Technical Visits

State Key Laboratory of Rail Transit Vehicle System at Jiuli Campus

This is the laboratory which is known for the “Shen-Hedrick-Elkin’s Theory” and “Zhai-Sun Model” which are widely used in the field of rail transit dynamics, as well as the railway vehicle roller test rig that ran the world’s highest bench test speed. Taking high-speed and heavy-haul railways, maglev, and novel urban rail transit as research objectives, the laboratory has developed four main research areas:

• Design and reliability theory of railway vehicle
• Rail system dynamics
• Traction power supply and transmission
• New rail transit technology

The laboratory has set up three platforms: high-speed train digital simulation, basic research experiment, and service performance research. These cover system design, prototype development, test verification, product optimisation, and high-speed train service tracking. Additionally, the faculty members are actively involved in many important national research tasks including the National Programme on Key Basic Research, the National Key Research & Development Plan and the National Natural Science Foundations of China.

Dynamic Simulation Experimental Platform of Multi-State Coupled Rail Transit

The Dynamic Simulation Experimental Platform of Multi-State Coupled Rail Transit is a comprehensive research and test platform for high-temperature superconductor (HTS) maglev transport in a levitated evacuated tube with a length of 1620m, with a maximum designed test speed of 1500km/h.

This is one of two major scientific and technological infrastructure projects that the Southwest Jiaotong University has on behalf of the Sichuan Province.

Dayi Air-rail

The world’s first air-rail vehicle using “new energy” has rolled off the production line in Chengdu. The Dayi Air-Rail Project, which includes the first new energy travel air-rail demonstration line in China, has been principally developed by Zhongtang Air Rail Technology Co Ltd. The demonstration vehicle looks like a “panda” gliding through the air, thanks to its suspended monorail train. It runs via a lithium battery power pack or “new energy”, and focuses on giving a futuristic and high-tech feel.

Each carriage has a transparent design, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows to provide more expansive views of the outside landscape for passengers, and a maximum capacity of 120 travellers. Unlike subway or light rail transport, which serves the main road traffic in a city, the air rail project combines the characteristics of tourist traffic and sightseeing, and is used for connecting places with relatively small passenger flows.

Chengdu Dong Railway Station

With 14 platforms and 24 railway lines, Chengdu East Railway Station is one of the six biggest transportation hubs in China, and is also the terminus of the Shanghai-Wuhan-Chengdu, Chengdu-Chongqing, Xi’an-Chengdu, and Chengdu-Guiyang high-speed lines.

It is one of the largest railway passenger stations in central and western China, and covers an area of 108,000 square meters, with a total construction area of 680,000 square meters. It is therefore also a comprehensive transport hub that integrates various modes of transport, including the metro. On 29 April 2023, 295,000 passengers used the station, breaking the previous record. The summer saw 14.3 million passengers travelling via the station, with a daily average of 231,000, also setting a new record.