Qinghai-Tibet Railway:World Marvel
3 min readQinghai-Tibet Railway:World Marvel
With the first run of China’s Qinghai-Tibet railway，transport in the Tibet Autonomous Region begins a new era.The miracle of engineering is also a marvel of environmental protection，and a testament to human ingenuity.
On the world’s highest plateau，the Qinghai-Tibet railway has set records.The Fenghoushan Tunnel，4900 meters above sea level，is the world’s highest permafrost tunnel.The Kunlun Mountain Tunnel，4700 meters above sea level，is the world’s longest permafrost tunnel.And Tanggula Station，5000 meters above sea level，is the world’s highest railway station.The railway is a miracle of engineering，but the project as a whole is a marvel in environmental protection and a testament to human ingenuity.The tracks cut across one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems.Five nature reserves along its route.And one is the Hohxil Reserve，the largest habitat of the endangered Tibetan antelope.Nearly 200 million US dollars have been invested to prevent the railway from disturbing the environment.Scientists and engineersworked together to minimize impact on the wildlife.Construction worker said:“In this section，we built bridges high enough to let the wild animals pass underneath.
And in other sections，we redesigned the rail bed.The wider rail bed makes it easier for antelopes to cross.”Other challenges are permafrost and thin oxygen.
Heat conductors，ventilation ditches and thermal insulation protect the frozen soil.
Special oxygen supplies are laid in for passenger comfort.The Qinghai-Tibet Railwawas a hot topic even before the blueprints were drawn，and will remain so for years to come.And when full service starts in 2007，major cities including Beijing. Shanghai and Guangzhou，will be connected to Lhasa by the rail-link.
Constructor:Worthy to Work for the Railway
In the Dongguan Mosque of Xining city，chinadaily.com.cn reporter met Ma Manai，a Muslim of Dongxing minority who was attending religious service.In the past 4 years，he had led a construction team of 200 people working in every section of Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
Ma Manai is a pious Muslim from Gansu province，who will go to the mosque to attend religious service and study classics every day.In the past 4 years，he has been participating in the construction on the site of Qinghai-Tibet Railway，and many projects are carried out in March and April，the coldest season on Tibet Plateau.Working against wind and in snowstorm is the common occurrence on the plateau.But when being asked if he has altitude reaction，he replied with ease:“I have got used to it，since I was born in Gansu，and live in Qinghai for all time of my life.”He does not regard seriously plateau anoxia，at the mention of which people from inland will turn pale.
A span of 4 years is not a short time.Each year he would spend a half on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway far away from home.Recalling his life and work in the 4 years，the 40-year-old Ma Manai is as excited as a child.He regards it a happ experience to participate in such a project and work on the highest railway construction site on the world.It is the happiest thing for him to contribut something to his hometown and homeland.He said:”During my work，I always had contact with local Tibetan people，and it is my happiest moment to see them being so happy for having a railway in their hometown.Even though there are bitterness and tiredness，I cannot feel them.”
