On August 1, 2008, the Beijing-Tianjin inter-city railway will be put to operation. It is China's first world-class inter-city express railway with property right held domestically and marks a breakthrough in the history of the country's express track construction. Invited by the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related departments of the Ministry of Railway, over 70 China-based journalists from 53 news agencies of 21 countries took the express train which was on trial use to make interviews on July 22. The interviews started from the brand-new Beijing South Railway Station. The huge oval shape complex leapt to the eyes of the journalists when their bus entered the station slowly. Feeling excited, they rushed out immediately after the bus stopped at the eastern high elevated drop off platform. The journalists marveled at the grand and bright high elevated waiting hall when entering from the eastern entrance. The cameramen immediately scattered, selecting the best angle to take pictures. The graceful female train attendants in uniform also became the focus of their lens. The journalists surrounded closely the officials and several experts of the Ministry of Railway. Wang Yongping, spokesperson and director of the political department and the information department, and Chen Juemin, director of the international cooperation department of the railway ministry first of all extended welcome to the foreign journalists. Then, Zheng Jian, vice chief engineer and head of the economic planning research institute of the railway ministry explained the sketch maps in the hall one by one, introducing to the journalists the construction process of the Beijing-Tianjin inter-city railway and the Beijing South Railway Station. According to Zheng, the inter-city railway links Beijing and Tianjin which are both municipalities directly under the central government and travels a distance of 120 kilometers of which 87% is bridge engineering. There are 4 stations along the line, i.e. Beijing South, Yizhuang, Wuqing and Tianjin, with Yongle station in reservation. It takes no more than 30 minutes to finish the travel between the two cities with the minimum interval of trains at 3 minutes. The railway construction started on July 4, 2005 and completed on December 16, 2007. It was put on trial use from July 1, 2008. Using a number of internationally advanced technologies, the railway hit records in many fields in the history of track construction in China. It for the first time uses the ballastless track technology, the 500-meter rail field welding technique, the seamless cross-laying lines, high performance cement for the major structure and high precision connection of under-track structure and ballastless system. Featured by long life span and maintenance cycle, low dust pollution and noise, advanced technologies and high quality, the railway opens a new page in China's track construction history. As a part of the Beijing Olympic Games projects, the Beijing South Railway Station is the starting point of Beijing-Tianjin inter-city railway and Beijing-Shanghai express railway. Passengers oriented, the station boasts sophisticated functions, advanced systems, cultural taste and economy. It covers a total area of 322,000 square meters. During the peak hours, more than 1 million of passengers each day arrive at or depart from the station which is linked by subway line 4 and line 14. It serves as a modern transport hub integrating railway, subway, bus and taxi and here the walk distance of passengers is minimized. The station takes the shape of unique double ovals, which draws inspiration from the Temple of Heaven, a historical site of Beijing. Zheng told the journalists proudly that the station adopted such leading technologies as long-span huge steel frame structure and rain-proof shed without column on the platform. He pointed up, saying that 2,350 square meters of altogether 3264 solar panels were installed on the roof of the central station which can generate about 180,000 kW•h of electricity each year. The journalists all looked up, with admiration in their eyes. Following Zhang Shuguang, vice chief engineer and director of the transport bureau of the railway ministry, the journalists went to the EMU train departure platform. Zhang introduced the EMU in details. The journalists would soon take the CRH3 "Harmony" EMU train with an hourly speed of 350 km. It is manufactured by the CNR Tangshan Railway Vehicle Co., Ltd. which owns the property right of the train. Each train extends 200 meters and there are 8 trains in one group. The train can hold 557 passengers. It is equipped with advanced, mature and reliable traction system, brake system, high speed bogie and bodywork aerodynamics. In addition to high speed and comfort environment, it enjoys great security. Then a white streamlined train approached. Zhang told the journalists that it was this train that they would take. The journalists immediately rushed to the ideal position to take pictures and look at the "Harmony" EMU train carefully. Some of them carried their cameras and chased the train until it stopped. The journalists crowded around the locomotive, busy while excited. Some TV hosts started reporting just in front of the locomotive. The train departed at 9:30 on time and sped up steadily. The hourly speed rose to 340 km within several minutes. The passengers did not feel any bump or discomfort. Seeing the fleeing scenes outside the bright and clear windows and surpassing the cars running at high speed one after another on the road, they felt like traveling through the space. The noise within the carriage was clearly lower than in an ordinary one. Two could hear each other clearly at a distance of 3 or 5 meters even at a low voice. The carriage is installed with swiveling seats, multi-media video system and passenger information center, adopts hidden light source and glass partition which are both made from environmentally friendly materials. Here two smiling beautiful attendants in uniform started distributing bottled mineral water to the passengers with great dexterity and finished very soon. One journalist stared at their backs, marveling that the speed of distributing water of the two attendants really could match that of the Harmony EMU! The train arrived at Tianjin Railway Station in an instant. The journalists who counted time at departure marveled that it's exactly half an hour and so fast! Getting off the train, the journalists visited the high elevated waiting hall of Tianjin Railway Station and listened to the introduction of experts from the economic planning research institute of the railway ministry about the renovation of the station. After a short stay, they went back to the train and started their journey to Beijing. The engineers and officials of the railway ministry once again became the focus of the journalists on the way back. Half an hour later, the journalists arrived at Beijing South Railway Station unconsciously. This short journey demonstrates the faster, higher and stronger development track of China's express railway construction, the commitment of the Chinese railway workers to scientific development and exploring fearlessly. It is exactly the epitome of China's socialist modernization construction and the Chinese people's march forward courageously. The operation of the Beijing-Tianjin inter-city passenger train will not only accelerate the economic integration of Beijing and Tianjin and promote the economic and personnel exchanges in the circum-Bohai area but also create sound transport conditions for and hence support the success of the Beijing Olympic Games. The journalists said that they would experience once again the feeling of flying after August 1 when the Beijing-Tianjin inter-city railway is put into formal operation.