Fengtai–Shacheng Railway
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The Fengtai–Shacheng Railway (simplified Chinese: 丰沙铁路; traditional Chinese: 豐沙鐵路; pinyin: Fēngshā Tiělù), also known as the Fengsha Railway, is a dual-track, electrified, railroad in northern China. The Fengtai–Shacheng Railway runs 105 km (65 mi) from Fengtai District in western Beijing Municipality to the town of Shacheng in Huailai County, Hebei Province.[1] The line passes through Beijing's Fengtai, Shijingshan and Mentougou Districts, and Huailai County in northern Hebei. The original single track line was built from 1952 to 1955.[1] The second track was added in 1972.[1] The line was electrified in 1984.[1]
Line description
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The Fengsha Railway runs up the Yongding River Valley from Fengtai District in southwest Beijing through the Taihang Mountains and across the Guanting Reservoir to Shacheng, on the Beijing–Baotou Railway.[1] The line crosses the Yongding River eight times through rugged terrain and has 67 tunnels and 81 bridges in all.[1] The shortest tunnel, No. 056, just 19.8 m (65 ft) in length, is the shortest standard gauge rail tunnel in China.
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The famous late Qing Dynasty railway engineer Jeme Tien Yow considered routing the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway through the Yongding River Valley, but abandoned the approach due to high construction costs.[1][2] The line was built in 1952 as an alternative route to Beijing-Baotou Railway for the shipment of coal from Shanxi.[1] The Fengsha Railway avoids the steep incline at Nankou near Badaling on the Jingbao Line.[2] A marble stele by the entrance to Tunnel No. 1 near Liuliqu Village commemorates the 108 soldiers who died building the initial line.[1]
Rail connections
- Fengtai: Beijing–Shanghai Railway, Beijing–Guangzhou Railway
- Shijingshan South: Beijing–Yuanping Railway
- Shacheng: Beijing–Baotou Railway
See also
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