First Train Service from China to Tibet
July 1, 2006 – 7:17 amSaturday was the opening day for the newest train service in China. This project cost 4.2 billion dollars to build and runs 710 miles to the ancient city of Tibet.
This railroad has been dubbed the “Sky Train” by some, because in some parts the railway is built in mountain passes as high as 16,500 feet high. Train cars are specially equipped with oxygen supplies to help travelers cope with thin air as they travel at these altitudes. Special filters have been installed on the windows to protect against Ultraviolet Rays and a cooling system was installed to keep the railbed frozen and stable.
The railway’s highest station will be in Nagqu, a town at 14,850 in the rolling grasslands of the Tibetan plateau.
This project was started in 2001 and was completed on the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party and is expected to double tourism to Tibet by the year 2010, as well as provide a dependable and affordable way to transport goods to Tibet.
Would this be something you’d be interested in doing if you were in China?
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