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Why China Is So Good at Building Railways
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Why China Is So Good at Building Railways

Wendover Productions
Wendover Productions, 2018
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Editorial Rating

10

Qualities

  • Overview
  • Engaging
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

If you’ve never lived in a country with an efficient and punctual train system, it would be hard to understand rail travel’s singular pleasures. The benefits extend beyond the obvious economic gains, cleaner air, a better-connected country, and fewer traffic accidents to the individual joys of a peaceful, productive commute. In this Wendover Productions video, Sam Denby explains how China was able to build a bigger train system more cheaply and much faster than anywhere else in the world.

Take-Aways

  • China doesn’t fit the typical profile of a country with high-speed rail, but the country has built an impressive network over the past decade.
  • The Chinese government invests in the rail system because it builds the economy, but even lines that run at a financial loss bestow social benefits or serve political purposes.
  • For the citizens of China, train travel is cheaper and more convenient than air travel, due in part to the government’s ability to build rail lines at scale.

About the Speaker

Wendover Productions is an educational YouTube channel started by Sam Denby in 2010. The channel has over three million subscribers. Denby’s other channels include Extremities; Half as Interesting; and Sam from Wendover.

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