Weather puts China's rail system to test
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China Daily, January 16, 2012
The incident came only hours after Minister of Railways Sheng Guangzu got on a train at Shanghai Hongqiao train station for an inspection tour during the Lunar New Year travel rush, which started on Jan 8.
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A Beijing-Shanghai high-speed train. |
Separately, on Jan 11, a high-speed train from Changsha to Guangzhou needed repairs soon after departure due to problems with its electrical equipment.
Another high-speed train running south on the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway halted on the same day, just a couple of hours earlier, because a passenger who smoked triggered a smoke alarm on the train, causing at least 20 trains to be delayed.
Many travelers felt angry and worried, especially following a year when the railway authority was under intense criticism due to the fatal Wenzhou crash in July.
A micro-blogger with the username Konglaoshi, who was on the G117 train that stopped twice en route to Shanghai on Saturday, said no crew showed up to offer information or reassurance.
Many netizens who have bought high-speed train tickets prayed for good weather for their holiday trips.
Gang Xiaoli, a Beijing resident, said: "I have just discovered the convenience and relaxation of high-speed rail travel. Pray! Please do not go wrong."
But as rain and snow are forecast for the next few days, the high-speed rail system could face more harsh tests.
Yang Guiming, top weather forecaster for the National Meteorological Center, said that in the coming week, parts of the north will be hit by heavy fog and snow, while regions in the south will see heavy rain.
