The most mountainous railway in the world

Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It is the highest mountain railway in the world. "The road to the roof of the world» - Train to
the roof of the world. It connects the administrative center of Tibet - the city
Lhasa via Golmud and Xining with the rest of the rail network
country.

Railway in Tibet was planned long ago. As early as 1958, Mao Zedong
Dong instructed to consider stroitestva railway in
Tibetstky Autonomous Region, despite the fact that the experience of building
railways such, without exaggeration, the extreme conditions while
there was none.

Work on the first phase of construction of the Qinghai-Tibet
Railway began in 1960. By 1962 was
fully developed and approved documentation. The construction was
by the prisoners - thus performed the task as much as possible
reduce costs. In 1979 he came to Golmud railway track.
Construction of the road next to the mountains, though it was approved, but
health complications prisoners builders associated with oxygen
starvation, as well as the fact that a significant part of the road will
laid in a commonplace to frost, forced to stop
construction.

In the early years, the site Xining - Golmud used is exclusive
military, and only in 1984, it opened to passenger traffic.
At the construction of the railway to the Tibetan capital stopped
more than 10 years ...

In the second half of the 90s, the government has instructed
adjust the projected track line, as well as to conduct new
research in terms of its economic feasibility of the construction.
The result of this was the fact that in February 2001, Chinese
State Construction Committee approved the continuation of the construction of highways, declaring it
completion of one of the state prioretety.

July 29, 2001 of the two ends of Lhasa and Golmud of troops
Builders have moved toward each other. At the same time, the site
the first stage, Xining - Golmud undergone serious modernization: was
carried out major repairs of some engineering structures, updated
alarm system, which will significantly increase the capacity
the ability of the site.

October 15, 2005, construction of the road was a railway trans
ending. Despite the fact that this event is very widely reported
in the press, including in the world, for Tibet is not yet meant
the direct link on the rails with the rest of the world: builders
We asked for a few more months for running and debugging of the line. It
It continued for 15 months.

Finally, July 1, 2006 opened a regular passenger traffic
the entire Qinghai-Tibet Railway. All the way from Beijing to Lhasa
It takes 48 hours.

From a technical point of view, the construction of the second stage of the road
it was extremely difficult. 80% of the road is at an altitude of more than 4000 meters above
sea level, of these, 160 kilometers at altitudes of 4,000 - 4,500 meters, 780
km at altitudes of 4500 - 5000 meters and 20 kilometers of the line passes
at an altitude of 5000 meters.

The highest railway station - Tangula pass. It is located on
the height of 5068 meters above sea level. This - the highest located
Railway station in the world. Not far from her train pass
the highest point of the route - 5072 meters.

Near the station does not have any town or village. Trains here
stop infrequently, while coaches are always
closed - go to the platform passengers are not allowed: because at this
adjustment percentage of oxygen in the air sostavlet from 60% to 40% compared
sea level. When the opening ceremony took place
line, many journalists needed medical aid.
Medinitsnskie workers accompany passenger trains today.

Another serious problem faced by the builders of MDM was
eternal Frost. In such circumstances, located 640 kilometers line. When
Thus, it is worth noting that the permafrost in Tibet special,
Alpine. It has some differences from the familiar to us as
permafrost in northern latitudes. However, to solve problems,
arising during the construction, were invited Russian engineers,
because our country has a lot of experience in the construction of railways in
similar geologic conditions, particularly during the construction
Baikal-Amur Mainline. Handy and experience of our engineers during
tunneling. On the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the most
Alpine tunnel in the world, at an altitude of 4905 meters, and the longest
tunnel - more than 3,300 meters at an altitude of 4264 meters in 80 kilometers from
destination - Lhasa.

Often in these places come and storms. In some cases,
Wind speed can reach 150 kilometers per hour. Half
raspozhena line in a seismic zone: here there are
earthquake, the power of 8 or more points.

Technical characteristics: length of 1142 kilometers, 965
kimetrov at an altitude of over 4,000 meters, the maximum slope 20,000th,
Minimum curve radii of 600 meters, vertical - 800 meters.
Rasschёtnaya travel speed of 100 kilometers per hour. 7 tunnels and 675
bridge, a total length of nearly 160 kilometers. Single-Line with
travels, neelektrofitsirovannaya. But at the same time, what has been done under the
possible electrification line in the future, as well as by an increase in
speeds.

A separate line of the project was ecology. Much
part of the bridge, located on a line made for the smooth
pass underneath the animals. The same technology used and
soundproofing.

Passenger cars have been specially developed by the company "Bombardier»
commissioned by the Chinese railways. Wagons full germitichny,
designed for speed of up to 120 km / h. The three classes of cars:
sedentary, reserved seats and suites. The inscriptions are duplicated everywhere in Tibetan,
Chinese and English. Under the subject of each passenger is
connector for oxygen tube and control panel
oxygen. With the sudden razgermitizatsii automatically recline
individual oxygen masks. Diesel locomotives for line
Pennsylvania produced in factories of the concern General Electric.