China Railways DF9

The DF9 was the first semi-high-speed diesel locomotive developed in China, with a top speed of 160 km/h, and was developed by the Qishuyan Locomotive and Rolling Stock Works in 1990. It was part of China's Eighth Five-Year Plan scientific and technological project, which aimed to upgrade main lines within 1,500 km of Beijing to 140 km/h running, and Qishuyan was chosen by the Ministry of Railways in July 1987 over bids from four other works. The first unit was unveiled in 1991 and sent for a 30,000 km endurance trial on the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway. In March 1992 the second locomotive reached 160 km/h on the Beijing Ring Railway, a new rail speed record for China, and was later pushed to 170 km/h. Only two DF9s were built and the class never entered serial production, but Qishuyan developed the design into the DF11. Both were overhauled in 2005, stored in 2010 and scrapped in May 2011.