Baotou–Lanzhou railway

Baotou–Lanzhou railway
Overview
Native name	包兰铁路
Status	Operational
Owner	China Railway
Locale	Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Gansu, China
Termini	Baotou Lanzhou
Stations	108
Service
Type	Heavy rail
Operator(s)	CR Hohhot, CR Lanzhou
Technical
Line length	990 km (620 mi)
Number of tracks	2 (Baotou–Yinchuan South, Huangyangwan–Gantang), 1 elsewhere
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC (Overhead line)
Operating speed	Yinchuan–Yinchuan East: 120 km/h (75 mph)
Signalling	ABS
Maximum incline	2% (Wuzhong to Zhongwei South section)
Route map km elev Jining–Baotou railway to Beijing North Tangshan–Baotou railway to Caofeidian North 0 Baotou Baotou–Yinchuan HSR to Baotou–Xi'an railway to Xi'an 9 Baotou West Baotou–Baiyun railway to Baiyun'ebo 14 Dala 34 Haye Hutong 46 Baiyanhua 74 Gongmiaozi 90 Wulashan 104 Wulashan West 133 Xixiaozhao 161 Liuzhao 190 Sifentan 218 Linhe Baotou–Yinchuan HSR 218 Bayannaoer Linhe–Hami railway to Hami East 247 Toudaoqiao 278 Bayangaole Yellow River 286 Hangjinqi 332 Jiangui 347 Wuhai North 361 Wuhai East Baotou–Yinchuan HSR Wuhai Huangbaici–Gongwusu railway to Gongwusu Yellow River 387 Wuhai West Inner Mongolia Ningxia 409 Huinong to Pingluo–Rujigou railway 450 Pingluo 456 Shizuishan South 464 Xidatan 480 Nuanquan Baotou–Yinchuan HSR 511 Yinchuan Yinchuan–Lanzhou HSR to Lanzhou Baotou–Yinchuan HSR to Bayanhaote 522 Yinchuan South Taiyuan–Zhongwei–Yinchuan railway to Dingbian 538 Huangyangtan Ningdong Railway to Guyaozi 566 Daba 577 Qingtongxia 629 Zhongning Taiyuan–Zhongwei–Yinchuan railway to Taiyuan South 646 Huangyangwan Baoji–Zhongwei railway to Baoji Zhenluobao 673 Zhongwei 683 Yingshuiqiao 691 Shapotou 761 Gantang Gantang–Wuwei railway to Wuwei South 766 Yingpanshui Ningxia Gansu 794 Changcheng 805 Jingtai 816 Xingquanbao 858 Hongxiantai 884 Hongshaxian Honghui railway 892 Baiyin West 906 Zhujiayao 914 Fengshuicun 929 Gaolan 948 Shaojiatang 956 Shuiyuan Longhai railway to Lianyungang East 990 Lanzhou East 995 Lanzhou Lanzhou–Hezuo railway to Hezuo Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway to Urumqi Lanzhou–Qinghai railway to Xining km

The Baotou–Lanzhou railway (simplified Chinese: 包兰铁路; traditional Chinese: 包蘭鐵路; pinyin: Bāolán tiělù), also known as the Baolan line (Chinese: 包兰线; pinyin: Bāolán xiàn) is a 995 kilometres (618 mi) railway line that connects the cities of Baotou in Inner Mongolia to Lanzhou in Gansu Province. It began operating on 1 August 1958, making it the first Chinese railway through desert.

The Baotou-Huinong section is under the jurisdiction of the Hohhot Railway Bureau, while the Huinong-Lanzhou section is under the jurisdiction of the Lanzhou Railway Bureau. In December 1997, electrification of the Gantang–Lanzhou East section was put into operation, and the Shizuishan–Zhongwei section was electrified in November 1998. In 2009, the Baotou–Huinong section was electrified, complrting the electrification of the whole line.

Cities

The railway passes through the following cities:

• Inner Mongolia: Baotou (包头市), Bayan Nur (巴彦淖尔市), Wuhai (乌海市)
• Ningxia: Shizuishan (石嘴山市), Yinchuan (银川市), Wuzhong (吴忠市), Zhongwei (中卫市)
• Gansu: Baiyin (白银市), Lanzhou (兰州市)

Intersecting railways

The Baotou–Lanzou railway connects with eight other railways, most of them connecting in the city of Baotou. In Baotou, the Beijing–Baotou railway extends the line from the Baotou West railway station to Beijing. The Baotou–Shenmu railway leaves Baotou railway station and heads south towards Shenmu county in Shaanxi Province. After passing the Baotou West railway station, the Baotou Ring railway circles around the city and has stops at various stations in Baotou.

At Linhe District in Bayan Nur Municipality, the Linhe–Ceke railway, branches westward off Baotou–Lanzhou railway to Ceke in Alxa League.

In the Ningxia Autonomous Region, the line connects with three other railways. It connects to Pingluo–Rujigou railway near the Huinong District. The Baoji–Zhongwei railway and the Taiyuan–Zhongwei railway join the Baotou–Lanzhou railway at Zhongwei. Also at Gantang the line splits to form the Gantang–Wuwei railway

The railway finally connects with three other railways in Gansu Province. At the Bayin West railway station, the line meets with the Honghui railway, which connects it with Honghui. In Lanzhou, the railway intersects with the Longhai railway, both of which have their termini at Lanzhou. Then at the Lanzhou railway station, the line continues west as the Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway, to the Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

The Baolan railway over the Yellow River at Sangyuanxia.

See also

• Rail transport in China
• Rail transport in Inner Mongolia
• List of railways in China
• Baotou–Yinchuan high-speed railway