Siemens Transportation Systems (TS) signs together with the consortium partners Electrification Engineering Bureau (EEB) and China National Railway Signal & Communication Corporation (CRSC) a contract with Chinese Ministry of Railways (MoR) for the supply and the erection of the signalling, communication and power supply systems of the Beijing-Tianjin dedicated passenger line. This line is the pilot project of the MoR for new high speed railway networks in China and therefore is regarded as the key project of the dedicated passenger lines.

Jörn F. Sens, Group Vice President Siemens Transportation Systems, said: “This project is a further milestone in the strategic partnership between Chinese Ministry of Railways and Siemens. It proves also our successful cooperation with MoR as well as with our local partners who are market leaders in their fields in China. With this project, Siemens is even more confident to support the development and modernization of Chinese railways and transfer highly advanced and proven technology of international standard to China”.

This Beijing-Tianjin line will be an approximately 116 kilometre line between South Beijing Station and Tianjin Station with centralized dispatching station. The rail infrastructure is designed for a speed of 350 kilometers an hour and commercial operation speed of 300 kilometers an hour. This line will be put into operation in time for the Olympic Games 2008. Siemens participates in the project by providing advanced signalling and centralized traffic control, communication, traction power supply and overhead catenary, as well as system integration and overall project management in cooperation with EEB and CRSC.

Under the guideline of MoR’s strategic leaping-development plan, China is conducting large scale programs to construct new passenger lines and to speed up the existing lines. Until 2020, China plans to extend the railway network up to 100.000 kilometres, of which 12,000 kilometres is dedicated passenger line. In Nov.2005, Siemens signed the contract with MoR to supply 60 trains with the speed of 300km/h. These trains are to be used initially on the Beijing Tianjin route as of 2008 and will be deployed on other high-speed routes later.