Breathtaking moments when high-speed trains converge

(Photo/China Railway)

The Spring Festival travel rush is in full swing, with trains bustling across the country. High-speed trains zoom along the tracks, creating breathtaking moments when they converge.

The encounters between multiple trains are not mere coincidences.

The operation of these trains is highly efficient and well-organized.

For example, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Intercity Railway, which currently operates with four parallel tracks, has plans to expand to six.

Similarly, the Nanning-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway and the Guiyang-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway also have four tracks between the Guangzhou South Railway Station and Zhaoqing East Railway Station, located in south China's Guangdong Province.

(Photo/China Railway)

This strategic layout allows trains to converge at specific times when they reach the same section.

Major hub stations also witness the convergence of busy trains leaving or passing through simultaneously.

The Guangzhou South Railway Station is a major transportation hub that serves multiple high-speed railway lines, including the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway, Nanning-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, Guiyang-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, and the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity Railway. The station is also strategically located to connect two Electric Multiple Units (EMU) depots, providing maintenance services for the EMUs.

During this year's Spring Festival travel rush, the Guangzhou South Railway Station is projected to handle an average of 1,285 train arrivals and departures per day. At peak times, there will be 13 trains entering or leaving the station within a minute.

When trains from different directions converge at the same station, this station is commonly referred as the "throat area." In this area, it is common to see multiple trains sharing the same platform.

(Photo/China Railway)

The key to the orderly operation of trains lies in the railway dispatching system. Dispatchers control train operations through the centralized traffic control system, ensuring that trains follow the scheduled sequence of arrivals and departures.

In case of train delays or other issues, dispatchers promptly intervene and adjust the train sequence according to the situation. The powerful dispatching system, along with the exceptional skills of the dispatchers, ensures the safety and smoothness of rail transport.