On January 22, 2024, the Shaanxi Yanyu high-speed railway made significant progress. The Caijiaping Tunnel, the first tunnel on the entire line, has officially started the construction of supporting arches, marking the official entry of the main tunnel excavation stage and also indicating that the construction of the Yanyu high-speed railway has officially entered the fast lane.

Since the construction of the Yanyu high-speed railway began on November 5, 2023, this high-speed railway line has attracted much attention. It has a total length of approximately 239 kilometers, a design speed of up to 350 kilometers per hour, and an estimated construction period of 5 years. At the same time, the railway operation time from Yan'an to Yulin will also be significantly reduced, and it can be easily reached in just one hour.

The route planning of the Yanyu high-speed railway is meticulous, starting from Yan'an Station, crossing Baota District and Yanchuan County in Yan'an City to the north, then entering Qingjian County, Suide County, and Mizhi County in Yulin City, and finally reaching Hengshan District. There are a total of 7 stations along the entire line, including Yan'an, Yan'an New Area, Yanchuan, Qingjian North, Suide West, Mizhi North, and Yulin South. Yan'an Station is an existing station, while the other stations are newly built.

The Caijiaping Tunnel, which has started construction this time, has a total length of 4397.35 meters and an estimated construction period of 42 months. The body of this tunnel needs to pass through complex terrains such as loess beams and shallow buried ditches, making construction extremely difficult and one of the controlling projects along the entire line. In order to ensure the smooth construction of the first tunnel on the entire line, the construction unit has developed a scientific and reasonable construction plan, overcome many difficulties such as winter construction and complex geological conditions, and adhere to the joint promotion of large-scale construction and on-site construction, promoting the construction of the Yanyu high-speed railway in an efficient and high-quality manner.

The completion of the Yanyu high-speed railway will build a vertical channel that forms the Shaanxi high-speed railway network, greatly improving the transportation infrastructure conditions in the northern Shaanxi region. This will not only promote the formation of a new pattern in the western development, but also contribute to the high-quality development of the economy and society in the revolutionary old areas. With the completion and opening of the Yanyu high-speed railway, the northern Shaanxi region will usher in a more prosperous and strong tomorrow. Editor/Cheng Liting