Beijing–Baotou railway

The Beijing–Baotou railway or Jingbao railway (simplified Chinese: 京包铁路; traditional Chinese: 京包鐵路; pinyin: Jīngbāo Tiělù) is an 833 km (518 mi) railway from Beijing to Baotou, Inner Mongolia, functioning as an important route in North China. It was the first railway in China designed and built by Chinese. It passes through a famous section of the Great Wall at Badaling. It is now largely paralleled with Beijing–Zhangjiakou intercity railway and Zhangjiakou–Hohhot high-speed railway.

Beijing–Baotou railway
Aerial view of the NDJ3 DMU trainset along the Beijing–Baotou railway.
Overview
Other name(s)Jingbao railway
StatusOperational
OwnerChina Railway
LocaleNorth China
Termini
Stations89
Service
Type
System
Operator(s)
History
CommencedBetween 1905–1909; 115 years ago (1909)
Opened24 September 1909; 115 years ago (1909-09-24)
Technical
Line length834 km (518 mi)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV/50 Hz AC overhead
(except Changping–Shacheng)
Operating speed100 km/h (62 mph)
Route map

km
0
Beijing North
4
Qinghuayuan
Wudaokou crossing
11
Qinghe
21
Shahe
original Beijing Northwest Ring Railway
to Sanjiadian
31
Changping
Actual origin
40
Nankou
46
Dongyuan
50
Juyongguan
54
Sanpu
Qinglong Bridge, zig zag railway
Qinglong Bridge, zig zag railway
61
Badaling
Xibozi
70
Kangzhuang
79
Donghuayuan
Guishui river bridge
over Guanting Reservoir
90
Langshan
Tumu
single-track unelectrified
two-track electrified
from Fengsha and Daqin lines
105
Shacheng
114
Xinbaoan
122
Xibali
130
Xiahuayuan
Xinzhuangzi
155
Xuanhua
Shalingzi East
170
Shalingzi
to Beijing–Zhangjiakou intercity railway
180
Zhangjiakou
Zhangjiakou Railway
Zhangjiakou South railway station
Zhangjiakou (former end of
Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway)
193
Kongjiazhuang
Wangyuzhuang
210
Guoleizhuang
224
Chaigoubu
Xiwanbu
254
Yongjiabao
Xiaxiaobao
272
Tianzhen
Luowenzao
301
Yanggao
Wangguanrentun
Julebao
342
Zhoushizhuang
Right arrow link to Datong–Qinhuangdao railway
Left arrow Dazhun Railway (coal line)
353
Datong East
358
Datong
Gudian
371
Gushan
389
Baoziwan
Wutaiwa
403
Fengzhen
Jiandi
419
Xin'anzhuang
428
Yongwangzhuang
439
Hongshaba
Suojiacun
454
Tuguiwula
Naji
470
Suji
478
Guyingpan
485
Jining South
493
Hulu
left line assigned to Tangshan–Baotou railway
Sanchakou
512
Basumu
523
Shibatai
Hala
537
Magaitu
545
Gujiabao
Zhuozi East
551
Zhuozishan
565
Fushengzhuang
Anju
580
Sandaoying
Mengguying
Qixiaying East
593
Qixiaying
604
Minzu
left line assigned to Tangshan–Baotou railway
612
Taobuqi
right line assigned toTangshan–Baotou railway
Guojiaying
Baita
Nandian
Hohhot
Youyouban
Taigemu
Actual end
Dalibao
693
Bikeqi
706
Chasuqi
Songla
724
Taosihao
Sanbashu
742
Meidaizhao
Laozang
760
Salaqi
774
Gongjiban
789
Dongxing
Guchengwan
804
Baotou East
812
Wanshuiquan
820
Baotou

In 2019, with the opening of the Beijing–Zhangjiakou intercity railway, the Beijing–Baotou railway adjusted the mileage. The ordinary-speed line from Changping to Shahe was merged into the Shuangqiao–Shahe Railway (Beijing Northeast Ring railway). The actual starting point of the Beijing–Baotou railway was shortened to the south side of Changping, the section from Changping to Beijing North is considered part of Beijing–Zhangjiakou intercity railway.

History

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The first section of the Beijing–Baotou railway, the Imperial Peking–Kalgan railway (now the "Jingzhang" railway) was constructed between 1905 and 1909, connecting Beijing with Zhangjiakou (Kalgan). This section was the first railway designed and built by Chinese. The chief engineer is Zhan Tianyou. He overcame the steep gradient near Badaling using a switchback. Due to his achievement in constructing this railway, Zhan (Jeme) is called the father of China's railways.

The railway was extended from Zhangjiakou to Hohhot by 1921 and to Baotou by 1923.

Even with the switchback, the gradient near Qinglongqiao railway station is still at 3.3%. In addition, travelling through the switchback is slow. A bypass route, the Fensha railway, was built in the 1950s between Fengtai and Shacheng along the Yongding river. This route was considered but dropped by Zhan due to high construction cost. Before the 1990s, the Fengsha railway was mainly used to transport freight, and the original Jingzhang railway was focused on passenger transport. Now, trains to/from Baotou have changed to use the Fengsha railway instead.

The Beijing–Zhangjiakou intercity railway and the Zhangjiakou–Hohhot high-speed railway, which both opened on 30 December 2019, parallel most of the line.

To improve the freight capacity of Tangshan–Hohhot railway, those two railway lines exchange their main line between Hulu railway station and Taobuqi railway station in September 2020, separating the freight and passenger corridors. Meanwhile the section between Taigemu railway station and Baotou railway station was also assigned to Tangshan–Hohhot railway which has been renamed as Tangshan–Baotou railway.[1]

Current operations

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The main route that deviates via the Fengsha railway is a double-track, electrified line. The section between Jining South and Baotou is quadruple track. The section between Changping and Shacheng is not electrified and mainly single-track. It is now used by little traffic. Freight and long-distance passenger services run via the Fengsha railway. 13 express services run each way between Beijing and Baotou each day, taking approximately 11 hours, stopping in Xuanhua, Zhangjiakou, Datong, Jining South, Hohhot and Baotou.

Line S2

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Line S2 services of the Beijing Suburban Railway between Huangtudian (running via the Beijing Northeast Ring railway and connecting to the Jingbao railway between Qinghe and Shahe) and Badaling (the station for visiting the Great Wall) continue to use the Jingbao Railway, reversing at Qinglongqiao West station on the western switchback on the journey towards Badaling and at Qinglongqiao main station on the eastern switchback on their way back towards Beijing. The stops at Qinglongqiao are service stops, not advertised passenger stops and the doors remain closed.

From 2008 to 2016, the S2 services operated hourly from Beijing North to Yanqing and Shacheng. From 2016 to 2019, the S2 services operated hourly from Huangtudian to Yanqing and Shacheng. Since 1 December 2020 there have been five services between Huangtudian and Yanqing each way from Friday to Monday and on public holidays. On other days there are three services.[2] These services are the only regular traffic on the unelectrified line east of Shacheng and are operated using diesel multiple units. S2 services continue from Badaling over the short single-track Kangzhuang–Yanqing railway (Kangyan railway) to Yanqing. The Kangzhuang–Yanqing railway was temporarily closed between March 30, 2020 and June 30, 2020.

Stations and mileage

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Some of the following stations are now disused.

Major Station Mileage (km)
Beijing (北京) 0
Shacheng (沙城) 121
Xuanhua (宣化) 171
Zhangjiakou South (张家口南) 196
Datong (大同) 374
Jining south (集宁南) 501
Hohhot (呼和浩特) 659
Baotou (包头) 824
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Na, WEI. "Tanghu railway finish hub renovation project". China Renminwang (in Chinese). PeopleCN.
  2. ^ "【S2线延庆站12月1日恢复运营】你怀念的,总会重逢" [S2 Line to Yanqing Station will resume operations on December 1]. 北京市郊铁路 (in Chinese). Beijing Suburban Railway. 30 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 22 April 2022.