News In Brief

China’s high-speed rail faces problems after debut

Kai Ryssdal Jul 12, 2011

This final note today, in which reality catches up to a radio story. There are a couple of high-speed rail lines in China apart from the one we took down to Hangzhou to talk to Mr. Wonder Zada. The newest is a $33 billion route from Shanghai to Beijing that opened just two weeks ago. It’s a big deal, kind of like the New York to Washington route on Amtrak, except farther.

Anyway, it’s been a bad couple of days. Power failures, delays, people stuck in train cars with no air conditioning in 90-degree heat. So, like I said, there are some downsides.

More tomorrow.

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