Comments on: China Promotes Its Transcontinental Ambitions with Massive Rail Plan

By: PG

PG — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:26:11 +0000

Also someone should tell the Chinese that SIngapore has just removed its last rail connection to the outside world , by removing th old line from Johor Bahru in Malaysia to Singapore . There is no mainline rail station in Singapore now , and its too crowded now to install one , let alone the line . SO any connection will stop in Malaysia , and the only transport to Singapore city is underground trains , not exactly good fo tourism.

By: peter connell

peter connell — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:04:08 +0000

Firstly, whereas EuropeS answer to US domination of jetliners was Airbus, Chinas answer is, we will avoid buying them via HSR infrastructure. Maybe they are right. Jetliners are approaching their use by date given peak oil.

Secondly, airfreight and container freight are vastly different markets, and there is currently nothing in between – a huge niche market.

There is nothing to stop; palletized, lighter, hi value urgent, freight switching from air to HSR. They can have dedicated freighter trainsets or mix and match carriages, much the same as airfreight works now.

Re the separate issue of heavy containers, sea freight to West coast US etc & thence the rest of the US is simple cheap and pretty fast.

Their big problem is the lucrative EEU markets. The ships have to go way south to round singapore.

There is talk of a canal across the narrow bit of Thailand (~ a 2000km shortcut), but an attractive looking option is a freight line to ~Mumbai (only requires a deal with one country), and trans ship on a vessel to (say)Marseilles via the suez, to hook up with the EEU rail network.

Its all very well to say ships are most efficient, but time is of the essence usually. Why else to people pay a huge premium for air freight?

While I am on my hobby horse, I am surprised some punter with deep pockets doesnt go into competition with the panama canal. The country just north of panama? seems to have a short, viable rail route between the oceans. Put a container port at each end, and the numbers may stack up.

By: Ginny

Ginny — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 11:59:17 +0000

Just wondering…how long does it take to travel from Singapore to London via Sea? Does anyone know?

By: Leonard

Leonard — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:57:58 +0000

Will the network be maintained by the government

By: Nathanael

Nathanael — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:45:09 +0000

There are Chinese laborers in Central Asia building public works. You think they’re all going to go home?…..

By: Nathanael

Nathanael — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:43:55 +0000

Oh, sorry, I was still thinking Europe-China link.

By: Nathanael

Nathanael — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:42:33 +0000

Po-li-tics. China wants a route which doesn’t go through Russia, period. Most traffic would probably end up going through Russia, but they want the alternative in order to have the *power*. They figure they can deal with the mess of little countries, but are subject to blockading and monopoly pricing from Russia.

By: cyril

cyril — Sat, 29 May 2010 12:53:06 +0000

… and transport energy ?
would it be possible to use the lines to develop a large scale energy grid ?

By: Ch B

Ch B — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:50:46 +0000

not really a trojan horse

By: looktoeast

looktoeast — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 21:50:53 +0000

China, it seems, has a dual purpose for this planned network — facilitate movement of people, and of goods, particularly raw materials it needs.
And might be using the old trick used by the once-colonial powers like Britain that built infrastructure in their colonies to transport material to help build their empire.

http://blog.looktoeast.com/2010/04/10/chinese-highspeed-train-plans–superpower-ambitions.aspx