After eight months of construction, Pudong's first railway is ready to commence services to the Yangshan Deep-Water Port, just in time for the port's opening next month.

The railway passed preliminary tests yesterday.

Making the finishing touches, workers are busy testing the signals, telecommunications and power systems along the line.

The railway, which is the first-stage of the Pudong railway project, stretches for 42.87 kilometers and connects the East China railway network at Caojing station with Luchao Port, which in turn is linked to the deep-water port on Yangshan island by the Donghai Bridge.

The bridge is the country's first cross-sea bridge and will also open to traffic next month.

The Pudong railway is designed to pass through several districts across the city, including Jinshan, Fengxian and Nanhui, and transport containers to and from Yangshan port on the East China Sea and the mainland.

It also connects to the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park.

The government has invested about 7.6 billion yuan (US$916 million) to start the railway project and the whole project is due for completion by 2006.

(Shanghai Daily November 30, 2005)