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China builds more rail, but also more efficiently
28 July 2014
(LPAC)—A World Bank study has determined that "Economies of scale, accrued through standardization of construction processes, are among the key factors in China’s ability to build high speed railways more cheaply than other countries." The study, entitled "High Speed Railways in China: A Look at Construction Costs," says that a typical infrastructure unit cost in China is US$17m to US$21m per kilometer, for a line designed for 350 km/h (217 mph) operation, compared to anywhere from US$25m to US$39m in Europe. The main cause: the use of highly modular track-laying and viaduct construction techniques in China, which are often used as an alternative to embankments. The mechanized casting and laying of bridge beams is seen as a particular advantage in reducing construction costs, the report says. Of course, economies of scale compared to the West are somewhat exaggerated by the fact that there is no construction at all in the West. Perhaps the study refers to the fact that building rail in China is even cheaper than the tearing down of rail in the West. The report says: "China has accomplished a remarkable feat in building over 10,000 route-km of high speed railway in a period of six to seven years.... This has allowed the standardization of the design of construction elements, competitive capacity for the manufacture of equipment, and construction and the amortization of the capital cost of equipment over a number of projects." |