19 trains delayed due to malfunction of Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway

by cnidxc1h1 on 2011-07-11 17:51:38

The Beijing Railway Bureau stated that the thunderstorm in Shandong Province caused partial power outages on the下行line.

Website construction

Report by journalists An Ying and Liu Chunrui: At around 6 p.m. yesterday, due to thunderstorms in Shandong Province, the contact network of the Jinghu High-speed Railway between Qufu East, Tengzhou East, and Zaozhuang stations experienced a power outage. As a result, 19 downward-bound trains on the Jinghu High-speed Railway were delayed. At 7:37 p.m., the fault was repaired, and train operations resumed.

Train G151 had a complete power and air conditioning outage

According to passenger Mr. Yang, yesterday afternoon, he boarded the G39 train from the departure station in Beijing, intending to disembark at Hangzhou Station. The train arrived at Tai'an, Shandong Province at 6:50 p.m. but did not start moving afterward. Mr. Yang noticed that other stranded Jinghu high-speed railway trains were also parked next to the G39 train, likely having been stranded earlier.

Mr. Yang mentioned that after the train was stranded, the air conditioning inside remained operational, and the lights momentarily went out but quickly came back on. Subsequently, the train staff turned off half of the lights in the carriages. Chaos ensued inside the train as everyone wanted to know when it would start again. Mr. Yang noted that passengers became very dissatisfied at one point. The train conductor entered the carriage to explain that the reason for the delay was the lack of signal.

At around 8 p.m., Mr. Yang reported that at 7:41 p.m., the G39 train had restarted. By 10:30 p.m., Mr. Yang stated that the attendants informed everyone that this train would be delayed by 1 hour and 50 minutes. Meanwhile, a netizen posted on Weibo that the Jinghu high-speed railway's G151 train also encountered a delay with a complete power and air conditioning outage. It was extremely hot inside the closed carriages.

Last night, upon checking through the 12306 train information inquiry website, the G39 train arrived at Mr. Yang's destination, Hangzhou Station, at 12:33 a.m., delayed by 1 hour and 48 minutes.

The incident is unrelated to the quality of the train

Last night, according to relevant personnel from the Beijing Railway Bureau, the reason for the train delays was due to thunderstorms in Shandong Province causing a power outage on the contact network of the downward line of the Jinghu High-speed Railway between Qufu East, Tengzhou East, and Zaozhuang stations. Some Jinghu high-speed railway trains were delayed, and railway authorities promptly activated emergency response plans to repair the faulty equipment.

It was reported that due to weather conditions, 19 downward-bound trains on the Jinghu High-speed Railway were delayed. At 7:37 p.m., the contact network fault was repaired, and train operations resumed.

CRH380 project chief designer Li Ruichun of China CNR Corporation Limited stated that the Jinghu High-speed Railway is a comprehensive project and not merely about the trains themselves. This stopping incident has nothing to do with the quality of the trains; the thunderstorms and strong winds led to a contact network failure, leaving the trains without a power source, making even the best trains unable to run. In the event of a sudden power outage, the batteries on board the train can ensure emergency ventilation and emergency power supply for over an hour.

@Susan_Chen: Jinghu High-speed Railway, Train G151, just past Tai'an, due to weather reasons, resulted in a contact network power outage, leading to a stop for repairs. Currently stopped on an unknown bridge in a tilted state... When will the repairs be completed? Unknown... Only know that the lights and air conditioning are turned off in the fully enclosed carriage, making it very stuffy...

@Xiao Yan Elaine: After six hours and fifty minutes, G19 finally arrived in Shanghai, two hours late.

@Xiangyang While Living: One train on the Jinghu High-speed Railway was delayed due to a fault. My boss was on one of the affected trains, and each person was given two French mini-breads as compensation.

Follow-up Visit

A Passenger Wants Compensation for Missing an Important Banquet

Passenger Dissatisfaction Can Be Negotiated

Due to the long delay of the high-speed train, Mr. Yang missed an important banquet and considered claiming compensation from the railway department, an opinion supported by fellow passengers on the same train. However, he didn't have high hopes for the outcome, personally thinking it unlikely.

In response, relevant personnel from the Beijing Railway Bureau stated that there are no explicit regulations in principle. According to this individual, high-speed train attendants apologize to stranded passengers and explain the cause of the delay, but there are no clear provisions for compensating delays. Typically, such delays caused by weather conditions are understood by passengers after our apologies and explanations. If individual passengers are very dissatisfied with our service, both parties can negotiate a solution.

Attorney Li Bing from Dongwei Law Firm stated that according to relevant laws, the railway department has an obligation to safely and punctually deliver passengers to their destinations. However, in cases where the train encounters unforeseeable circumstances like rain, snow, or lightning, delays do not constitute a breach of contract, and the railway department can be exempt from liability.