ion ▁drew ▁strong ▁domestic ▁opposition ▁against ▁foreign ▁ownership ▁of ▁rail ways . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 5 , ▁the ▁Q ing ▁government ' s ▁railway ▁construction ▁policy ▁shift ed ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁local ▁provincial ▁govern ments . ▁Ji ang su ▁and ▁Z he ji ang ▁provinces ▁received ▁appro val ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁Shang hai – H ang z hou ▁railway ▁and ▁raised ▁ 4 . 8 4 ▁and ▁ 3 . 8 8 ▁million ▁silver ▁dollars , ▁respectively , ▁for ▁the ▁project ▁through ▁char tered ▁companies . ▁Const ruction ▁began ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁on ▁the ▁western ▁( H ang z hou – F eng j ing ) ▁section ▁and ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁on ▁the ▁eastern ▁( F eng j ing – Sh ang hai ) ▁section . ▁The ▁western ▁section ▁entered ▁into ▁operation ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁the ▁two ▁sections ▁were ▁joined ▁together ▁in ▁June ▁and ▁through - train ▁operation ▁began ▁in ▁July . ▁The ▁line ▁was ▁ 1 8 6 . 2   km ▁in ▁length . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁X in hai ▁Revolution , ▁the ▁national ▁government ▁purchased ▁the ▁railway ▁from ▁the ▁two ▁province - char tered ▁companies , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁extended ▁in ▁Shang hai ▁to ▁join ▁with ▁the ▁Shang hai – N an j ing ▁railway ▁at ▁the ▁Shang hai ▁North ▁railway ▁station . ▁▁▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁bom bed ▁and ▁re built