China’s first cog railway train rolls off production line

China’s first cog railway train with independent intellectual property rights rolled off the production line of train maker CRRC Ziyang Co., Ltd. in Ziyang city, southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Nov. 24, 2022.

Photo shows the cog railway train. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Ziyang Municipal Committee)

The train was developed by CRRC Ziyang Co., Ltd. and its partners with the support of CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd., also a train maker, for China’s first cog railway (rack-and-pinion railway), which connects Dujiangyan and the Siguniang Mountain scenic area in Sichuan.

The train, which is designed to accommodate 145 passengers, can run at a maximum speed of 120 km/h on the wheel-rail section and 40 km/h on the cog-rail.

Photo shows the cog railway train. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Ziyang Municipal Committee)

The train uses cutting-edge technologies such as self-driving technology assisted by 5G and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, automatic protection, and storage and intelligent analysis of operation data.

The cog railway connecting Dujiangyan and the Siguniang Mountain scenic area is expected to enter full operation in 2026, cutting the travel time between Dujiangyan Railway Station and the scenic area from five hours to two hours.

Cog railway trains are suited for use on sightseeing routes in mountainous areas and scenic areas.