On October 25, 2023, the China Railway Wuhan Group announced that the Jingmen to Jingzhou High-Speed Railway, known as the “Jingjing High-Speed Rail,” has officially commenced operational testing following the successful completion of joint debugging and trial runs.

Located in the Jianghan Plain of central Hubei Province, the Jingjing High-Speed Rail stretches approximately 77.48 kilometers, connecting Jingmen in the north to Jingzhou in the south. This double-track railway has a designed speed of 350 kilometers per hour and features 14 newly constructed bridges that span about 65.41 kilometers, accounting for 83.64% of the total line length. The railway includes three stations: Jingmen West, Shayang West, and Jingzhou, with the first two being new constructions.

During the trial phase, the railway department conducted tests on 11 major components, including tracks, bridges, and signaling systems. A total of 919 test trains were dispatched, covering a distance of 30,809 kilometers, to comprehensively assess the functionality of various fixed installations and mobile equipment. All technical performances met national and industry standards, confirming the railway is ready for operation.

Throughout the operational testing, the railway department focused on several key aspects: testing train operation parameters, running trains according to schedule, simulating failures, and conducting emergency rescue drills. These measures aimed to validate the system’s ability to track trains and adapt to different transportation conditions, ensuring that operational protocols can handle equipment failures and natural disasters effectively.

“During the operational testing, we prioritized safety, efficiency, and orderliness, aiming to reach the design speed in one go,” said Yu Xinliang, a senior engineer at the Wuhan Railway Transport Department. He emphasized that thorough planning and precise organization have laid a solid foundation for the official launch of the Jingjing High-Speed Rail.

Once operational, the Jingjing High-Speed Rail will connect 17 cities across Hubei province to the national high-speed rail network, enhancing the region’s comprehensive transportation system and fostering economic development throughout the Jianghan Plain.