Chinese high-speed train passes speed test at 385 kph

QINGDAO - A Chinese electric multiple unit (EMU) train reached a speed of 385 kilometers per hour and passed a high speed test, a major step before it begins formal operations.

Designed and manufactured by CSR Qingdao Sifang Co., Ltd., China owns the independent intellectual property rights to the train. The train is designed to operate at a standard speed of 350 kph.

It was tested under complicated conditions, including on bridges, in tunnels, and on slopes and turns on the railway connecting Datong in north China's Shanxi Province, and Xi'an, capital city of northwest province of Shaanxi Wednesday.

The train had excellent performance in every key technical index and meets all design standards of the test, said Liang Jianying, the chief engineer of CSR Qingdao Sifang.

The train rolled off the production line in June and features innovation in safety, comfort and energy efficiency, said Liang.

The high speed train had previously passed a low-speed test of under 160 kilometers per hour and still must complete heavy-duty tests before it can operate on the 600,000 kilometer-rail network next year.