HONG KONG / CHINA | High Speed Rail

[yaohua2000]

Originally Posted by Silly_Walks

Great


Or alternatively he can take a G train from Shenzhen to Zhuzhou and from there take a D train to Shanghai

Unless you spend one night in Zhuzhou. The only D-train now departs earlier from Zhuzhou at 11:10, as Mr. Sheng Gaozu has limited Zhuzhou–Hangzhou no more than 160 km/h.

[hkskyline]

image hosted on flickr

View from Sky 100 by Mad as a Fruitbat, on Flickr

[DoubleU]

Futian Station to be finished in July 2014

FUTIAN Station on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong express rail line will be completed in July 2014, officials said.
The station will be the largest underground station in China when completed. It will take about 14 minutes to travel from Futian to Kowloon in Hong Kong when the line opens in 2015.
Futian Station is part of Futian Transport Hub, which will also offer Metro, bus and taxi services.
In another development, the Shenzhen section of Shenzhen-Xiamen Railway has completed construction equivalent to 80 percent of investment and is expected to open at the end of 2013.
(Han Ximin)

Source: http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-...nt_2306074.htm

[hkskyline]

West Kowloon terminus construction
12/10

[FM 2258]

They're workin! .....14 minutes between Kowloon and Futian is awesome. I remember taking the subway from Kowloon to Futian Checkpoint and it took a hell of a lot longer than 14 minutes.

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by FM 2258

They're workin! .....14 minutes between Kowloon and Futian is awesome. I remember taking the subway from Kowloon to Futian Checkpoint and it took a hell of a lot longer than 14 minutes.

Yes, the East Rail alignment to Lok Ma Chau takes forever since there are a lot of stations in between. I prefer taking West Rail to Yuen Long, then switching to a bus. The new HSR alignment somewhat parallels the West Rail tracks. I believe the planners originally expected the HSR to share tracks with the West Rail.

[hkskyline]

Back in late September :

image hosted on flickr

SKY100_4 by RAYMOND PHOTO - ONEPLUS STUDIO, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

LCQ15: Impact of construction works of Hong Kong Section of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link on structure of nearby buildings
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Government Press Release

Following is a question by the Hon Claudia Mo and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, in the Legislative Council today (December 19):

Question:

Earlier on, some residents in Tai Kok Tsui found numerous cracks on the piles on the lower floors and the ground level of their buildings, and they suspected that these cracks were related to the boring works of the Hong Kong Section of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL), which were being carried out in the vicinity of their buildings. Some registered building surveyors have confirmed upon site inspections that the cracks on some of the piles of the buildings were formed recently because of the impact of external forces. The MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) is currently investigating whether the formation of the cracks is related to XRL works, and it will prepare survey reports in this regard. These residents have indicated that the cracks on the buildings have made them nervous and panic and they worry that there are problems with the structure of the buildings, which pose potential risks to life and property. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether, prior to the commencement of XRL works, the Buildings Department, the Highways Department and other relevant government departments had assessed in detail the impact of XRL works on underground facilities and buildings on the ground; if they had, of the assessment outcome; if not, the reasons for that;

(b) whether it will request MTRCL to complete expeditiously and make public the survey reports for reference of and follow-up by the public; if it will, of the arrangements; if not, the reasons for that;

(c) of the total number of complaints received so far by the authorities and MTRCL about building structure being affected by XRL works as well as the contents of the complaints; and

(d) whether the authorities have any new measures to reduce in future the chance of recurrence of incidents of infrastructure works affecting the structural safety of buildings?

Reply:

President,

In January 2010, the Government entrusted the construction of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) to the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL). The main tunnels along the urban sections of the XRL project are built with the use of tunnel boring machines (TBMs). The two TBMs for excavating the Mei Lai Road to Hoi Ting Road tunnel commenced operation in February and April 2012 respectively, drilling in the north and south directions from the junction of Sham Mong Road and Hing Wah Street West, Sham Shui Po. Operating beneath Sham Mong Road and under Fu Cheong Estate and Nam Cheong Estate, the south-bound TBM conducted tunnelling works in the Tai Kok Tsui (TKT) area smoothly between mid-September and mid-November 2012, and is on its way towards Yau Ma Tei.

My reply to the four parts of Hon Mo's question is as follows:

(a) The Government and the MTRCL attach great importance to the impact of the XRL project on the structural safety of nearby community facilities and buildings. At the design stage, the MTRCL had appointed qualified professionals to prepare the works plans and submitted such plans to the Government for vetting after conducting geological assessments and developing monitoring plans. The Highways Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department, together with the other relevant departments, had scrutinised these plans with regard to building, structural and geotechnical works according to the requirements under the Buildings Ordinance and relevant legislation.

In addition, the MTRCL had carried out detailed pre-construction investigation on the geology at the tunnel site and its surroundings apart from thorough inspection of the relevant plans and records. The impact during construction on underground facilities and the buildings above the railway tunnel and in the vicinity had also been evaluated, including an assessment on the existing conditions of the buildings on the ground and the impact of the tunnelling works on their structural integrity, and from which the most prudent methodology for implementation and appropriate preventive procedures had been devised. Moreover, the MTRCL had separately appointed professionals to review the assessment results to ensure that all the works were in line with the best international practices currently in use. According to the assessment results, the tunnelling works would not affect the structural integrity of the buildings.

Prior to the commencement of the works, the MTRCL will, after obtaining the consent of relevant owners, conduct condition survey for the buildings near the railway alignment to record the existing conditions of the buildings and install sufficient monitoring points around the site boundary to monitor the impact of the tunnelling works on the overall structural integrity of the buildings in the neighbouring areas, with a view to ensuring safety and compliance of the works with the design and statutory requirements.

(b) During railway construction, upon receipt of reports from owners / occupiers on issues in their flats / buildings allegedly caused by the XRL works, the MTRCL will contact the owner/occupier concerned within one working day to arrange joint site inspection by the project team, staff of its contractors and the owner/occupier. During the inspection, the related conditions will be recorded and professional assessment conducted. To safeguard the interests of both parties, the case may be referred to an independent loss adjuster if necessary. After site inspection and examination of the case, the loss adjuster will conduct an assessment and the results of which will be provided to the owner / occupier and the MTRCL in writing.

Since September this year, the loss adjuster has been following up on the complaint cases raised by TKT residents who suspected that the cracks in their buildings might be caused by the XRL works. After site inspection and examination of various information, the loss adjuster found no evidence pointing to the XRL works as the cause for the formation of the cracks in the buildings concerned, and have been sending written replies to the relevant residents since late November 2012 on the findings of the assessment.

To further address the concerns of the residents over the structural safety of buildings, the MTRCL had appointed an independent professional registered structural engineer to inspect the cracks in the buildings concerned and their structural integrity. The structural engineer confirmed the overall structural safety of the buildings concerned and in late November 2012 provided the inspection report to the incorporated owners, which would inform the relevant owners of the results.

(c) As at December 10, 2012, the Government and the MTRCL received a total of 18 complaints about impact allegedly caused by the XRL works in the TKT area, concerning cracks found in buildings, structures, flats and shops or minor ground settlement. Thus far, investigation results showed no evidence pointing to the XRL works as the cause for the formation of the cracks in or settlement of the buildings concerned.

(d) The Railway Development Office of the Highways Department, the MTRCL and its contractors have been closely watching the monitoring data since the commencement of the XRL tunnelling works. The monitoring data collected in the TKT area by the MTRCL indicate that there is no abnormal ground settlement and confirm the overall structural safety of the buildings, structures and other facilities around the works areas. Construction safety remains the prime concern of the MTRCL. It will continue to keep a close watch over the monitoring data of the works together with its contractors.

[hkskyline]

By GB8469.86K from a Hong Kong bus forum :

[hkskyline]

2/10

image hosted on flickr

Hong Kong by hugit4249, on Flickr

[FM 2258]

Nice picture. I never knew Turbojet had a port in Kowloon. This West Kowloon station will make a great transport hub. Will the HK Airport Express run though this station as well?

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by FM 2258

Nice picture. I never knew Turbojet had a port in Kowloon. This West Kowloon station will make a great transport hub. Will the HK Airport Express run though this station as well?

That is a shared ferry terminal with other operators. The Airport Express' Kowloon Station is right underneath the building where that photo was taken.

[FM 2258]

Originally Posted by hkskyline

That is a shared ferry terminal with other operators. The Airport Express' Kowloon Station is right underneath the building where that photo was taken.

I forgot that Kowloon station is right there. Not far at all if someone wants to make a connection between the Airport Express and CRH/XLR

[hkskyline]

3/8

[DoubleU]

Transport hub work


An interchange hall is taking shape at the under-construction Futian Transport Hub. The transport hub, located at the intersection of Shennan Boulevard and Yitian Road, will become China’s first underground railway station upon completion, integrating bus, Metro and inter-city rail services.


Source: http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2013-...nt_2434772.htm

[hkskyline]

By Kilgore Trout from this thread on SSP :

image hosted on flickr

IMG_1626 by christopher dewolf | urbanphoto.net, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

IMG_1628 by christopher dewolf | urbanphoto.net, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

MTR Corp denies Express Rail Link is off budget track
The Standard
Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Construction of the Hong Kong section of the Express Rail Link to Shenzhen and Guangzhou is within budget and on track to be completed in 2015.
So says operator MTR Corp in the wake of a report that the project has exceeded its multibillion dollar budget.

The Legislative Council approved funding of HK$66.9 billion for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen- Guangzhou high-speed rail link in early 2010, including about HK$4.4 billion for contingencies.

"Regardless of any works projects, it is common to have some difficulties that had not been expected and therefore contractors may need to spend more time or choose suitable machines to carry out the work," an MTR Corp spokeswoman said yesterday.

"Based on the existing estimation, the contingency fund has been sufficient to cover related expenses and the project will be within budget."

MTR Corp also said the contractor has removed a number of foundation piles from a site at Nam Cheong West Rail station in view of a decision not to go ahead with residential development.