China debuts bullet train that can operate in extremely cold temperatures

China debuts bullet train that can operate in extremely cold temperatures - 2021-01-12

(CNN) — China has unveiled a new high-speed bullet train designed for extremely cold climates.
The CR400AF-G train, which can operate at speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour (217 mph) in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Fahrenheit), is part of the Fuxing series of high-speed electric multiple-unit (EMU) trains developed and operated by the state-owned China State Railway Group.
The train, rolled out in Beijing on January 6, will run on a new high-speed line connecting the Chinese capital with northeastern destinations including cities Shenyang and Harbin -- the latter of which is famed for its annual snow and ice festival.
 
Officials have yet to announce when the train will begin operations.
In a post on Chinese social media site WeChat, the China Railway Beijing Group -- part of the China State Railway Group Company -- ran through several of the train's optimized components that aid its ability to withstand cold temperatures.
 
These include: bolts made with chromium-molybdenum alloy -- a material that endures extremely low temperatures; silicone sealing strips, which prevent snow and ice from getting into the train body; temperature-resistant brake control devices; and stainless-steel pipes equipped with heating devices.
The train also features a streamlined low-resistance design, to help decrease energy consumption, and a lightweight aluminum alloy body.
In a report by state-owned newspaper China Daily, Zhou Song, director of the China Railway Beijing Group's bullet train center, offered an analogy to explain the new train's brake system: "If the train stops in Harbin (one of China's coldest cities in northernmost Heilongjiang) for an hour, because of the extremely cold weather, the braking system can easily freeze if it stops moving for a while. The new system will enable the brakes to move from time to time even if the train stops, like a person who stamps his feet to keep warm in cold weather."
 
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/china-bullet-train-cold-weather-fuxing/index.html