Knowra Qinghai–Tibet Railway Qinghai–Tibet Railway A railway linking Xining in Qinghai with Lhasa in Tibet across high-altitude terrain. Its extension to Lhasa opened in 2006 and includes long sections built over permafrost.
Permafrost engineering : Engineering methods for designing structures on ground that remains frozen for at least two consecutive years. Railway embankments can warm and destabilize frozen ground, so sections use measures that limit heat transfer.
Qinghai–Tibet Railway construction : The phased building of the railway from Xining toward Lhasa, completed with the opening of the Lhasa extension in 2006. Construction history explains how the earlier Xining–Golmud line became a route to Lhasa.
Lhasa railway station : The main railway station serving Lhasa, opened with the railway's arrival in 2006. It is the line's western terminus and the principal rail gateway to Lhasa.
Tibetan economy : The production, exchange, and distribution of goods and services in Tibet. Rail access lowered transport barriers for goods, visitors, and investment in the region.
Thermosyphon : A passive heat-transfer device that moves heat from cold ground to the air through evaporation and condensation of a working fluid. Rows of thermosyphons cool permafrost beneath parts of the railway.
Qinghai–Tibet Highway : A highway connecting Xining and Lhasa across the Tibetan Plateau. The railway followed a corridor already linked by road across remote plateau terrain.
Tanggula railway station : A railway station near the Tanggula Pass, among the highest railway stations in the world. It marks the route's passage across one of its highest points.
Tibetan culture : The diverse traditions, languages, religious practices, and social life of Tibetan communities. Greater mobility and outside contact have raised questions about cultural change and continuity.
Permafrost : Ground that remains at or below 0°C for at least two consecutive years. Frozen soils beneath the route can thaw, settle, and threaten track stability.
Golmud : A city in Qinghai that became the railway's principal staging point for construction toward Tibet. The line from Golmud to Lhasa formed the major high-altitude phase of the project.
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