Briefing 7: Xiongan and Rail, and a Review of China's First Two Long-Distance HSR Lines

4-way rail hubs are being built in places which some think are in the middle of nowhere. Could they stand to gain? Also, a look back at some design elements from China's first long-distance HSR lines.

I guess if you dump tests, masks, and passes after three years of Zero Covid diktats, it will probably hit the fan sooner or later. This has been an excruciating winter for my health, as I recover from my third flu, plus the fact that Covid anythings are gone has meant I’ve taken on a secret double life as shifter of gearsticks as I drive my family from one temple fair or the other to another…

Happy Spring Festival — it’s the Year of the Chinese Dragon/Loong! I’m also sending advance “virtual notice” via this email to Berlin to express a potential interest in German citizenship (in spirit), because Deutsche Bahn these days power my internal clock and timing… and if the law gets modded, I guess “optimised integration on DB timing” can be a particularly good ground for integration… thus I might be German within three years (maybe, likely not!)…

Swiss, German, or not, I’ve also promised (by way of my tweets) Deutsche Bahn a BahnCard 100 when I return to Europe. I’ve also promised you guys to shut up and get on with the programme… Chinese railways…

— David Feng, 12 February 2024

Note: The Chunyun/Spring Festival Special comes tomorrow, 13 February 2024… with a special look at Spring Festival peak travel season right before the New Year… Senk ju vor träwelling wis David Feng Bahn…

Is Xiongan A Basket Case?