CURRENT SUPPORT MEMORANDUM MODEST RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION PLAN FOR 1958 OUTLINED BY PEIPING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61S00527A000200120043-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 21, 2005
• Sequence Number: 43
• Publication Date: February 12, 1958
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved FoIease 2005/04/21 CIA-RDP61 S005000200120043-6
- ? rnr- / rr t' 3
CSM No. 554 Copy No.
12 February 1958
CURRENT SUPPORT MEMORANDUM
MODEST RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION
PLAN FOR 1958 OUTLINED BY PEIPING
OFFICE OF -RESEARCH AND REPORTS
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This report represents the immediate views of the
originating intelligence components of the Office
of Research and Reports. Comments are solicited.
This document contains information affecting the national defense of
the United States, within the meaning of the espionage laws, Title 18
USC, Sections 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which
in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
Approved For Re - 00120043-6
 Approved For Release 2005/04/21 CIA-RDP61 SO0527A000200120043-6
MODEST RAILROAIY `CONSTRUCTION PLAN FOR 1958' OUTLINED BY PEIVIN(
On 1 February Peiping announced its railroad construction goals
for 1958. Only 1,290 km of new track are scheduled to be laid this
year--considerably below the 1,747 km achieved in 1956. 1/ The major
points covered in the 1958 plan and in recent announcements are as
follows:
1. Investment in capital construction for railroads
in 1958 is planned to be 1.52 billion yuan, 19.4 percent
above the level attained in 1957, but less than the 1.88
billion yuan allocated in 1956. 2/
2. The remaining 320 km on the Paotow-Lanchow line
will be completed and the entire 1,007 km line will be-
come partially operable.
3. The Trans-Sinkiang line will be extended 313 km
from a point near the Sinkiang-Kansu border to Hami. In
January 1958 Peiping had announced that only 100 km would
be laid on this line in 1958. 3/
4. The Nanping-Kuantou line will be extended 96 km
from Oyang to Foochow, capital of Fukien Province. An
additional 40 km will have to be laid beyond Foochow to
Kuantou before the entire 211 km line will be completed.
Another east coast railroad, the line running 188 km
from Hsiaoshan to Chuanshan is operational 147 km to
Ningpo but difficult construction across a marshy plain
faces the builders on the remainder of the line. 4/
5.'' Construction on the second line to connect
North China with Manchuria, the Huaijou-Shangpancheng
section of the Peiping-Chengteh line, will be continued.
An estimated 150 km of the 170 km route distance remain
to be laid.
6, Work will be expedited on the Rochih-Kueiyang
section of the Kwangsi-Kweichow line and Kanshuichang-
Kueiyang section of the Szechwan-Kweichow line in
the Southwest, which are respectively 140 km and 300 km
short of completion at this time. 5/ The Neichiang-
Kunming line with its railhead currently 50 km south
of Neichiang will be extended only 75 km to Ipin by
the end of 1958. 6/
7. Electrification of the mountainous 110 km
Paochi-Fenghsien section of the Paochi-Chengtu rail-
road will be started.
8. Two major railroad bridges, across the Yangtze
River near Chungking and the Yellow River near Chengchow,
will be started in 1958 and a major double-decker rail
and highway bridge across the Pearl River at Canton
will be started after 1958. 7/
In essence the railroad construction plan for 1958, although
its goals are above the ones for the retrenchment year of 1957, are
modest when compared with the results achieved in 1956. In 1957 a
12 February 1958 CURRENT SUPPORT MEMORANDUM 554 Page 2
Approved For Rele 0 - 0 0200120043-6
 Approved Fo Iease 2005/04/21 : CIA-RDP61 S0052 000200120043-6
raw ww~w? . t 7P"I P. /1\1f
greater share of railroad investment was diverted from new line
construction to improvements and to increasing the number of loco-
motives and rolling stock and this revised pattern will be continued
in 1958. Earlier construction plans for 1958 involving emphasis
on construction of the Chantien-Tungkuan and Changchiakou-Tsining
lines apparently have been reduced in scope as a result of the
priority given to other than new line construction in 1958.
12 February 1958 CURRENT SUPPORT MEMORANDUM 554 Page 3
Approved For Re 0200120043-6
 Approved For R ease 2005/04/21: CIA-RDP61 SO052 A000200120043-6
A W19
Analyst:
C'oord'
Sour'ce's':
25X1A9A
12 February 1958 CURRENT SUPPORT MEMORANDUM 554 Page 4
25X1
Approved For Re - 00200120043-6