A diesel locomotive, the last of 30 needed in the Qinghai-Tibet
Railway Project arrived at the Amdo track-laying base in Tibet on
June 14, all 138 tons of it. The locomotive was dismantled into
three parts and was carried in three trucks from the Xiushui River
base to Amdo, a distance of some 400 kilometers.
The journey from Xiushui River to Amdo is fraught with
difficulties mainly due to terrain and climate. For one thing,
average elevation is 4,800 meters. For another, the weather isn't
always kind, particularly the traverse over Tanggula and Fenghuo
mountains, both at an elevation of over 5,000 meters. Further,
passing through the source of the Yangtze River, Tuotuo River, is a
challenge in itself.
The railway is expected to be operational from July 1, 2007. But
its construction is a mammoth project, which is why the Ministry of
Railways decided last year to add the Amdo track-laying base to the
construction plan.
The move has conspicuously speeded up the general construction
process, not least because the tracks are being laid in both
directions -- towards Tanggula and towards Lhasa.
Tracks are now being laid on the Tanggula Mountain ridge, and
the long continuous downhill at Damxung-Lhasa.
As with transporting the locomotive, the track-laying is not
without its challenges. For example, 50 kilometers to the left and
right of the Tanggula Mountain ridge, the railway’s highest point,
workers have to cope with hailstorms, heavy rain, snow and wind.
Temperatures can dip to as low as 20º C below zero. Bad weather
conditions pose a great threat to the workers' safety. Reduced
oxygen levels at such high altitudes also lowers work efficiency
and affects machine performance, said La Youyu, vice head of the
general command of the railway construction.
To tackle these issues, construction headquarters has drawn up a
plan to ensure that the track-laying goes smoothly. For the long
continuous downhill portion of the project, tracks are laid at 3.2
kilometers per day on average and 3 kilometers per day in the
tunnels. In addition, working hours have been shortened to prevent
fatigue, and safety examination and maintenance procedures in
relation to equipment have been enhanced.
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway will run from the city of Golmud in
western Qinghai to Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous
Region, extending across a total length of 1,142 kilometers.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting, June 24, 2005)
