China has unveiled the Fuxing CR400AF-G train to operate in subarctic climates. Developed by China State Railway Group, the latest addition to its fleet can reach speeds of up to 350km/h in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius.
The Fuxing CR400AF-G is capable of carrying up to 1,080 passengers and will operate on a new line connecting Beijing to provincial capitals in Northeast China, including Shenyang and Harbin. A launch date has yet to be announced, according to China Daily.
Special braking and electrical heating systems will allow the train to operate safely under extreme conditions.
“If the train stops in Harbin [one of China’s coldest cities] for an hour, because of the extremely cold weather, the braking system can easily freeze if it stops moving for a while. The new system will enable the brakes to move from time to time even if the train stops, like a person who stamps his feet to keep warm in cold weather,” Zhou Song, director at China Railway, told China Daily.
The new train, part of the second-generation Fuxing series, will enable China to grow its already expansive footprint. The country currently boasts the world’s largest high-speed rail network, with over 37,000km of track, according to CNN.
China opened its first high-speed rail line between Beijing and Tianjin in 2008.
