The majority of trains running across China have been equipped with a new model of driving information recorders, dubbed the "black box."
The fourth generation of such recorders, the JK2000 model has more functions and better safety performance than previous models.
The device was jointly designed by the Ministry of Railways, the Zhuzhou-based Power Research Institute and Henan-based Siwei Co. Ltd. Controlled by a micro program, the driving information recorder has two main board circuits. When something goes wrong with one circuit, the other one kicks in to operation.
China equipped its trains with the "Black Box" in the late 1970s to ensure safe operation. It was later replaced by the second and the third generation as railway equipment was renewed.
Like flight data recorders on planes, the black box on trains can display, record and store the train's speed, distance and safety information.
(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2002)
