China Railway Research Articles

Development of rail technology for high speed railway in China

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to summarize the status and characteristics of rail technology of high-speed railway in China, and point out the development direction of rail technology of high-speed railway.Design/methodology/approachThis study reviews the evolution of high-speed rail standards in China, comparing their chemical composition, mechanical attributes and geometric specifications with EN standards. It delves into the status of rail production technology, shifts in key performance indicators and the quality characteristics of rails. The analysis further examines the interplay between wheels and rails, the implementation of grinding technology and the techniques for inspecting rail service conditions. It encapsulates the salient features of rail operation and maintenance within the high-speed railway ecosystem. The paper concludes with an insightful prognosis of high-speed railway technology development in China.FindingsThe rail standards of high-speed railway in China are scientific and advanced, highly operational and in line with international standards. The quality and performance of rail in China have reached the world’s advanced level. The 60N profile guarantees the operation quality of wheel–rail interaction effectively. The rail grinding technology system scientifically guarantees the long-term good service performance of the rail. The rail service state detection technology is scientific and efficient. The rail technology will take “more intelligent” and “higher speed” as the development direction to meet the future needs of high-speed railway in China.Originality/valueThe development direction of rail technology for high-speed railway in China is defined, which will promote the continuous innovation and breakthrough of rail technology.

Interface behaviour analysis of China railway track system Ⅱ slab ballastless track under temperature action and initial gap damage

The interface damage is considered to be one of the main diseases of China Railway Track System (CRTS) Ⅱ slab ballastless track, which will affect the long-term performance of the track structure and safety operation of high-speed trains. This study aims to reveal the interface damage mechanism between the track slab and the cement asphalt (CA) mortar layer of CRTS Ⅱ slab ballastless track, under different combinations of temperature actions and initial gap damage. A three-dimensional finite element model of CRTS Ⅱ slab ballastless track was established, in which a cohesive constitutive model was incorporated to simulate the interaction behavior of the interface. The interface damage evolution under different temperature actions and initial gap damage was analyzed. The analysis results show that: (1) Overall temperature has a more obvious effect on interface damage compared with temperature gradient, and the greater the overall temperature drops, the lower the decrease of interface damage will be; (2) When initial gap damage occur at the slab end, the growth rate of interface damage under temperature gradient is greater than that under overall temperature; The interface will begin to delaminate when the overall temperature drop reaches −50°C and the gap length becomes greater than one fastener spacing; and (3) When initial gap damage occur at the slab edge, the influence of overall temperature on interface damage is greater than that of temperature gradient; The interface gap damage reaches level II (according to TG/GW 115-2012) at the slab edge under the combination of −50°C and −50°C/m, while the slab center interface is unlikely to be damaged under negative temperature.

How Do High-Speed Railways Spur Innovation?

How does transport infrastructure spur innovation? This article examines the knowledge spillover effects of the construction of high-speed railways (HSR) in China. Using a database listing patent application information and Chinese city samples over the period 2005–2015, we find that the connection to HSR networks significantly increases the number of patents at the city level. Moreover, our results show that more collaborative or radical innovations and those operating in technologically complex industries benefit more from HSR. Our findings extend prior work on transport infrastructure and the literature on the geography of innovation and provide a comprehensive understanding of how various innovation outcomes benefit in different ways from reduced travel costs.

Self-Reported Allergic Rhinitis Prevalence and Risk Factors in Employees of the China National Railway.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common allergic disease globally and its prevalence is increasing year by year. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence and risk factors of self-reported AR among the Chinese National Railway train crew in the China Railway Beijing Group.METHODS: This prospective questionnaire study surveyed 1511 randomly recruited train crewmembers from 20 cities in the China National Railway network, and 494 reported having AR. A structured questionnaire was tailored, designed, and delivered electronically to all subjects. Prevalence of and risk factors for AR were analyzed based on self-reported results.RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported AR among train crewmembers was 32.6%. Among respondents, 86.03% worked in passenger cars and 64.6% reported having worse AR symptoms while on trains. AR frequencies were 40.15% perennially and 59.85% seasonally. Among the Total Nasal Symptoms Scores (TNSS), significant differences were found between rhinorrhea and sneezing and between nasal itching and sneezing. The Rhino-Conjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) showed significant correlations between all seven sections. TNSS was significantly associated with the RQLQ. Scores of both the TNSS and RQLQ showed that the severity of AR symptoms (rp = 0.103) and the impact on quality of life (rp = 0.113) correlated significantly with seniority.CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of self-reported AR among train crew working in passenger cars is higher than that of the general Chinese population. The severity of AR symptoms and the impact on quality of life are associated with seniority, meaning the number of years working on trains.Yu R-L, Ning H-Y, Lan T-F, He H, Zheng C-B, Wang X-Y, Wang H-T, Wang X-Y. Self-reported allergic rhinitis prevalence and risk factors in employees of the China National Railway. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2023; 94(11):821-826.

Evolution of microscopic characteristics of rolling contact fatigue coexisting with wear of U75V rail

During the damage and defects related to rolling contact fatigue (RCF), together with wear occurring at the rail surface, the microscopic characteristics of the rail material change with the accumulation of wheel cycles. To find the relationship between rail material characteristics and RCF damage under wheel-rail contact situations, a series of twin-disc rolling-sliding tests, based on real wheel-rail contact situations at a radius of 80 mm rail profile, was established for a heavy-haul railway in China. The microscale characteristics of the rail disc contact surface was researched, including crack, wear, roughness, and hardness of the U75V rail with different load cycles. The results show that the damage mechanism of RCF and wear alternately dominates the rail disc surface at the microscale, taking a certain cycle as a boundary which makes the RCF crack number and wear rate have opposite evolutionary trends. The above factors also affect the wear at the surface rail discs, alternating between fatigue and adhesion. Meanwhile, increasing the surface micro-hardness leads to a decrease in the relative wear rate and an increase in the roughness, length and number of RCF cracks. The plastic deformation layers, including the severely deformed layer (SDL) and the transition layer (TL), almost maintain the same thickness and the dynamic equilibrium increases during the cycles. Two kinds of cracks are initiated and propagated at the rail disc surface, one at the SDL and the other at the junction of SDL and TL. The number of each kind of crack depends on the SDL thickness.

Assessment of the Simultaneous Use of Asphalt Concrete and Foam Concrete as a Full Cross-Section Layer in the Substructure of the China Railway Track System (CRTS) III Slab Ballastless Tracks

This paper proposes the simultaneous application of asphalt concrete (AC) and foam concrete (FC) as a full cross-section layer in the substructure of the high-speed railway ballastless track. AC is designed as a waterproof layer and is placed as part of the top surface layer of the subgrade bed where the mixture is made from three types of performance grade (PG) binders (normal, high, and modified grade binders) named PG64-22, PG70-22, and PG76-22, respectively. FC is designed as a subgrade material to replace the traditional material in the bottom layer of the subgrade bed. It has a target density of 500–700 kg/m3 and polypropylene (PP) fiber is added at a ratio of 0.25% and 0.40% by volume. The mechanical properties of both materials are reviewed from the authors’ previous research, in which they were assessed through laboratory testing in accordance with ASTM standards. In addition, the numerical model analyzed the dynamic response of the whole structure when AC and FC were applied as full cross-section layers under different thicknesses of FC and then compared with traditional track structures. Laboratory test results indicate that PG76-22, or modified asphalt binder and FC at a density of 600 kg/m3 with the addition of 0.25% PP fiber, is suitable for use in slab ballastless tracks. In addition, the prediction of the model shows that AC at a thickness of 0.12 m and FC at a thickness of 1.00 m can reduce the stress and vibration of the track structure better than the traditional structure, resulting in stabilization and long-term service life.

Comprehensive performance evaluation and sensitivity analysis method of a cutter-changing robot for a large-diameter shield machine

Cutter-changing robot is a new product to automatically replace the cutter in shield machine, whose performance is affected by multiple criteria with diversity, multiplicity and correlation, which is a complex multiple criteria decision-making problem with limited and fuzzy available information. This paper proposes a comprehensive performance evaluation model including the performance indicator hierarchy, weight determination, measurement and assessment methods of indicators and sensitivity analysis. Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) is applied to identify the construction requirements from external shield machine and environment and design characteristics in the whole cutter-changing process, weight for 3 first-level indicators and 14 s-level indicators are determined. The objective evaluation indexes measured by instrumentation and subjective evaluation indexes quantified by fuzzy logic are normalized within the range of 0–1. The scores and proportion of assessment grade for each indicator at each level are obtained through Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE). Furthermore, the sensitivity of weight and evaluation data on performance evaluation result are deeply analyzed. The applicability and validity of the proposed approach were demonstrated by a case study of a cutter-changing robot made by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. According to the result, operational capacity is the most important criteria in the first level, and cutter grasping ability is the most important indicator in the second level. Path planning ability is the weakest indicators. Cutter grasping ability and time of replacement are the most critical affecting factors. The proposed method not only helps the designers capture the weak indicators accurately and improve the design quality, but also provides engineers with a holistic perspective to the cutter-changing robot before actual application.

Photovoltaic potential prediction and techno-economic analysis of China railway stations

As an infrastructure, the railway stations' roof and platform canopy have considerable space potential for deploying photovoltaic power generation systems. In order to study the feasibility of installing PV systems in railway stations, this paper analyzes the PV potential and techno-economic characteristics of China's high-grade railroad stations by combining a three-dimensional digital earth system (LSV) and PV plant calculation methods. The results show that the total installed PV capacity of Chinese high-grade railway stations, which are mainly used for passenger transportation, can reach 820 MW, and the total annual PV power generation capacity can reach 1111GWh. The self-sufficiency rate of each station is affected by the scale of the station building, the number of canopies on the passenger platform and the architectural design factors. The smaller the scale of the station building, the larger the area of the platform canopy, the smaller the overlap between the station building and the station canopy, the easier the railway station to achieve self-sustaining. The payback period is the time it takes for the total return on PV power generation to equal the investment in PV construction. 63% of the stations can realize full payback of their investment within 4–7 years under the operation strategy of full self-consumption of power generation. In addition the photovoltaic systems in railroad stations can generate considerable ecological benefits, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 820,000 tons per year, which is about the carbon emissions of 304,000 cars in one year.

Current status and reflection on the development of high-speed maglev transportation

PurposeHigh-speed maglev technology can address the issues of adhesion, friction, vibration and high-speed current collection in traditional wheel-rail systems, making it an important direction for the future development of high-speed rail technology.Design/methodology/approachThis paper elaborates on the demand and significance of developing high-speed maglev technology worldwide and examines the current status and technological maturity of several major high-speed maglev systems globally.FindingsThis paper summarizes the challenges in the development of high-speed maglev railways in China. Based on this analysis, it puts forward considerations for future research on high-speed maglev railways.Originality/valueThis paper describes the development status and technical maturity of several major high-speed maglev systems in the world for the first time, summarizes the existing problems in the development of China's high-speed maglev railway and on this basis, puts forward the thinking of the next research of China's high-speed maglev railway.

A Sedentary Lifestyle Changes the Composition and Predicted Functions of the Gut Bacterial and Fungal Microbiota of Subjects from the Same Company

A sedentary lifestyle affects the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota, but previous studies have mainly focused on bacteria instead of fungi. Here, we compared both the fecal bacterial and fungal microbiota compositions and functions in sedentary persons and controls. Subjects from the China Railway Corporation, including 99 inspectors and 88 officials, were enrolled in our study. Fecal microbiota communities were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing for bacteria and ITS sequencing for fungi. We found that the diversity of the gut microbiota of the sedentary group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The sedentary group had a higher abundance of Firmicutes, a lower abundance of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria and a higher abundance of Ascomycota, and a lower abundance of Basidiomycota. Furthermore, functional prediction analysis of the fungal microbiota revealed more L-tryptophan degradation to 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate semialdehyde, more phospholipid remodeling (phosphatidylethanolamine, yeast), and more L-tyrosine degradation I, as well as less pentose phosphate pathway (non-oxidative branch), less adenosine nucleotide biosynthesis and less L-valine biosynthesis in the sedentary group (P < 0.05). Thus, a sedentary lifestyle changes the composition and function of the gut microbiota. It may change the pentose phosphate pathway (non-oxidative branch), nucleic acid and amino acid biosynthesis and phospholipid metabolism in fungi.

Adhesion performance tests and analysis of interface damage for CRTS III prefabricated slab tracks

Debonding between the track slab and self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a common form of damage in China railway track system (CRTS) III prefabricated slab tracks. To investigate the influence of interlayer cohesive parameters on the interface connection, composite specimens of track slabs and SCC were made to be used for splitting tensile and shear tests. The variation characteristics between the interface’s tension and displacement were obtained using digital image correlation (DIC) techniques, and the key parameters of a cohesive zone model (CZM) were determined and used to simulate the cracking behavior. Also analyzed was the interlayer damage behavior of the composite specimen using ABAQUS, the results of which were compared with those of the tests. Furthermore, a finite element simulation model of the CRTS III prefabricated slab track with CZM was used to analyze the impact of different cohesive parameters on interlayer damage under train loads and varying temperature gradient loads. The results show that: I). The DIC technique accurately describes the entire process from the damage initiation and propagation, to complete failure of the interface-bonded components; II). The finite element simulation results of the concrete composite specimens agree with the experimental results, indicating the CZM accurately reflects the interlayer cracking behaviors; III). Reducing the interface stiffness and increasing the critical fracture energy can slightly delay the onset of interface damage and debonding, respectively; IV). An increase in the cohesive strength can effectively inhibit the development of interface damage, for example, increasing the normal and tangential cohesive strength can improve the starting temperature gradient for interlayer damage initiation by 150 % and 45 %, respectively; and V). Under large positive temperature gradients (>70 °C/m), the interlayer debonding rate corresponding to most cohesive parameters reaches 100 % (complete failure of adhesion), making extreme temperature areas a necessary focus on the interlayer debonding of slab tracks. The research results of this paper can be used to analyze the damage behavior between the track slab and SCC layer, and provide a theoretical basis for the design and maintenance of CRTS III prefabricated slab track.

Vibration energy transmission in high-speed train-track-bridge coupled systems

This paper investigates the vibration energy transmission characteristics of high-speed train-track-bridge coupled systems based on a high-speed railway in China. A coupled system composed of a CRH380A high-speed train, CRTS II slab ballastless track, and standard 32-meter girder bridge was analyzed through hybrid simulations that integrated multi-body dynamics and finite element analysis. The hybrid model included the interactions between the train, track, and bridge of the coupled system as well as track irregularity. The vibration energy of the coupled system was quantitatively investigated under various train velocities. The effects of key variables of ballastless track and bridge on energy transmission characteristics were evaluated. The studied variables included fastener stiffness, fastener damping, mortar layer stiffness, bridge cross section, and bridge damages. The results show that these variables have significant effects on vibration energy transmission, suggesting that it is important to consider these variables in the design and operation of high-speed railways.

A line planning approach based on time-varying demand for high-speed rail under the combined operation of periodic and aperiodic services

Passenger demand for high-speed rail systems is highly fluctuating in temporal and spatial throughout the day. In order to effectively improve passenger satisfaction and service level for high-speed rail, the formulation of line plan must make the distribution of the trains’ capacities be meet with the time-varying demand of passengers. The aperiodic line plan can well meet this demand since it is more flexible with different stop patterns and various headways. However, the irregular arrival/departure times are not convenient for travel planning. We propose a new type of line plan that would combine both the regularity of the periodic line plan and the flexibility of the aperiodic ones. An optimization method of high-speed railway line plan based on a combination of periodic and aperiodic operation is structured, which can well satisfy the temporal-spatial distributions of passenger demands in different time periods. The main challenge is to coordinate the numbers of periodic and aperiodic trains, and their temporal-spatial distributions on the rail network considering the passengers’ train-choice decisions. Based on generating a set of candidate routes and constructing a passenger travel network, we propose a model to optimize the numbers of both periodic and aperiodic trains, and their paths, stops, approximate arrival and departure times at each visited stations for minimizing the total operation cost of trains and the total generalized travel cost of passengers. Then, a simulated annealing algorithm is designed to efficiently solve our proposed optimization model. Finally, numerical experiments based on the Shanghai-Nanjing intercity railway in China verify the effectiveness and practicability of the optimization method.

Operational planning of international freight trains considering the dynamic demands and capacities of border ports

This paper presents a solution to address congestion at border ports that may cause significant delays and affect shipment delivery time for the China Railway Express trains. The proposed bi-objective 0–1 integer linear programming model takes into account the capacities of border ports and dynamic freight transportation demands at the network level over large time scales. A heuristic approach based on the Advanced NSGA-II (HANSGA-II) is proposed. Intensive numerical experiments using real network data were conducted to verify the proposed model and algorithm. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis proves that the proposed HANSGA-II is found to outperform the CPLEX solver in terms of solution quality, solution diversity and computational time, and can adapt to the expansion of future rail networks and the growth of demands. With the development of the consolidation mode, some cost parameters in the model can be adjusted to obtain more suitable solutions.

Mechanical Properties of Slab Ballastless Track Subjected to Combined Effects of Loading and Temperature

Temperature has a significant impact on the structural performance of the China Railway Track System (CRTS) Ⅱ slab ballastless track-bridge and the structure is susceptible to fatigue damage under long-term loading. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct cyclic-loading test on the track-bridge structure to reveal the evolution of its mechanical properties under coupled temperature-load effect. In this study, a 1:4 scaled-down model of a ballastless track-bridge was produced and placed in a large-size environmental chamber for temperature-load coupled cyclic-loading tests. The results showed that after 1×10^6 cycles of loading, no cracks were observed on the surface of the track structure. The structural workability and load capacity of the track-bridge met the required service standards. During the temperature-load coupling test, the load-displacement curves of the structural system exhibited intervals, with a more significant increase in static-deflection values. The dynamic deflection of the structural system under the coupling action experienced a higher growth rate and more abrupt changes compared to single-load conditions. These observations indicated that the ambient temperature amplified the deflection of the structural system. The strain values in the track structure exhibited significant non-linearity, with temperature amplifying this effect. The dynamic-response test results revealed a negative correlation between the inherent frequency of the track structure and the ambient temperature, further emphasizing the influence of temperature on the stability of the track structure. Consequently, it is essential to enhance the monitoring of track structures in high-temperature climates to ensure their safe operation.

Distribution characteristics of snow and evaluation of snowdrift susceptibility along the Xinku section of Yining-Aksu Railway in China

The frequent occurrence of snowdrift hazards in the Tianshan region of China often poses a serious threat to transportation corridors, such as roads and railways. Revealing and understanding the characteristics of snow distribution and using a mixed model to assess the susceptibility to snowdrifts can effectively and quickly evaluate the regional risk of the snowdrift. In this study, the key factors affecting the formation of a snowdrift in the study area, such as snow, are analyzed by utilizing remote sensing interpretation, meteorological monitoring, and field investigation along the Xinyuan-Kutaikelike railway section of Yining to Aksu Railway in China as the study area object. Based on the multi-source data, ten snowdrift susceptibility evaluation factors were extracted with the help of GIS. On this basis, three susceptibility models were used to evaluate the snowdrift susceptibility, namely the subjective evaluation method – Analytic Network Process (ANP) method, the objective evaluation method - CRITIC weighting method, and the combination of subjective and objective Game theory combination method. The evaluation showed that the susceptibility indices obtained by the ANP, CRITIC, and Game theory combination were in the ranges of [0.243, 0.746], [0.202, 0.751], and [0.249, 0.735] respectively, with the percentages of the area of medium susceptibility and above being 67.3%, 67.2%, and 67.5%. All three models exhibited suitable robustness. The predicted results of the three models were verified by the field survey, and it was found that the results of the Game theory combined model were in good agreement with the field survey, which allows it to be suitable for the study of snowdrift susceptibility zoning in the study area. The results revealed that the medium-high susceptibility areas of a snowdrift were mainly in the grassland area of the Small Yultuz Basin and the A'erxian-Bayinguoleng area. The high susceptibility zones were predominately located in the Nalati Ridge, the northern ridge of the Koktag Mountains, the northern ridge of the Huola Mountains, and the pre-mountain alluvial and floodplain areas of these mountain systems. This study provides a scientific basis and methodology for preventing and mitigating snowdrift disasters in cold regions, specifically for major engineering constructions such as transportation corridors.

Mesoscale modelling of CRTS II slab tracks subjected to thermal action and vehicle loads

Evaluation of the damage and deformation of cast-in-situ concrete joints between the precast concrete track slabs of the China Railway Track System (CRTS) II is crucial to the safe operation of high-speed railways. To investigate the damage and deformation evolution of concrete joints under thermal action (caused by the natural meteorological environment) and vehicle loads, a two-dimensional thermal–mechanical coupled numerical model of concrete joints at the mesoscale was developed. This model analyses the influence of three factors – concrete strength, maximum diameter of the joint concrete aggregate and vehicle speed. First, meteorology and heat transfer theory were used in thermal simulations. Then, the non-linear characteristics of the joint concrete were modelled as a two-phase composite material based on the random aggregate algorithm and strain-based elastic damage theory at the mesoscale. The cohesive zone model was used to simulate the interfaces between precast slabs. The reliability of the proposed model was assessed using field measurements. The results of a numerical example showed that the maximum aggregate diameter of the joint concrete significantly affected damage evolution in the joint concrete and concrete strength has a slight effect on joint uplift.

Seismic Analysis of High-Speed Railway Bridge-CRTS III Slab Ballastless Track System Under Transverse Earthquake

The new generation of China Railway Track System III (CRTS III) ballastless track structure has been found vulnerable under high-level earthquakes. However, the seismic characteristics and the damage mechanism had not been well studied. In this paper, a 4-span high-speed railway (HSR) simply supported bridge-track system model is established to investigate the seismic response and damage mechanism of the bridge-CRTS III slab ballastless track system under transverse earthquakes by nonlinear history analysis. In accordance with the results, the piers have a good seismic performance under high-level earthquake (0.57 g). The non-uniform vibration of unequal-height piers results millimeter-level inconsistent displacements between the girders. The fixed bearing is vulnerable under the earthquakes with PGA of 0.3 g and 0.57 g, indicating that the seismic design of fixed bearing should be optimized to enhance the seismic resistance under high-intensity earthquake. After the damage of fixed bearing, the friction is not enough to pull the girders to vibrate together with piers which leads the sliding of girders. The sliding of girder exacerbates the non-uniform displacements of girders and roadbed. The non-uniform vibration and residual slips of girders lead deformation of the rail, especially forming turning angles at the girder joints which may impact the safety of train operation.

Key technologies and applications of intelligent dispatching command for high-speed railway in China

PurposeThe intelligent Central Traffic Control (CTC) system plays a vital role in establishing an intelligent high-speed railway (HSR) system. As the core of HSR transportation command, the intelligent CTC system is a new HSR dispatching command system that integrates the widely used CTC in China with the practical service requirements of intelligent dispatching. This paper aims to propose key technologies and applications for intelligent dispatching command in HSR in China.Design/methodology/approachThis paper first briefly introduces the functions and configuration of the intelligent CTC system. Some new servers, terminals and interfaces are introduced, which are plan adjustment server/terminal, interface for automatic train operation (ATO), interface for Dynamic Monitoring System of Train Control Equipment (DMS), interface for Power Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (PSCADA), interface for Disaster Monitoring, etc.FindingsThe key technologies applied in the intelligent CTC system include automatic adjustment of train operation plans, safety control of train routes and commands, traffic information data platform, integrated simulation of traffic dispatching and ATO function. These technologies have been applied in the Beijing-Zhangjiakou HSR, which commenced operations at the end of 2019. Implementing these key intelligent functions has improved the train dispatching command capacity, ensured the safe operation of intelligent HSR, reduced the labor intensity of dispatching operators and enhanced the intelligence level of China's dispatching system.Originality/valueThis paper provides further challenges and research directions for the intelligent dispatching command of HSR. To achieve the objectives, new measures need to be conducted, including the development of advanced technologies for intelligent dispatching command, coping with new requirements with the development of China's railway signaling system, the integration of traffic dispatching and train control and the application of AI and data-driven modeling and methods.

Development patterns, material metabolism, and greenhouse gas emissions of high-speed railway in China

China built the longest high-speed railway system by consuming massive construction materials. However, characterization material metabolism in HSR system remains less explored. Here we conducted a bottom-up material metabolism study and revealed the material stocks, flows, and greenhouse gas emissions from 2008 to 2035 in China’s high-speed railway. We show that material stocks temporally amount from 0.6 gigatons in 2010 to 3.7 gigatons in 2020, dominated by aggregate and cement. Spatially, material stock distribution gaps across Chinese provinces are becoming more narrowed. Material flows wise, growing high-speed railway speed increased resource demands, but construction technology and material production advances could offset these increases. Our results demonstrate the carbon replacement value of 1008 megatons by 2020 and the operational emissions of 31 megatons annually. Compared with road and aviation passenger transport, we highlighted the environmental benefits of high-speed railway for informing green transitions.