New railroad line circles the Taklamakan Desert

It has taken exactly 3.5 years, from the fixing of the first track until today’s completion of the entire loop. The fact that the Taklamakan is a widely uninhabited, undulating desert, with no need to build bridges to cross any rivers or circumvent large settlements, only made the work easier at first glance. The far greater challenge for the route planners and engineers was the sandstorms. Often blowing unpredictably, they can turn hundreds of track kilometers into a dunescape in no time, completely impassable by any train. Certainly, a high-risk factor for regular operations, and difficult to avoid. This relates particularly to the southern edge of the desert where 65% of the route leads through the storm zone.

Outmaneuvering sandstorms
The designers’ solution: To protect the railway line from damage caused by sandstorms and prevent operational disruptions, they opted to elevate sections of the tracks by setting them on pillars, this way allowing the free passage of sand. In addition, 50 million square meters of grass grids have been laid, and 13 million shrub and tree seedlings have been planted, stretching nearly 300 kilometers along the tracks, covering the section most exposed to sandstorms, the railway company stated in a release.

The new line connects to three existing desert railways, enabling trains to pass through five prefecture-level regions in Xinjiang, enhancing logistics opportunities and offering travel options. Now, minerals extracted in the Xinjiang region, but also cotton, walnuts, dates, and other local produce harvested there can be more easily brought to market.