Ominous Cracks for a High-Speed Rail System

A tiny crack, less than 8 millimeters long by 3 millimeters wide, might have gone unnoticed if not for rail-car technician Qiao Zhaohong and his trusty, ultrasound testing device.

Qiao said he was surprised to find the hairline defect near a gear wheel on the third axle of the 11th car of the CRH380B-series bullet train, manufactured by China North Railway Group (CNR), during a routine inspection July 15 at a Jinan depot.