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With the recent opening of Nanjing’s S8 metro line, a complex subway network now covers the entire
historic city. Spanning 45 kilometers and 17 stations and trains at a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per
hour, the line is the longest and fastest in China. Flying through the city like an orange dragon, it winds
a scenic route from Taishanxincun Station to Jinniu Lake.
Built for the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, S8 is
the first line in Nanjing located north of the Yangtze River.
In this significant project supporting the infrastructural
and economic development of northern Nanjing, KONE
was selected as the sole supplier of the line’s 37 elevators
and 75 escalators.
No crowd too large
To ensure the project’s completion before the opening
of the Youth Olympics, the KONE team faced a time
disadvantage, with only one year to carry off the
complex task. To cope with the enormous workload,
KONE maximized manpower inputs, carried out multiple
tasks at different locations simultaneously, and managed
to deliver the equipment safely and on schedule.
On the opening day of S8, all passengers were offered a
free trip to the scenic Jinniu Lake terminal. Millions flooded
into the station, with traffic peaking at times to over
300,000 passengers. KONE assured them all a safe, smooth
and very special trip with its people flow handling capacity.
A first in China
This was the first project in China to utilize escalators
equipped with the KONE Direct Drive, a reliable and
eco-efficient escalator drive solution that has proven its
merits in many KONE infrastructure projects. The chainless
design avoids common risks such as chain breakage and
oil leakage. Replacing the chain drive with a gear drive also
consumes 20 percent less energy and requires less space
and preparation for installation, which makes it the ideal
solution for public transportation projects.
Olympic spirit
As the only metro line serving the sailing venue of the
Youth Olympics, S8 carried an extreme peak of passengers
during its first month of operation. To guarantee the
constant operation of equipment during the event, KONE
established an emergency response team of 20 experts
who remained on standby for 15 days, checking, adjusting
and maintaining equipment and communicating safety
knowledge to passengers.