Aerial view of the derailment. Image: UK Government

Dubbed ‘The Roof of the World’ – due to it being 3 miles above sea level - the Tibetan Plateau is a vast, flat area of land enclosed by some of the tallest mountains in the world.

Constructing the railway at this altitude and on a rocky surface was a daring and challenging experience for the team who worked to establish the line. Stretching 435km, the track gives provincial-level regions of mainland China access to the new high-speed train.

The Lhasa–Nyingchi line sees 90% of the route sitting at altitudes higher than 3,000m above sea level, as it traverses through mountain tunnels, bridges, and archways. Featuring 47 tunnels and 121 bridges, which make up for 75% of the entire route, the line also includes the 525m long Zangmu Railway Bridge – the highest arch bridge in the world. The highest section of the rail line stands over 5,100m above sea level, a record height for any electrified railway in the world.

Cutting through tunnels and over impressively engineered bridges, passengers can take in the Tibetan landscape from above as they enjoy their journey. On the route, passengers will be able to see the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, as well as the Nanga Bawa Peak – the highest mountain in the Nyingchi region of Tibet with an altitude of 7783m.

Although the train is slower when compared to other high-speed trains which are running within China – which average around 300km/h – the train is able to transport ten million tonnes of freight per year according to Xinhua.

For China’s President, Xi Jinping, high-speed rail acts as a social tool for political influence and the integration of regions into China’s sphere of influence. Speaking to Global Times, Qian Feng, director of research at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University said: "If a scenario of a crisis happens at the China-India border, the railway will provide a great convenience for China's delivery of strategic materials.”

A Fuxing bullet train runs along the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway. Credit: Jiao Hongtao/VCG via Getty Images

Manufactured by the state-owned China Railway, the Fuxing electric bullet trains have been independently developed by China and boast a number of impressive design features. Each bullet train integrates the internet, cloud computing, 5G, and other new technologies, totalling nine different intelligent operation and monitoring systems onboard.

Facilities onboard the train also offer passengers a sense of modern travel, with smart vending machines in the dining cars and intelligent lighting in the toilets. Onboard the train, conductors also provide services to passengers such as medical assistance, guidance, and translation.

Alongside these impressive technological features and services the trains provide for passengers, other facets of design have been included with safety in mind. With the train travelling at higher altitudes than usual passenger travel, the trains are equipped with an automated oxygen supply system – ensuring that oxygen levels are kept at 23.6% at all times, which is higher than the average 21% found at normal atmosphere level.

Paired with the oxygen system, the train’s windows have also received unique design features: UV resistant glass. At such high altitudes, there is less atmosphere to absorb UV radiation, which means this special layer of glass – designed to withstand the region’s high UV levels – is required.

Since 2013, the Chinese national railway has considerably reduced its CO₂ emissions from 35.5 to 5.44 thousand tonnes in 2019. This is predominantly due to the country’s electrification of the railways, which has largely reduced coal consumption.

As with other bullet trains currently in service, the Tibet Fuxing train is powered by both internal combustion and electric engines. The dual-power engine allows the train to switch from electric power to an internal combustion engine in case of emergency at a high altitude.