Beijing's western light railway, connecting Xizhimen with Huoying, is expected to begin a trial run by the end of September this year, according to Tuesday's Beijing Youth Daily.

The paper quoted Beijing Subway Co. sources as saying that track laying for the railway will be completed by June 15, and the installation and trials of electricity supply facilities, electromechanical devices, telecommunications and traffic signals will be completed before August 31.

A trial run of the light railway trains is planned to start on September 1.

The 20.62-km railway will be the first light railroad to operate in Beijing.

In an effort to improve the city's passenger transportation, Beijing plans to construct over 100 km of railroads during the five years from 2001, extending its total network to some 150 km.

A total of 54 km of railways are operating so far in the city capable of carrying 500 million passengers annually, which accounts for 15 percent of Beijing's total passenger traffic volume.

( People's Daily June 12, 2002)