Chugga Chugga Choo Choo, moving toward Mt. Everest

via Railways in Tibet: Mount Everest is singing for joy | The Economist.

“MOUNT EVEREST is singing for joy and the Brahmaputra River swirling with happiness”. Or so says an official Chinese newspaper (using the Tibetan names, Qomolangma and the Yarlung Tsangpo). After much delay, China has started to extend its controversial railway line in Tibet that will draw more tourists to the mountain and boost trade with South Asia. How happy the outcome will be is not so clear.

The proposed railway will bring more Han Chinese to Tibet, further diluting the influence of Tibetans, and possibly damaging the environment of Qomolangma.

It also challenges India’s influence in the region, and could ignite more unrest in the area of Arunachal Pradesh, claimed by both India, who controls it, and China, who wants it.