China Railway High-speed or CRH is a high-speed rail service operated by China Railway. China Railway High-speed runs different electric multiple unit trainsets, the designs for which are imported from other nations and designated CRH-1 through CRH-5 and CRH380A(L), CRH380B(L), and CRH380C(L). CRH trainsets are intended to provide fast and convenient travel between cities. Some of the trainsets are manufactured locally through technology transfer, a key requirement for China. The signalling, track and support structures, control software, and station design are developed domestically with foreign elements as well, so the system as a whole is predominantly Chinese.
The CRH1 EMU is a high-speed train operated by China Railways and built by a joint venture between Bombardier Transportation and Sifang at Bombardier Sifang Power Transportation factory in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
CRH1 trains were allocated to Guangshen Railway for replacing all locomotive-hauled trains between Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Some are also used on the Shanghai-Nanjing routes.
The CRH1 has been developed to high standards of quality and performance and specifically for the requirements of the Chinese high speed sector, with capacity of 670 seats in 8 cars, including a bistro area. With a long, extra-wide carbody and a 2 + 3 seating arrangement, the trains provide adequate seating for peak services. Running at an operational speed of 220 km/h, the CRH1 has been successfully tested at 250 km/h and has high levels of reliability - covering an average distance of 500,000 km per year.
CRH1A sets consists of 8 cars with maximum operating speed of 250 km/h. CRH1B are the modified 16-car versions with maximum operating speed of 250 km/h. CRH1E are the 16-car high-speed sleeper versions having a maximum operating speed of 250 km/h.
Photographed by Asit Baran Das & Bani Das.