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October 07, 2006
The Chinese Rail Network, Someday...
Getting from point A to point B in western China can be a pain in the ass, so it's nice to think that someday I'll be able to take a comfy train ride to almost any destination:
I was made aware of the above map - the reliability of which is uncertain and the authenticity of which is unclear - by a great link in a post over at Migrant Worker. (How'd you find that map?) The most interesting features of the plan from Xinjiang's point of view are: (1) a northern route from Hami east across Inner Mongolia that appears to shorten the length of a trip to Beijing, (2) a rail link into Kyrgyzstan from Kashgar, (3) an extension from Urumqi to the Altai Region, and (4) the route of a recently announced link from Korla to Golmud in Qinghai Province.
Perhaps most intriguing, however, is the long dotted line running south from Kashgar towards Ali and Kashgar along China's western border. If built, this railway would likely be more difficult to design and maintain than the recently opened line to Tibet. (There are several passes above 5400m along the proposed route.) Is it possible to imagine the day when - according to this map - I can get on a train in Kashgar and choose from the following list of final destinations: Lhasa (Tibet), Kathmandu (Nepal), Thimbu (Bhutan), Kunming (China), Vientiane (Laos), and Hanoi (Vietnam)?
I also notice that Hotan (和田) and the other cities along the southern Silk Road have been left without rail service in this plan. Does this mean that Hotan County - where the population is something like 96% Uyghur - will be able to maintain it's status as a relatively untouched bastion of Uyghur culture?
You can click on the small map above to download a larger version.
posted October 07, 2006 at 12:42 AM unofficial Xinjiang time | HaoHao This!
Comments
That dotter line seems to represent Dr. Sun Yat-set's railway plan (just like the recent Qinghai-Tibet rail line).
But that one looks much more difficult... Doesn't it actually go across the Himalayas?
Posted by: bx at October 7, 2006 08:00 PM
How did I find that map? To tell the truth, I don't remember exactly. I was searching google with some combination of Chinese and English in an attempt to confirm plans for the Kunming - Lhasa rail line and found this link on a fairly desolate BBS that I can no longer find the URL for.
Also, as I mentioned in my post, I can't really find any source (government?) for this map. If someone tracks one down, I'd love to hear it.
Posted by: epay at October 7, 2006 09:56 PM
There are a number of difficult sections in this mid-to-long term railway plan. As you mentioned, tracks are show crossing the Himalayas to Nepal and Bhutan. The long track from Kashgar through Lhasa to Kunming also passes through some very rugged territory.
Posted by: michael at October 7, 2006 10:31 PM
Here lies a video for anyone needing to relive the better part of the three days spent from Beijing:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=619509748
Posted by: Jennifer at October 8, 2006 01:00 AM
dude,I'm gald to see your trip in the wester china,
'cause I'm also a western explorer in kurla.
it's so lucky that live in this city ...
hope u can contact me while u back from the Tibet.
my email:megadethoik@hotmail.com
Posted by: megadethoik at October 11, 2006 01:27 PM