [[Qinghai|Qinghai Province]] before heading northwest across the [[Qilian Mountains]] into the [[Hexi Corridor]] at [[Zhangye]]. The rail tracks in the section near Qilianshan No. 2 Tunnel are at {{convert|3607|m}} above sea level,<ref>{{cite web |title=世界上海拔最高高铁隧道——祁连山隧道全线贯通-新华网 |trans-title=The world's highest high-speed railway tunnel - Qilianshan Tunnel completes |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-05/01/c_1110499338.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113901/http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-05/01/c_1110499338.htm |archive-date=2016-03-04 |website=Xinhua}}</ref> making it the highest high-speed rail track in the world.

[[File:Lanxin High-Speed Railway.PNG|thumb|left|Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway is shown on the map as light-blue color line.]]
The first high-speed train traveled over this line on June 3, 2014. This was a test train with a media contingent with full revenue service not due to start until the end of 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.echinacities.com/news/High-Speed-Railway-Tested-in-Xinjiang-Urumqi-to-Lanzhou-in-only-9-hours|title=High Speed Railway Tested in Xinjiang: Urumqi to Lanzhou in only 9 hours|date=June 4, 2014|access-date=June 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/n/2014/0605/c90882-8736950.html|title=Xinjiang's first high-speed railway goes on trial run|date=June 4, 2014|access-date=June 5, 2014}}</ref> The first segment of the line, the Ürümqi–Qumul part, was inaugurated on November 16, 2014.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Lanzhou-Xinjiang high-speed line nears completion
| publisher = ChinaDaily.com.cn
| author = Cui Jia
| date = 2014-11-05
| access-date = 4 December 2019
| url = http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-11/05/content_18872608.htm
}}</ref> This high-speed railway segment is the first ever railway of that kind to exist in the [[Xinjiang]] autonomous region. The rest of the line opened on December 26, 2014. The  line cuts train travel time between the two cities from 20 hours to 12 hours. It also freed up capacity on the older [[Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway]] for freight transport.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lanxin (Lanzhou−Xinjiang) High-Speed Rail Line - Railway Technology|url=https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/lanxin-high-speed-rail-line-china/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=www.railway-technology.com|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Around China: Xinjiang to embrace era of high-speed rail — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America|url=https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/ce/ceus/eng/zt/Xinjiang/t1107199.htm|access-date=2021-12-06|website=www.fmprc.gov.cn}}</ref>

On November 30, 2017, the Daheyan connection line between the Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway and the conventional [[Southern Xinjiang railway]] opened near Daheyan Town (near [[Turpan railway station]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sohu.com/a/201104754_118570|title=南疆铁路与兰新铁路联络线11月30日将开通|website=[[Sohu]]|trans-title=The connecting line of Southern Xinjiang Railway and Lanxin Railway will be opened on November 30}}</ref> This will allow passenger trains traveling from Urumqi to destinations in Southern Xinjiang (such as [[Korla]]) to use the Ürümqi–Turpan section of the high-speed line before switching to the Southern Xinjiang Railway.<ref>[http://news.huochepiao.com/2017-11/20171125431948.htm 30日南疆铁路至兰新铁路联络线开通运行] (On the 30th [of November, 2017], the connecting line between the Southern Xinjiang Railway and the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway opens), 2017-11-25</ref>

On 5 December 2021, [[Shandanmachang railway station]] opened along the railway. At an elevation of {{Cvt|3108|m}}, it is the world's highest high-speed rail station.<ref name=Shandanmachang>{{cite web|url=http://gansu.gansudaily.com.cn/system/2021/12/06/030455446.shtml|title=兰新高铁山丹马场站开通运营}}</ref>

==Stations==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!scope="col" |City
!scope="col" |Province
!scope="col" |Station
!scope="col" |Distance from Origin (km)
|-
|[[Lanzhou]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Lanzhou West railway station]]
| 0
|-
|[[Haidong]]
|[[Qinghai]]
|[[Haidong West railway station]]
| 163
|-
|[[Xining]]
|[[Qinghai]]
|[[Xining railway station]]
| 188
|-
|[[Menyuan]]
|[[Qinghai]]
|[[Menyuan railway station]]
| 286
|-
|[[Shandan County|Shandan]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Shandanmachang|Shandanmachang railway station]]
| 367
|-
|[[Minle County|Minle]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Minle railway station]]
| 421
|-
|[[Zhangye]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Zhangye West railway station]]
| 485
|-
|[[Linze]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Linze South railway station]]
| 520
|-
|[[Gaotai]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Gaotai South railway station]]
| 556
|-
|[[Jiuquan]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Jiuquan South railway station]]
| 676
|-
|[[Jiayuguan City|Jiayuguan]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Jiayuguan South railway station]]
| 697
|-
|[[Yumen City|Yumen]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Yumen railway station]]
| 823
|-
|[[Guazhou County|Guazhou]]
|[[Gansu]]
|[[Liuyuan South railway station]]
| 986
|-
|[[Hami]]
|[[Xinjiang]]
|[[Hami railway station]]
| 1247
|-
|[[Shanshan County|Shanshan]]
|[[Xinjiang]]
|[[Tuha railway station]]
| 1496
|-
|[[Shanshan County|Shanshan]]
|[[Xinjiang]]
|[[Shanshan North railway station]]
| 1528
|-
|[[Turpan]]
|[[Xinjiang]]
|[[Turpan North railway station]]
| 1619
|-
|[[Ürümqi]]
|[[Xinjiang]]
|[[Ürümqi South railway station]]
| 1777
|-
|[[Ürümqi]]
|[[Xinjiang]]
|[[Ürümqi railway station]]
| 1786
|}

== Operational issues ==
=== Wind shed risk===
{{see also|List of wind-related railway accidents}}
Near [[Shanshan]], the railway passes through the ''hundred-[[Li (length)|li]] wind zone''{{Clarify|reason="li" is a measurement of length, not speed|date=July 2023}}, where desert wind constantly blows most days of a year. In 2007, strong wind overturned a train on the southern branch of the older conventional rail [[Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway|Lanxin Railway]], and four people were killed.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Strong Wind Derails Train, Killing 4 
| publisher = Xinhua News Agency 
| work = China.org.cn
| date = February 28, 2007
| access-date = 4 December 2019
| url = http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/200975.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171028200814/http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/200975.htm
| archive-date = 2017-10-28
}}</ref> A {{convert|67|km}} long wind-protection gallery has been built next to the tracks in this region.<ref>http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNzIxNjU4OTEy.html {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2022}}</ref>

===Engineering issues===
Many sections of the line have experienced roadbed settlement, deformation, subsidence, frost heave, and cracking of the concrete of the track bed caused by [[soil salinity|saline soil]], large temperature differences, and extremely low temperatures.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=胡锐鹏|author2=张戎令|author3=王朦诗|title=大温差戈壁地区高速铁路无砟轨道混凝土开裂研究|journal=硅酸盐通报|year=2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=李伟|title=兰新高速铁路路基沉降变形分析方法与评价|journal=中国住宅设施|year=2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=张建渊|author2=胡海东|author3=沈鑫|title=兰新高速铁路沿线盐渍土地基的溶陷特性|journal=铁道建筑|year=2018|doi=10.3969/j.issn.1003-1995.2018.03.15}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=杨有海|author2=沈鑫|author3=于洪钦|author4=王财平|title=兰新高速铁路高寒区段路基冻害分析与整治|journal=铁道建筑|year=2017}}</ref>

The {{Convert|3769|m|adj=on}}-long Zhangjiazhuang Tunnel, located between Minhe South and Ledu South stations, was damaged several times during operation. The tunnel is embedded in [[mudstone]], interbedded with [[sandstone]] and [[gypsum]] rock.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news|title=【独家】实拍兰新铁路张家庄隧道所在山体开裂 |url=http://m.news.cntv.cn/2016/01/19/ARTItxzW2cOPKWzZ6dfX3dlS160119.shtml |language=zh-cn |publisher=央视新闻 |date=2016-01-19 }}</ref> The top covering soil layer is [[loess]]. In 2016, the tunnel was damaged twice, closing the line for 3 months.<ref name="autogenerated1"/><ref>{{cite news|title=受地质灾害影响 兰新线多趟动车无限期停运|url=http://www.lzcbnews.com/html/2016-01/22/content_358974.htm|language=zh-cn|author=谭安丽|publisher=兰州晨报|date=2016-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531222023/http://www.lzcbnews.com/html/2016-01/22/content_358974.htm|archive-date=2016-05-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=明日起，兰新高铁部分动车改经或停运|url=http://www.lzcbnews.com/html/2016-01/31/content_360095.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531230331/http://www.lzcbnews.com/html/2016-01/31/content_360095.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 31, 2016|author=谭安丽|publisher=兰州晨报|date=2016-01-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=曾因地质灾害停运 兰新客专送电成功5月1日恢复运行|url=http://www.dalw.com.cn/news/72462-88.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724070842/http://www.dalw.com.cn/news/72462-88.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 24, 2019|author=谭安丽|publisher=大陇网|date=2016-04-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=黄金光|title=黄土隧道地质灾害抢险施工组织研究|journal=建筑机械化|year=2017}}</ref> After reopening, the operation speed in the tunnel was limited to {{convert|60|km/h|mph}}. On December 24, 2018, the mountain above the tunnel deformed, but trains could initially continue operating. However, the next day, after further deformation, the tunnel was closed for thorough inspection.<ref>{{cite news|title=兰新客专张家庄隧道所在山体变形 多趟列车停运|trans-title=The mountain where the Zhangjiazhuang tunnel of Lanxin Passenger Train is deformed and multiple trains are suspended|url=http://news.cctv.com/2018/12/26/ARTIQ20MKMUtfFwHVF9R1wEF181226.shtml|publisher=央视网|date=2018-12-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=兰新高铁张家庄隧道发生地质灾害 青海境内三个高铁站停运|url=http://www.chinanews.com/cj/2019/01-10/8725121.shtml|publisher=中国新闻网|date=2019-01-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=2月6日起兰州至西宁间实行新的列车运行图|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/local/2019-02/05/c_1124087780.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190208070413/http://www.xinhuanet.com/local/2019-02/05/c_1124087780.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 8, 2019|publisher=新华网|date=2019-02-05}}</ref> Due to repair works, the line was closed between Lanzhou and Xining until October 11, 2020. Trains were routed over the lower speed [[Lanzhou–Qinghai railway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gs.chinanews.com/news/2020/10-12/334219.shtml|title=兰新高铁兰州至西宁段恢复通车 压缩丝路游时空距离|trans-title=The Lanzhou-Xining section of the Lanzhou-Xinjiang high-speed railway resumes opening to traffic and reduces the space-time distance of Silk Road travel|date=14 October 2020}}</ref>

=== Earthquake damage ===
As a result of the [[2022 Menyuan earthquake|January 2022 Menyuan earthquake]], some bridges and tunnels on the line sustained serious damage.<ref>{{cite web|title=青海6.9级地震致兰新高铁受损严重，西北多条铁路运行受影响{{!}}界面新闻|url=https://www.jiemian.com/article/6992163.html|access-date=2022-01-10|website=www.jiemian.com|language=zh}}</ref> The section between {{stl|CR|Haomen}} and {{stl|CR|Qingshui North}} was halted until repairs could be completed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.enorth.com.cn/system/2022/01/08/052230006.shtml|title=果断封锁线路！突发地震，铁路部门启动应急预案|quote=兰新高铁浩门至清水北}}</ref>

=== Landslide ===
In September 2022, traffic on the line was suspended just north of Xining after a landslide caused the deck of a viaduct to shift.<ref>{{Cite web |title=受山体滑坡影响 兰新高铁西宁至门源段列车停运-新华网甘肃频道 |url=http://gs.news.cn/news/2022-09/18/c_1129011602.htm |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=gs.news.cn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=最新消息！兰新高铁再次停运！乌鲁木齐德汇万达、友好太百开始正常营业_腾讯新闻 |url=https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20220917A04MAV00 |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=new.qq.com}}</ref>

==Economics==
An analysis of China's railway network published in 2021 showed that the Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway has the lowest utilization rate among all high-speed railways in the country, carrying, on average, merely 2.3 million passenger kilometers of service per kilometer of the mainline. In comparison, the average load over China's high-speed rail network is 17 million passenger-km per km, and the nation's highest-volume line, the Beijing–Shanghai one, carries 48 million passenger-km per km. According to the same analysis, a high-speed line would need to carry ca. 36 million passenger-km per km to fully pay its own operating costs. While the Lanzhou-Xinjiang line has the capacity to carry over 160 pairs of high-speed trains per day, it currently only carries 4.<ref>赵一苇, [https://www.chinanews.com/gn/2021/04-20/9458867.shtml 中国高铁建设“减油门”：重点是调整高铁与普铁的投产比例]
(China's high-speed rail construction to slow down: the key is to adjust the ratio of high-speed rail to conventional rail development). 中国新闻周刊, 2021-04-20</ref>

As a result of the [[Belt and Road Initiative]], freight transport along the [[Eurasian Land Bridge]] corridor increased and the conventional speed Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway sometimes hits capacity limitations, which has led some freight traffic to be shifted to the underutilized high-speed line.<ref>{{Cite web |last=现代宝庆 |date=2022-11-22 |title=兰新线通行效率偏低，未来可通过质改或新增重载线等，予以缓解！ |url=https://k.sina.cn/article_5840257136_15c1b4070001018f8h.html?from=news |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=k.sina.cn}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Eurasia Continental Bridge corridor}}
{{High-speed railway lines}}
{{High-speed rail in the People's Republic of China}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed Railway}}
[[Category:High-speed railway lines in China]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Gansu]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Qinghai]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Xinjiang]]
[[Category:Standard gauge railways in China]]