新浪微博
腾讯微博
微信
QQ空间
QQ好友
手机阅读分享话题

Chongqing News

Metro or light-rail: the difference of the two ways of railway transportation in Chongqing

2018-05-24 09:41:07

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- It turns out there are differences between metro (subway) and light-rail. Actually, they are completely different species. This time the editor brings the knowledge of the ways to distinguish metro from light-rail in Chongqing.

Picture from VCG

Railway transportation is a generalized concept that encompasses all transportation systems where cars are constrained to operate on a fixed rail. Examples include the commonly seen metro, monorails (light-rail), tram and maglev. As a result, city railway transportation can be thought of as a predecessor of the metro.

So why is the system called ‘railway’ in Chongqing and ‘metro’ in Beijing? Are they different species?

Of all the currently operating lines in Chongqing’s railway transportation, only Line 2 and Line 3 are straddle-beam monorails while all others are metros. When considering the naming of the systems, monorails and metros are together renamed railway transport, and branded “Rail Transit Line X” to the public. This way, passengers can easily understand, avoiding chaotic circumstances where ‘Monorail Line 2’ and ‘Metro Line 1’ would be the correct denominations.

Now let’s take a look at the Beijing Subway. By the end of 2017, the Beijing Subway ran a total of 22 lines, all of which employ the subway system. Beijing Subway has a uniform railway system, unlike that of Chongqing. As a result, passengers are not that confused when communicating the idea. That’s how the Beijing Subway got its name.

In short, there are both metros and light-rails in Chongqing, together they are called “Chongqing railway transportation”.

Actually, the naming of a city’s railway transportation is based on its system, and more emphasis is placed on its ease of use. As a result, the railway system in Chongqing is collectively called “Rail Transit Line X” regardless of it being metro or monorail. (Translated by Yang Lifu, Fathom Language Limited)

Editor:Jiang Yiwei