We’re now one step closer to witnessing what will be an explosion of development on the Nanjing Metro, as the last concrete was poured on the next of many lines to commence operations in the near future; the northern extension to Line 1.
Yesterday, 7 June, saw the final concrete poured for the elevated section of the northern extension to Nanjing Metro Line 1. It means Maigaoqiao Station, which has been the Line’s northern terminus for 17 years, is about to take on its new identity as a through station.
That piece of such work was carried out directly north of Maigaoqiao Station, on a 319.30-metre-long section to connect the Station with extension’s elevated bridgework already in place.
Yesterday’s final pour went into the box girder comprising a final 13.38-metre-long link, during which a total of 130 cubic metres of concrete was consumed.
Under Nanjing’s scorching sun, concrete will quickly solidify and easily crack, and therefore should be cured by watering. A reporter for Nanjing Daily on site touched the concrete surface and found it hotter than nearby steel joints.
After 4 hours of continuous pouring, Maigaoqiao Station became a terminus no longer, and this decade’s grand expansion of the Nanjing Metro network is set to begin.
Elsewhere, everyone’s eyes have been on Line 5, which shall run more or less parallel to Line 1. An enormous undertaking, construction began as long ago as 2016. A Nanjing Metro line is usually 5 years in the making, but the complexity of Line 5 and COVID ruled that out of the question. The end of next year for an opening is about as optimistic as we can be.
Line 7 is also slated to open next year, and that will be a big deal on account it shall be our city’s first fully-automated line, capable of GoA4 (Grade of Automation 4) operation, whereby trains can operate automatically at all times, while also being able to open and close doors, detect obstacles and react to emergencies.
Next up, Line 9, which is set for a 2024 opening, with a bit of luck. Then there are the extensions to other lines, specifically phase 2 of both Lines 10 and S8. Both might be in operation by the end of next year.
So when will the new to Line 1 extension open? As a rule, after all the impressive engineering is complete, Nanjing Metro generally takes as long as 3 months to complete the many and varied tests on a new line, with test trains running back and forth. Such trains also have on board metro staff who have volunteered to act as “passengers” and thus provide feedback for all those tweaks, however little, but necessary.
The Nanjinger is therefore predicting an opening date for the northern extension of Line 1 as this National Day, 1 October.
