"Five, four, three, two, one! Detonation!" With the command given at the construction site of the China Railway Construction Bureau’s 18th Bureau, a deep explosion echoed more than 900 meters underground in the Taihang Mountains. The 18-kilometer Taihang Mountain Tunnel was successfully completed in an instant. This achievement marks that China has now built the longest heavy-duty railway with a capacity of 10,000 tons in a single phase—the Jinyulu Heavy-Duty Railway Channel.
The Jinyulu Heavy-Duty Railway spans 1,260 kilometers, stretching from Luliang in western Shanxi to Rizhao in eastern Shandong. It passes through Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong provinces and is set to open for traffic by the end of this year. The Taihang Mountain Tunnel is a critical part of this project, serving as a key bottleneck in the entire railway system.
Zhang Xiaohua, the chief commander of the Taihang Mountain Tunnel Project under the 18th Bureau, explained that the tunnel faced multiple complex challenges, including rock bursts, high groundwater pressure, and a unique double-line, double-hole design. These factors made it one of the most difficult sections of the entire Jinyulu Railway. In particular, the daily water inflow reached over 100,000 cubic meters, posing a major obstacle during construction.
To address these issues, the 18th Bureau consulted with experts from various research institutes and the China Railway Corporation. Through extensive research and innovation, they developed practical construction methods that effectively tackled problems like water inrush and rock bursts. This ensured the smooth passage of the massive railway tunnel.
Zou Jinsheng, executive deputy general manager of the Jinyulu Railway Channel Company, emphasized that this is China’s first heavy-duty railway designed to handle a 30-ton axle load. Trains on this line can haul up to 10,000 tons, with an annual cargo capacity of 200 million tons. It serves as another major coal transportation route in China.
Additionally, the Jinyulu Railway is China’s first two-way heavy-duty rail line. Once completed, it will not only transport coal from Shanxi to Rizhao Port in Shandong but also allow the return of iron ore and other raw materials from Shandong to various destinations along the route. This will significantly boost transportation efficiency and capacity, making the railway a vital link in China's logistics network.
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