Last week, train producer CNR announced a recall of 54 of the trains on the Shanghai-Beijing high-speed rail line. Shanghai also announced that all high-speed traffic (G and D trains) would be frozen after August 15 in order to revamp time tables. It seems, however, that train service remains unfrozen, and they have simply replaced the recalled trains. From Xinhua: "China has moved 21 high-speed CRH 380A (L) trains from other railway lines to ensure the operation of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway after 54 trains used on the route were recalled over safety concerns, a train manufacturer said Sunday." At this point, it seems just about everybody involved is scrambling to ensure the trains are running, and that they are running safely. New safety checkpoints have also been installed along the Shanghai-Beijing line. more ›

China's second largest train maker, CNR Corp Ltd, has announced a recall of 54 trains operating on the Shanghai-Beijing high-speed rail line, siting safety concerns. Specifically, they are likely targeting signal problems, the very malfunction that is said to have caused the Wenzhou train crash. "The recall comes two days after CNR said its subsidiary, Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., had been ordered by the Ministry of Railways to halt delivery of the CRH380BL after signalling faults in the trains' automatic safety systems were found to cause delays." Since 54 trains accounts for more than half the 90 trains running on the line, we can only assume the recall is the true reason behind yesterday's freezing all bullet trains coming out of Shanghai after August 15. more ›

The deflector shield is now fully operational. Google just announced that it will be complying with the Chinese government's requests to censor its search results. Recall that in 2004, the mainland Chinese version of Google News was already censored. Now Google, has a new address -- www.google.cn -- and whereas before you could get the results of a search on Tibetan independence but not open the link, now, it seems, you won't even know it exists. From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: more ›