Key tunnel completed, clearing path for high-speed rail

By Ma Yuhan, Yichang International Communication Studio

With the recent excavation of the Shimen 1 Tunnel, all 25 tunnels along the Wuhan-Yichang section of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway have been dug out, paving the way for the next phase of opening the entire line.

<caption>Tunnels along the Wuhan-Yichang section of Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway. 
 

The Shimen 1 Tunnel is a single-hole double-track tunnel spanning 1,366 meters. It goes through various complex geological formations, with the minimum overburden depth measuring only 5.9 meters.

To overcome these challenges, the construction team employed advanced geological forecasting, stringent blasting controls, and intelligent equipment, ultimately reducing the expected construction period by 65 days.

<caption>A schematic diagram marking the Wuhan-Yichang Section (in deep red) of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway (in light red).
 

The 313-kilometer Wuhan-Yichang section of the line, designed for speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour, is a crucial part of the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu High-Speed Railway. Upon completion, the travel time between Wuhan and Yichang will be reduced from its current time of roughly two hours to just one.

Stretching over 2,100 kilometers, the Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu high-speed railway is a vital transport link for the Yangtze River Basin, passing through six provinces: Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Chongqing, and Sichuan.