Beijing to place bullet train order

China plans to place an order for 60 Japanese high-speed Shinkansen "bullet" trains to upgrade the country's railway system, Kyodo news agency reported, citing unidentified industry sources. The orders for the trains, modeled on East Japan Railway's 170-mile-an-hour "Hayate" trains, will be placed with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, one of six companies that won contracts last year with China's Railway Ministry to improve key rail lines. China aims to double the speed of trains to 125 mph on five lines.