Electrification of Kaiyang branch line on Sichuan-Guizhou mainline scheduled to be completed in August

Workers assemble wire pillars. [Photo/Dongjing news]

China Railway Chengdu Bureau recently initiated the electrification of the Kaiyang branch line on the Sichuan-Guizhou mainline.

This project involves 819 foundations along the entire line. These foundations resemble the pits or holes we commonly see, with depths ranging from 2 meters to 4 m. The Kaiyang branch line must maintain normal transportation operations while construction is underway, requiring careful management to ensure excavation depth without disrupting train operations. As a result, the project will progress relatively slowly, with some pits taking up to one and a half months to complete.

The Kaiyang branch line, stretching across Xifeng and Kaiyang counties in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, spans 32 kilometers and was first built in the 1970s. It has long been a crucial freight transport route for shipping Guizhou's phosphate ore and fertilizers across the country. This electrification project will replace the original diesel engines with a catenary power supply.

Diesel locomotives run on oil, making them less energy-efficient, less environmentally friendly, and more expensive than electricity. The project is expected to be completed in August.

Upon completion, the annual transportation capacity of the Kaiyang branch line is projected to increase from 3.5 million metric tons to 4.1 million tons, with travel time reduced from the current one hour to just 40 minutes. This will significantly enhance cargo transfer efficiency and transportation effectiveness.