70th Anniversary of PRC: Chinese train maker to build smarter, cleaner trains

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It's been 50 years since Beijing opened Line One of the subway system, which was also the nation's very first metro line. Now the city will soon have a new metro car that marks the most advanced level of manufacturing, made by the same producer. CGTN's Feng Yilei takes us on board the vehicle to see how things have progressed.

China's railway network and underground trains may be getting faster and more efficient - but some wonder what direction they're heading. The answer is here: China's leading train making production base in Changchun.

FENG YILEI CHANGCHUN "This is not a sci-fi scene but what railway manufacturer calls 'the metro of future'- more intelligent, more efficient and more comfortable."

It's not just about modern lighting, disability aid equipment or smart window displays that allow passengers to enjoy videos and scenery at the same time.

The new generation subway train, made of carbon fiber, is much lighter, thus more energy-saving.

QI YUWEN, NEXT-GENERATION SUBWAY DESIGN MANAGER CRRC CHANGCHUN RAILWAY VEHICLES "And it comes equipped with an unmanned operating system. It can automatically start, stop, and monitor the train's operating state to increase its safety."

This cutting-edge metro car, as well as China's first magnetic-levitation train and first EMU train, all suggest that the manufacturer has made breakthroughs in research and development. The company's chief engineer says their edge is no longer cost performance.

LIU CHANGQING, CHIEF ENGINEER CRRC CHANGCHUN RAILWAY VEHICLES "Now we can compete with the world's railway vehicle manufacturing giants on the same stage, with the comprehensive solution rather than lower prices that we can provide."

Such speed-up in R&D is thanks to the firm's increasing innovation input of over a billion yuan each year, and a fast-growing, better-educated employee group.

Senior expert Xu Jun, whose father was involved in the design of China's first subway train, says China is now back to square one; no other country serves as a model or threshold for China to meet.

XU JUN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTER CRRC CHANGCHUN RAILWAY VEHICLES "So we have to conduct our own research. We have, for example, worked with universities and some of our clients, combining their experience with our team to carry out in-depth integrated research."

Experts say now this direction is leading them to introduce big data, the internet of things, artificial intelligence and new energy into train making. And what we can expect for now, apart from the new metro, is the Beijing-Zhangjiakou highspeed railway.

It should be complete in time for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, and will be the world's first intelligent railway with a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour.

Train makers say the future of embracing a smarter, safer and cleaner railway transportation is now. Feng Yilei, CGTN, Changchun.