A video compilation of train track changes has been shared more than a thousand times, alongside false claims that it showed railway technology in Japan. But the clips showed railway infrastructure in Chongqing in southwestern China.
The 22-second clip of trains moving through various urban areas as tracks are automatically switched was shared here on X on December 4, 2024.
“Japanese City Railways,” read the message.
Screenshot of fake post taken on December 17
The same compilation was shared elsewhere on X, as well as on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.
But a reverse image search on Google led to an X-post sharing the same video on June 29, 2024, showing train tracks in Chongqing, in Sichuan province in southwestern China (archived link).
Screenshot from X-post
Subsequent keyword searches on TikTok sister app Douyin found a similar video of train tracks switching, posted by an account of Chinese state media BRTV, titled “the amazing Chongqing light rail” (archived link).
AFP was able to geolocate the clip accompanying the videos nine second mark to Chongqing, based on a sign reading “Fuqiang hotel” seen in the background of the footage.
Further keyword searches revealed that the tracks are located near the Tangrui Fuqiang Hotel in Chongqing’s Jiulongpo District (archived link).
The exterior of the hotel, along with an orange-colored building, can be seen in a photo posted on travel site Trip (archived link).
Below is a screenshot comparison of the video in the fake messages (left) and the photo of the hotel on Trip (right), with corresponding elements flagged by AFP:
Screenshot comparison of the video in the fake messages (left) and the photo of the hotel on Trip (right), with corresponding elements flagged by AFP
AFP also geolocated a building with a wavy roof, seen at the 19-second mark of the clip to Bijin station, near Chongqing’s Jiangbei International Airport (archived link).
The layout of the train tracks seen in the images corresponds to those near the airport, which can be seen on Google Earth (archived link).
Below is a screenshot comparison of the video showing the false pole (left), the train tracks seen on Google Earth (middle) and the airport building seen in the street view of Baidu Maps (right), with corresponding elements highlighted by AFP:
Screenshot comparison of the video in the false pole (left), the train tracks seen on Google Earth (middle) and the airport building seen in the street view of Baidu Maps (right)
Other clips in the video showed features such as paintwork and advertising similar to those used in Chongqing, which can be seen on travel sites, industry reports and videos about the city’s light rail network (archived links here, here and here).
