On July 28, the total coal transport volume of 30,000-tonne heavy-haul trains on the Shuohuang Railway achieved 1.01088 million tonnes, with cumulative safe operation mileage reaching 22,042 kilometers. This achievement underscores the continuous deepening of smart heavy-haul construction achievements and propels China’s heavy-haul railway technology to new heights.
Since its trial operation on April 20, 2024, the 30,000-tonne trains have made great progress across multiple areas through the entire chain. The Company has reinforced safety defenses by optimizing power configurations and improving emergency response mechanisms, successfully mitigating risks including longitudinal impulse and coupler instability, thus establishing a solid safety barrier. The Company has continued to refine workers’ operational control skills, with precision control implemented for critical sections such as small curve radius and long steep slopes; 10 versions of control plans have been updated to keep coupler forces within safe limits. Technological bottlenecks have been addressed by upgrading wireless double heading systems and developing 10 core technologies including locomotive dynamic monitoring devices, enabling real-time dynamic data monitoring and fault-detection safety control. To build the talent pool, a “special forces”-style train crew of 34 members has been established, cultivating 3 CHN Energy chief engineers and 18 Shuohuang craftsmen, and forming a “youth commando for 30,000-tonne train” to provide strong human resources support for safe operation of the train. Operational efficiency has also seen notable improvements: the average running time of 30,000-tonne trains has been shortened by 12 minutes compared to 20,000-tonne trains, and coupler forces are stably controlled within 800 kN, leading to notable enhancements in safety and operational performance. These measures has built a solid foundation for the safe, efficient, and high-quality operation of 30,000-tonne heavy-haul trains, and contributed to the development of China’s heavy-haul railway transportation industry.
