21 trains to fill high-speed gap

CHINA has moved 21 high-speed CRH 380A (L) trains from other lines to ensure the operation of the Shanghai-Beijing high-speed service after 54 trains used on the route were recalled over safety concerns, a train manufacturer said yesterday.

China South Locomotive &Rolling Stock Corp (CSR), the country's largest train manufacturer, said a total of 67 high-speed trains are now in operation on the Shanghai-Beijing railway.

China CNR Corp, another major train manufacturer, announced last Friday that it would recall 54 trains used on the Shanghai-Beijing route over safety concerns.

Earlier, the Ministry of Railways unveiled a new plan to slow down the country's high-speed trains, as well as reorganize bullet train schedules nationwide, for safety reasons.

The ministry also cut the number of high-speed trains running daily between Shanghai and Beijing to 66 from tomorrow.

CSR has established a service center in Jinan in east China's Shandong Province, an important stop on the Shanghai-Beijing line, to meet increasing maintenance requirements. CSR has also ordered more quality checks for its products.

The State Council ordered increased safety checks after the fatal train collision that killed 40 people last month.