On December 8, the Research and Application of Heavy-haul Train Group Operation Control System Technology, one of the CHN Energy’s ten key scientific and technological projects, jointly undertaken by China Shenhua, Baoshen Railway, CRSC Research & Design Institute Group Co.,Ltd., and other units, achieved a major breakthrough. It successfully achieved the trial operation of the world’s first 35,000-tonne heavy-haul group train. This successful trial will reshape the existing railway transportation technology system, bringing transformative changes to the development of global railways. It marks CHN Energy’s entry into “new territory” of heavy-haul railway technology and signals China’s emergence as a leader in this field worldwide.
The 35,000-tonne train formation is currently the longest heavy-haul train formation tested in China. Seven group test trains, stationed at Nalingoumen, Shabazi, Guannianfang, and Dalate North stations, were dynamically formed into a single “group train” through “virtual coupling” technology. They operated in a tightly-following coordinated manner and automatically decoupled upon arrival at the South Yard of Wanshuiquan South Station .
The Research and Application of Heavy-haul Train Group Operation Control System Technology project aims to replace the traditional “rigid coupler connection” between 20,000-tonne and 30,000-tonne long formations with a “virtual soft connection” using “virtual coupling” technology. This enables long formations to operate autonomously and closely in a “group mode” as multiple shorter formations. Since its launch in 2022, the project has achieved several world’s firsts, making key breakthroughs in theoretical innovation, standards and specifications, simulation experiments, complete equipment, test section construction, and on-site trial validation. It has successfully validated core operational scenarios such as single-locomotive operations, 5,000-tonne empty and loaded train groups, and 10,000-tonne empty train groups. The project has achieved a departure interval of 3 minutes and 43 seconds for 10,000-tonne empty trains and brought the departure interval for 10,000-tonne heavy-haul trains into the three-minute era. At a speed of 60 km/h, the tracking distance for 5,000-tonne loaded trains is 1,091 meters, while for 5,000-tonne empty trains, it is 943 meters, showcasing significant advancements in precision control technology.
As a major original innovation in China’s railway technology sector, the heavy-haul train group control system not only validates the collaborative control capabilities of railway signaling systems under high-density traffic conditions but also fundamentally addresses the challenge of improving heavy-haul railway transportation efficiency. In the future, this technology will be extended to high-speed railways, urban rail transit, and conventional-speed railways, providing core technical support for China’s railway industry and driving global heavy-haul railway train control toward greater efficiency, safety, and intelligence.
