Transmountain railroad
Encyclopedia
Transmountain railroads are railroads that need to cross dauntingly high mountain ranges to cross between countries on one side to the other. The Himalayan Mountains, Andes
and the Alps
would be cases in point. Because of construction difficulties, some such railways are yet to be built. With globalisation and trade liberalisation, the economic viability of constructing of these railways is improving.
, Myanmar
and Jiegao
, China
and which also crosses the Himalaya Mountains.
There would be a break-of-gauge
from as used by Myanmar Railways
to as used in China.
could count as a transcontinental railroad due to the size of the mountains in the way.
There would be a break-of-gauge
from as used by the Pakistan Railways
to . This line would be approximately 1100 kilometres (683.5 mi) long.
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
and the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
would be cases in point. Because of construction difficulties, some such railways are yet to be built. With globalisation and trade liberalisation, the economic viability of constructing of these railways is improving.
Myanmar to China
In 2009, a railway was proposed to link LashioLashio
Lashio is the largest town in northern Shan State, Myanmar, about northeast of Mandalay. It is situated on a low mountain spur overlooking the valley of the Nam Yao river. The population grew from around 5000 in 1960 to 88,590 in 1983. It is currently estimated at around 130,000.Lashio is the...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
and Jiegao
Jiegao
Jiegao is a town in southern China near the border with Myanmar. It belongs to Yunnan province. It is near Ruili and Mengmao.- Geography :Jiegao is located with a river separating it with a finger of Myanmar land extending eastward.- Transport :...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and which also crosses the Himalaya Mountains.
There would be a break-of-gauge
Break-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
from as used by Myanmar Railways
Myanmar Railways
Myanmar Railways ; also spelled Myanma Railways; formerly Burma Railways) is the state-owned agency that operates the railway network in Myanmar. The metre gauge rail network consists of 858 stations, and generally spans north to south with branch lines to east and west. MR also operates the...
to as used in China.
Pakistan to China
The proposed trans-Himalayan railway from Pakistan to China via the Khunjerab PassKhunjerab Pass
Khunjerab Pass is a high mountain pass in the Karakoram Mountains in a strategic position on the northern border of Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region within the disputed region of Kashmir and on the southwest border of the Xinjiang region of China...
could count as a transcontinental railroad due to the size of the mountains in the way.
There would be a break-of-gauge
Break-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
from as used by the Pakistan Railways
Pakistan Railways
This article is about the rail company in Pakistan. For technical details and operations see: Transport in Pakistan.Pakistan Railways is a national state-owned rail transport service of Pakistan, head-quartered in Lahore. It is administered by the federal government under the Ministry of Railways....
to . This line would be approximately 1100 kilometres (683.5 mi) long.
See also
- Kashmir RailwayKashmir RailwayThe Kashmir Railway is a railway line being built in India to connect the state of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country. Officially termed the Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link , the railway starts from Jammu and, when completed, will travel for to the city of Baramulla on...
- List of railroad crossings of the North American continental divide
- Mountain railwayMountain railwayA mountain railway is a railway that ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. Such railways can use a number of different technologies to overcome the steepness of the grade...
- Mountain Railways of IndiaMountain railways of IndiaThe Mountain Railways of India refer to the five railway lines built in the mountains of India in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, during the British Raj, which are run even today by the Indian Railways...
- Principal passes of the AlpsPrincipal passes of the AlpsThis article lists the principal mountain passes and tunnels in the Alps, and gives a history of transport across the Alps.-Main chain:From west to east:-Other passes:Detailed lists of passes are given by Alpine subdivision, see the following articles:...
- Qinghai–Tibet Railway
- Trans-Andean railwaysTrans-Andean RailwaysTrans-Andean railways provide rail transport over the Andes. Several are either planned, built, defunct, or waiting to be restored. They are listed here in order from north to south.- Colombian Railways :...
- Trans-Asian RailwayTrans-Asian RailwayThe Trans-Asian Railway is a project to create an integrated freight railway network across Europe and Asia. The TAR is a project of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific .- Overview :...
- Transcontinental railroadTranscontinental railroadA transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...