The railway goes mostly on piles

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway took the work of 200 scientists, engineers and technicians with numerous innovative engineering methods and technologies never used before. To construct tunnels, bridges and roadbeds, engineers had to overcome a range of challenges including perennial frozen ground, rugged terrain, high altitudes, frigid temperatures, strong winds, lack of oxygen, and protecting the unique, fragile and sensitive geographical environment of the Tibet plateau.