# Trains of China



## edepot (Nov 13, 2012)

This is a "normal" Train

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9exCtVS2Q0

This is a "high speed" Train

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDblcRmpv3c

Weird to find out: For the normal train in China the last car is numbered 1. The first car is numbered last.

The video shown below is the above high speed train running (near the end of the video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPn0B_hPSuU


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

edepot said:


> Weird to find out: For the normal train in China the last car is numbered 1. The first car is numbered last.


I never knew that....very strange indeed. At least to us over here.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Very interesting.....wonder why the numbered the cars backward?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The read from right to left.


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## buickestate (Oct 24, 2012)

brings back memories for me, in 1979 I rode the train from hong kong to beijing, had the private bunks.

do they still have the 3rd class hard seats?


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## edepot (Nov 13, 2012)

*train*

I think they still have the hard seats. The first video right in the beginning you see people seated normally like in a normal train, but those seats are soft like on an airplane. So I would suppose there is even cheaper trains that don't have beds and are plain seats, just not on this train.

They don't really lose money by offering these bed'ed seats trains. The beds are triple decked, and the price is double normal seats. So if you calculate it out, they actually make more per square foot than just normal seats. (That is if people don't jam pack the walking isles in normal trains).


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

The lower class cars seem very cramped. 


-J.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

China is very cramped. Check out the Chinese subways. Pete
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8FQsg12hoY


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You want cramped, try the Japanese subways!  They even have guys with white gloves that stand on the platforms and pack the people into the cars at the stops!


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## inxy (Dec 10, 2010)

My wife and I have done numerous 4-5 hour trains runs in China. The cheaper seats are soft seats and we always use them. The only aisle traffic is people stretching or walking to the ends of the cars to smoke. Bring your own toilet paper and the toilet is the usual hole in the floor. Hot water is available and travelers bring their instant noodles and tea. Picnic time. You get a conductor ? several times during the run traveling the aisles selling food, socks and flashlights. Did an eighteen hour run in a three bunk high sleeper once. The diner car food was passable. Probably average one small city stop an hour. The loading platforms at the stops are lined with local food vendors - some good food. Five minute or so stop so time for munchies. The trains are great for people watching and I have always have found the people pleasant. The cheap seats for a Guilin to Nanning run (4 1/2 hours) are about $12.00- can't beat the price. 

B


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## edepot (Nov 13, 2012)

The video posted above showing an example of a Chinese subway is actually Japanese! Only Japanese wear white gloves. 

Here is an actual Chinese subway (very recently built):






Chinese don't wear gloves  And they don't touch the passengers. (blue uniform in the video). An interesting thing is that because bicycles were so popular before, there are actually lanes for you to handle bicycles in the middle of all steps. Although the laws have changed preventing you to handle bikes in the subways (very recently, but know if it will change later)

As a bonus, you can see an actual model of the train near the end of the video.

Or, if you are a true hardcore train model enthusiast, here are more China trains!

CIT500 - China's 500km/hr Prototype Train





CRH3A Train





CRH380A Train





CRH380B-6401L Train





CRH380C-6301L Train





CRH6-0101 Train





In the above videos, CRH means China Railway High-speed. The higher the digit after the CRH the more advanced.
Or if you like Subway Model Trains...

Beijing Subway No. 1 Line Train





Guangzhou Subway No. 4 Line Train





Shenzhen Subway No. 3 Line Train





Hong Kong Subway Train





Outside of China, but these trains are made by China for export...

Singapore Subway A-Type Train





Brazil Subway 1A Line Train


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

My guess for the reverse number system is that the last car is the first to be delivered or removed at a branch. 


Think Train!


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## edepot (Nov 13, 2012)

Maybe. Or perhaps the Engine Train can be removed and attached to the other end for return trip. So in the video it was the return trip, so it got numbered backwards.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Really nice looking trains and a very clean subway station. Only thing that seems to be missing are riders. Pete


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