The first Tibetan train driver in Tibet: "I hope my mother will take the train to visit Tibet"

The 35 -year -old Slangwangza is the first Tibetan train driver in the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China. On June 25, 2021, the first electrification railway in Tibet was officially opened. As the first departing driver of the Lalin Railway (Lhasa to Linzhi), he drove from the D2021 train from Lhasa and drove to Nyingchi more than 400 kilometers away.

On June 25, Slangwangzha told the story of the 6 -year -old Tibetan girl Zhuima. Xinhua News Agency reporter Jue Guo Photo

Slangwangzha was born in Buxu Village, Mali Town, Loron County, Changdu City, and his parents are farmers and herdsmen. As the first child in the village to go out of Dashan through school, he was admitted to the Lanzhou Railway Machinery School at the age of 16 to embark on a journey of studying. That was the first time he took the train.

He first took a long -distance car from Qamdo to Lhasa for two days and one night, and then took a 24 -hour car to the Qinghai Golmud, and took a train to Lanzhou at the Gelmud Railway Station. "At that time, I felt that the train was particularly fast and smooth." Slangwangza said.

At school, he knew that the internal combustion locomotive he was learning was about train driving. "I didn't dare to believe it at the time. I haven't seen the train before. How could I think of going to the train one day?" Slangwang said with a smile.

On June 25, Slangwang talked with friends on the train. Xinhua News Agency reporter Jue Guo Photo

In July 2006, the Qinghai -Tibet Railway opened the operation of the entire line, ending the history of Tibet's unreasonable train. In the second year, Slangwangzha graduated from college to study motorcycle driving at the Xining section of the Qinghai -Tibet Railway.

On the way, Slangwangzha and colleagues often see wild animals such as Tibetan antelopes, Tibetan wild donkeys, and wild yaks. "Some of them are eating grass, some are running. We will avoid whistle to avoid disturbing them," he said.

In August 2014, Latri Railway opened. In the same year, the Slangwangzha was transferred from the Xining section of the Qinghai -Tibet Railway to the Gelmudi section, and drove the internal combustion locomotive between Lhasa and Shigatse. Last year, the Lalin Railway opened, and the Fuxing was the first time to gallop the snowy plateau. The design speed was 160 kilometers per hour. The one -way traffic time of the two cities was shortened from 5 hours of the road to more than 3 hours.

On June 25, Slangwangzha took a group photo with the Fuxing on the Nyingchi Railway Station. Xinhua News Agency reporter Jue Guo Photo

In 16 years, Slangwangzha all the way from trainees and deputy drivers to the driver, and the driving model has also been upgraded from the initial imported internal combustion locomotive to the revival number independently developed by China. "After driving on the train, the speed is faster and the operation is more convenient," he said.

In the past ten years, Tibet's transportation construction has achieved leapfrog development. The Larri Railway and the Lalin Railway have been opened to traffic, and together with the Qinghai -Tibet Railway, they together form the "Y" -shaped main skeleton, with a mileage of railway operations nearly 1,400 kilometers.

Lhasa Railway Station is the intersection of Lalin, Latri and Qinghai -Tibet Railway. Data show that the number of passengers from Lhasa Railway Station has increased from 2.24 million in 2007 to more than 4 million in 2021.

Zongba, 39, has worked here since the opening of the railway station in 2006. He has been a passenger, ticket salesperson, and broadcaster.

On June 25, Slangwangzha took a group photo with his daughter and wife at the Lhasa Railway Station. Xinhua News Agency reporter Jue Guo Photo

"The people of Tibetan ethnic groups are curious about modern transportation and like to sit, because the train is smooth, fast, and the price is cheap." Said Zongba, the current director of Lhasa Station.

The plateau railway also drives economic development. "For example, around the railway station, there used to be a bungalow. Now Liuwu New District has developed and has changed a lot. The traffic is convenient and there are more tourists." Slangwangza said.

The Lalin Railway is an important part of the Sichuan -Tibet Railway under construction. According to the plan, the Sichuan -Tibet Railway will pass through the hometown of Slangwangzha in the future.

Slangwangza said that his elderly mother had not taken the train yet, and many father and old folks far away in Qamdo had never seen a train. "After the Sichuan -Tibet line is opened, I hope my mother can take the train to Tibet and let her feel the convenience of travel brought by modern railways." He said.

Source: Xinhua News Agency: Lin Jianyang, Lu Qiuping, Liu Yan

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