Looking back on 13 years of change

摘要

AFTER 13 years, 164 issues and reporting from 28 countries, this is my final edition of International Railway Journal. But before I head off for pastures new, editor-in-chief David Briginshaw has asked me to reflect on some of the changes I've witnessed in the industry. Alongside news of a big new signing for the magazine's editorial team, the May 2006 issue of IRJ reported on China's plans to build more than 12,000km of high-speed lines by 2020. The pace of development has been extraordinary, far outstripping the ambitions of the original Medium- and Long-Term Railway Plan of 2004. The first true high-speed line, linking Beijing and Tianjin, opened in 2008 and today the network of 200-350km/h lines covers more than 29,000km.