The Class KF (聯盟型, 'Confederation class', transliterated to ㄎ ㄈ 1) was a 4-8-4 mainline passenger steam locomotive type built in the UK by the Vulcan Foundry for the railways of China. Between 1935 and 1936, 24 locomotives were built for the Beijing-Hankou Railway designated as the 600 series.[citation needed] Following World War II, and the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese Government assumed control of the railway and re-designated the engines as the "KF" class.
In July 1933, the Beijing-Hankou Railway was in need of new motive power for their Guangzhou to Shaoguan line. However, this particular line had been burdened with gradients of around two percent as well as curves with less than 250 m (0.16 mi) radi, and low capacity bridges. This necessitated a locomotive design that had more tractive effort while retaining a low axle load. The railway approached the Vulcan Foundry in Britain, who devised a series of 24 locomotives of a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement.
The engines were a significant improvement over previous designs, incorporating a more efficient E-type superheater and duplex steam valve to allow better steaming without enlarging the boiler. The 4-8-4 wheel arrangement allowed for better weight distribution as well as improved handling on sharp curves.[improper synthesis?] When the Changsha - Canton Railway was completed in October 1936, the class KF 1 - 24 locomotives were transferred to operate over northern section between Hankow and Changsha on this new main line, combining Tientsin and Peking with Kanton, over vast distance of 2,428 and 2,290 km (1,509 and 1,420 mi).
China Railways (Chinese: 中国铁路, Zhongguo Tielu) is the national railway operator of the People's Republic of China, under the Chinese Ministry of Railways.
China Railways operates rail commuter and freight transport via several smaller companies.
China Railways has its own police force and court system, which is unique among the world's railways.
China (i/ˈtʃaɪnə/; Chinese: 中国; pinyin: Zhōngguó; see also Names of China), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is the world's most-populous country, with a population of over 1.3 billion. Covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometres, the East Asian state is the world's second-largest country by land area, and the third- or fourth-largest in total area, depending on the definition of total area.
The People's Republic of China is a single-party state governed by the Communist Party of China. It exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four directly controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing), and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). Its capital city is Beijing. The PRC also claims Taiwan—which is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC), a separate political entity—as its 23rd province, a claim controversial due to the complex political status of Taiwan and the unresolved Chinese Civil War. The PRC government denies the legitimacy of the ROC.
Xi Jinping (pronounced [ɕǐ tɕînpʰǐŋ] English approx.:SHEE JIN PING; born 1 June 1953) is a high-ranking politician of the People's Republic of China. He currently serves as the top-ranked member of the Central Secretariat of the Communist Party of China, the country's Vice President, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, President of the Central Party School and the 6th ranked member of the CPC Politburo Standing Committee, China's de facto top power organ.
Son of communist veteran Xi Zhongxun, Xi Jinping served mostly in Fujian province in his early career. He was later appointed party chief of the neighboring Zhejiang province, and then was appointed as Shanghai's party chief following the dismissal of Chen Liangyu. Known for his tough stance on corruption and a frank openness about political and market economy reforms, Xi's combination of positions makes him the presumptive heir to current General Secretary and President Hu Jintao and the Paramount leader of the Communist Party of China's fifth generation of leadership.