A tale of 3 generations and a train to Qinghai
Print Edition
Armed police officer Luo Changqiang said he cannot remember how many times he had watched trains roaring past the tunnel of the Kunlun Mountains.
Over the past 11 years, Luo, 30, has been serving in an armed police squad in northwest China’s Qinghai Province, responsible for ensuring the safe passage of trains at the 1.7 kilometer tunnel.
The tunnel is the world’s longest on a plateau permafrost and also a crucial mountain pass of China’s Qinghai-Tibet Railway — the world’s highest and longest plateau railroad.
The railway, the first connecting the Tibet Autonomous Region with the rest of China, has stimulated the development of the plateau region by bringing tourists, materials, and business opportunities.
In Hoh Xil in the hinterland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one sentry post of Luo’s squad is built at an altitude of 4,868 meters.
It is the highest stationary sentry post of the armed police force, and thus is called the “post in the clouds.”
Family tradition
The average temperature at the post is minus 10 degrees Celsius, and the lowest temperature in winter can reach minus 40.
Encouraged by his father and grandfather who had once devoted themselves to the highland, Luo said he has been dreaming of coming here, despite the harsh environment and extreme weather.
Luo’s grandfather was a road mender who participated in the renovation of the Qinghai-Tibet highway between 1964 and 1974.
At that time, the road repairing materials had to be carried on workers’ shoulders for want of advanced tools, Luo said, adding that many workers died due to high altitude and poor medical conditions.
Luo said it took half a month for his grandfather to walk from Xining to the Tanggula Mountains, where he paved roads.
“My grandfather couldn’t explain the significance, but he believed that the road must be built.”
Such faith passed down to Luo’s father, who came to build the railway section linking Golmud and Lhasa in 2002.
Luo’s father said that he had witnessed a fellow worker faint from thin air and fall down from bridge piers.
“I want to accomplish the missions that my father and grandfather didn’t complete,” Luo said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
