Longhai railway

The Longhai railway (Chinese: 陇海铁路; pinyin: Lǒnghǎi Tiělù), formerly romanized as the Lunghai railway, is a major arterial east–west railway in China. It runs from Lianyungang, Jiangsu, on the Yellow Sea to Lanzhou, Gansu, through the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Shaanxi, and Gansu, covering a total length of 1,759 kilometres (1,093 mi). The line is named after Gansu, also known as Long (陇) in Chinese and Lianyungang's previous name, Haizhou. The Longhai Line is one of the busiest Chinese railways. It has dual tracks throughout and electrification was completed in 2009.

Longhai railway 陇海铁路
Two HXD1-hauled freight trains meet near Yuanlong station in Tianshui, Gansu
Overview
Status	Operational
Locale	People's Republic of China Jiangsu Anhui Henan Shaanxi Gansu
Termini	Lianyungang East Lanzhou
Service
Type	Heavy rail
System	China Railway
Operator(s)	China Railway Shanghai Group China Railway Zhengzhou Group China Railway Xi'an Group China Railway Lanzhou Group
Technical
Line length	1,759 km (1,093 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Stations and structures km elev 0 Lianyun 7 Xugou 12 Lianyungang East 19 Yuntaishan 24 Yantuo Qingdao–Yancheng railway from Qingdao North 33 Lianyungang Qingdao–Yancheng railway to Yancheng North 47 Baozhuang 56 Baitabu 65 Caopu 73 Donghaixian 82 Shihucun 90 Ehuzhen 100 Xutangzhuang Xinyi–Changxing railway from Changxing 114 Xinyi Xinyi West Jiaozhou–Xinyi railway to Jiaozhou 125 Wayao 137 Caoqiao 143 Paoche 151 Pizhou 161 Zhaodun 168 Nianzhuang 178 Bayiji 188 Daxujia 196 Huangji 206 Damiao to Xuzhou East Dahu Yaochang Beijing–Shanghai railway from Shanghai Xuzhou South 223 Xuzhou 228 Beijing–Shanghai railway to Beijing Xuzhou North marshaling yard 240 Zhouzhaizi/Xuzhou West Zhengxu HSR 251 Yangtun/Tongshan connection to Beijing-Shanghai line 238 Jiahezhai Fuliji–Jiahezhai railway to Fuliji 241 Shatang Shatang–Peitun railway to Peitun 245 Haozhai 257 Yanglou 265 Liudian 272 Huangkou 282 Wenzhuang 292 Lizhuang 299 Fanzhuang 306 Dangshan 325 Zhoulou 334 Xiayixian 341 Lixinji 349 Yuchengxian 358 Zhanggezhuang Beidongzha Zhengxu HSR from Xuzhou East Beijing–Kowloon railway to Beijing West and Changping 369 Shangqiu Zhengxu HSR to Zhengzhou East Xieji 404 Ninglingxian 412 Sanzhangsi 421 Minquan 442 Neihuangji 457 Lankao 469 Luowang 486 Xinglongzhuang 500 Kaifeng 509 Xinghuaying 518 Hanzhuangzhen 524 Shaogangji 532 Zhongmu 541 Zhanyang 549 Nansi 558 Putian link to Beijing–Guangzhou railway 568 Putian West Beijing–Guangzhou railway to Guangzhou 572 Zhengzhou Beijing–Guangzhou railway to Fengtai Zhengzhou North marshalling yard 576 Zhongyuan Huanhe, connecting Zhengzhou Northwest loop 584 Tielu Zhengxi HSR to Xi'an North 590 Guandimiao 598 Xingyang 609 Shangjie 620 Mugou 632 Gongyi East 642 Gongyi 648 Heishiguan 659 Yanshi 670 Shouyangshan 681 Baimasi Luoyang–Zhanjiang railway to Zhanjiang Jiaozuo–Liuzhou railway Jiaoliu railway to Yueshan 691 Luoyang East 696 Luoyang 703 Luoyang West 711 Cijian 724 Xin'anxian 733 Nangangcun 738 Tiemen 751 Yima 765 Mianchi 774 Yinghao 784 Guanyintang 787 Yangliandi 797 Miaogou 804 Zhangmao 812 Jiaokou 818 Sanmenxia 830 Zhangjiawan 830 Hejiazhuang 841 Sanmenxia West 848 Wuyuancun 859 Yangdian 871 Lingbao 879 Jiaocun Wenxiang 892 Gaobai 916 Guxian 932 Yuling 939 Taiyao 948 Tongguan Datong–Puzhou railway from Taiyuan and Datong 960 Mengyuan 968 Huashan 974 Taoxia 979 Luofu 985 Liuzhi 991 Lianhuasi 998 Huazhou 1015 Shuyuan 1027 Weinan Nanjing–Xi'an railway from Nanjing 1039 Lingkou Baotou–Xinfeng railway from Baotou 1048 Xinfengzhen marshalling yard Xi'an hub north ring railway to Maoling 1056 Lintong 1065 Yaocun Xikang railway to Ankang 1073 Baqiao 1079 Chanba 1083 Xi'an 1087 Lianhu 1091 Sanmincun Xi'an–Yuxia railway to Yuxia 1095 Sanqiao 1102 Huangjiazhai Xianyang–Tongchuan railway to Tongchuan 1106 Xianyang 1112 Xianyang West Xi'an hub north ring railway from Xinfengzhen 1117 Maoling Xi'an–Pingliang railway to Pingliang South 1129 Xingping 1142 Maweipo 1156 Wugong 1168 Yangling 1179 Jiangzhang 1190 Meixian East 1203 Meixian 1213 Caijiapo 1223 Yangping 1236 Guozhen Baoji–Zhongwei railway from Zhongwei 1246 Wolongsi 1252 Baoji East 1256 Baoji Baocheng railway to Chengdu 1261 Fulinbao 1276 Guchuan 1286 Pingtou 1298 Yanjiahe 1308 Dongkou 1330 Pingshijiatan 1337 Tashi 1348 Fenggeling 1359 Jianhe 1381 Yuanlong 1395 Boyang 1403 Shetang 1411 Tianshui 1417 Huaishuwan 1422 Yangjiahe 1429 Nanhechuan 1437 Sanyangchuan 1445 Weinanzhen 1456 Xinyangzhen 1469 Weishuiyu 1478 Gangu 1488 Zhuyuxiang 1497 Pan'anzhen 1507 Luomen 1518 Wushan 1527 Hejiadian 1537 Yuanyangzhen 1544 Xiejiapo 1550 Tudianzi 1557 Longxi 1565 Longbei 1576 Yuntianxiang 1582 Dahecha 1590 Gaoyang 1597 Tonganyi 1605 Mahezhen 1614 Hanshuicha 1623 Tangjiabao 1632 Jingjiadian 1641 Dingxi 1652 Chankou 1663 Liangjiaping 1670 Hongzhuang 1678 Lijiaping 1692 Jinjiacun 1701 Gancaodian 1707 Wangjiawan 1716 Xujiatai 1722 Xiaguanying 1736 Luotuoxiang 1745 Sangyuanzi Baolan railway from Baotou 1754 Lanzhou East 1759 Lanzhou Chongqing–Lanzhou railway to Chongqing North Chengdu–Lanzhou railway to Chengdu North Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway to Ürümqi Lanzhou–Qinghai railway to Xining

History

The Longhai railway was built over the course of half a century by four different governments of China: the Qing dynasty, Beiyang Government, Nationalist Government and the People's Republic.

The first section of the railway, entirely within Henan, from Kaifeng to Luoyang was built from 1905 to 1909 by a venture between the Qing dynasty and a Belgian joint-stock company backed by France and Russia. This line, known as the Bianliang–Luoyang railway, began operation on January 1, 1910.

Longhai railway bombarded during World War II.

The line was extended eastward to Xuzhou in 1916 and to Haizhou in 1925 with Dutch financing. In the west, the line was extended to Lingbao, Henan, in 1927 with Belgian financing. After the Northern Expedition, the Nanjing-based Republican government took control of construction and extended the line further west to Tongguan, Shaanxi, in 1931; Xi'an in 1934; Baoji, Shaanxi, in 1936; and Tianshui, Gansu, in 1945.

The railway was the centerpiece of Japanese operations in Henan during the Second Sino-Japanese War, with the Imperial Japanese Army repeatedly attempting to seize the railway in 1938 in the Battle of Northern and Eastern Henan and later during Operation Ichi-go.

Construction of the Tianshui to Lanzhou section, entirely within Gansu, broke ground in May 1946 but was halted by Chinese Civil War, then resumed under the People's Republic in April 1950 and was completed in July 1953. At this time, the entire Longhai railway entered into operation.

No. 8 Bridge on the Longhai railway rebuilt by the PLA Rail Corps in 1950.

In the late 1950s through early 1960s, new railways were built from Lanzhou to the west: the Lanxin railway to Xinjiang (later connected to Kazakhstan) and the Lanqing railway to Qinghai (later extended to Tibet).

From 1956 to 1970, the section between Zhengzhou, Henan, and Baoji, Shaanxi, was upgraded to the dual-track line. During the same time, in Henan the line near Sanmenxia was re-routed due to the Sanmenxia Reservoir Project. The Zhengzhou to Shangqiu section was converted to dual-track in 1980.

The railway is a central section in the New Eurasian Land Bridge.

Cities and rail junctions along route

Jiangsu

• Lianyungang
• Xinyi: Jiaozhou–Xinyi railway, Xinyi–Changxing railway
• Xuzhou: Beijing-Shanghai railway

Anhui

• Dangshan

Henan

• Shangqiu: Beijing–Kowloon railway
• Kaifeng
• Zhengzhou: Beijing–Guangzhou railway
• Luoyang: Jiaozuo–Liuzhou railway
• Sanmenxia

Shaanxi

• Tongguan: Datong–Puzhou railway
• Mengyuan
• Weinan
• Xi'an: Nanjing–Xian railway, Houma–Xian railway, Xi'an–Ankang railway
• Xianyang: Xianyang–Tongchuan railway
• Baoji: Baoji–Chengdu railway

Gansu

• Tianshui
• Dingxi
• Lanzhou: Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway, Lanzhou–Qinghai railway, Baotou–Lanzhou railway

The Primary stops on the Longhai railway for passenger rail

High-speed rail line parallel to the Longhai

The Xuzhou–Lanzhou high-speed railway, a high-speed rail line, has been built parallel to the Longhai line. The Zhengzhou–Xi'an section opened in February 2010. The last section of the corridor, the Baoji–Lanzhou high-speed railway was completed on 9 July 2017.

The corridor was extended with the opening in February 2021 of the Lianyungang–Xuzhou high-speed railway, which runs parallel to the Longhai line between Xuzhou and Lianyungang.

Gallery

• 
  Station platform at Baoji in 1981
• 
  Longhai railway outside the city walls of Xi'an
• 
  A SS7E electric locomotive on the electrified Longhai railway
• 
  Station platform at Huashan
• 
  Railway tracks in Xianyang
• 
  Railway tracks in Baoji
• 
  Shanghai–Lhasa train near Weinan
• 
  The railway in east Zhengzhou

See also

• Rail transport in the People's Republic of China
• List of railways in China