KPL
(KPL) China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), the world’s biggest manufacturer of rolling stock, has engaged as a stake holder in the Lao-China Railway Project which is scheduled to be completed in 2021.
By Sengthong Phasavath
(KPL) China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), the world’s biggest manufacturer of rolling stock, has engaged as a stake holder in the Lao-China Railway Project which is scheduled to be completed in 2021.
CRRC was formed in June 2015 with the merger of the China CNR Corporation and CSR Corporation Limited. Its main businesses cover the R&D, design, manufacture, repair, sales, leasing and technical services for railway rolling stock, EMUs (electric multiple units), urban rail transit vehicles, and engineering machinery among others.
Qingdao-based CRRC Sifang, a subsidiary of China Railway Rolling Stock Corp, has manufactured more than 5,000 products for export, among which, more than 2,000 products have already been delivered to overseas market, and more than 3,000 of which are being manufactured.
“At present, CRRC Sifang is participating in some projects as a shareholder in Laos, Thailand, etc. China Railway (CR), as the operator, and CRRC Sifang as stakeholder, have formed project-based companies for projects in Laos and Thailand in order to coordinate with railway projects in countries along the One Belt and One Road,” said Mr Guan Yushan, Vice President of CSR Sifang.
“At present, the project-based companies have been set up and products are in research and development, but they have yet to be delivered,” said Mr Yushan when asked how many cars CRRC is manufacturing for multibillion-US-dollar railway projects in Laos and Thailand.
The designed maximum speed of the Lao-China railway for passenger trains will be 160 km/h, while the speed of 200 km/h will be applied in flat terrain areas between Vang Vieng and Vientiane Capital. The max speed for cargo trains will be 120 kmh.
As many as 33 stations, including 21 by-pass stations and 11 passenger stations will be built along the railway line stretching between Luang Namtha and Vientiane. In addition, one main freight station will be built in Vientiane.
The major construction activities include 175.5 km of subgrade, 170 bridges with total length of 69.2 km, and 72 tunnels with total length of 183.9 km. The longest tunnel, to be called the Lao-China Friendship Tunnel, will be about 9.5 km in length.
The total estimated project cost is almost US$6 billion, which is about US$13.6 million per kilometre.
China will be responsible for 70 per cent of the total investment, while Laos will take the remainder.
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