TRANSIT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG PART 9: THE KCR AND THE MTR

This paper describes and relates the history of the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) and the Mass Transit Railway (MTR). The KCR is Hong Kong's mainline railway, linking its Kowloon terminus with the Chinese border at Lo Wu, 34km to the north. It has standard 1435mm gauge, and supports both a frequent electric suburban service and four passenger diesel trains per day each way between Kowloon and Canton. The railway is also an important freight line, and carries much of Hong Kong's food imports from China. Until 1983, the KCR was the only Hong Kong public transport system to be run as a government department. Since then, it has been run by the Kowloon - Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC), a major business enterprise which also operates a light rail transit system, bus services and property. The MRT is Hong Kong's three-line 1432mm gauge metro, whose 43km routes now carry two million daily boardings, making it proportionately the busiest in the world. Its need was realised in 1967, the Government decided to build it in 1972, construction started in 1975, the first line opened in May 1982, and the latest extension opened in August 1989. It now has over 600 cars of four types, of which the largest are bigger than any previous metro vehicles. For part 10 see IRRD 838236. (TRRL) (Author/TRRL)