Construction for the project, which will be the first railway in the region, started in 2001.

The route will begin in Golmud in Northwest China's Qinghai Province and travel to Lhasa, the regional capital. It will be 1,142-kilometres long.

"About 960 kilometres of the railway are above 4,000 metres above sea level, with its most elevated sections reaching 5,072 metres above sea level."

Many passengers will suffer from Altitude Sickness:

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Altitude sickness generally occurs at elevations above 2000 metres, becomes pronounced at 3500 metres, and then requires adjustment at each 400 metres of elevation gain after that.

Terrain above 5000 metres (common enough in Tibet) is a harsh, alien environment -- above 6000 metres is a zone where humans were never meant to go.

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Because of high cost of transportation, raw materials in Tibet cannot easily be transported out of the province, . . .

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What materials? What does Tibet have that China wants? Minerals? Oil? Trees? All of the above?

Friends of Tibet

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4) How will the line have an impact on Tibet's economy?

Ans: In classic colonial mode Tibet will find its natural resources like minerals, oil and forestry taken out of proportion to money poured in for Tibet's developments.

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