Crossing the high Tibetan Plateau, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is one of the major transportation systems linking Tibet to the rest of China and the tallest iron in the world. However, what makes this railway great lies in the intelligence of the engineers who were able to meet the harsh environmental challenge of the plateau. In this essay, the progress of the construction of this engineering marvel and its contribution to society are explored. As one of the major projects of the Greater Western Development Project, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway connects Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and Xining, just next to the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai Province. The railway stretches for 960 km and most of it is located at an altitude of 4,000 m. It has also set various world records in the railway industry, including the world's tallest railway, the world's longest flatbed railway, and the world's longest Qingshuihe Bridge, which is about 11, 7 km long⑴. Along with the above achievement, the rail link has achieved various economic and social objectives. For example, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway helped reduce the cost of transporting goods to and from Lhasa by about 70%⑵. With around 2.1 million tonnes of goods, including once-expensive coal, transported between Tibet and the rest of China, Tibetans' living standards are expected to improve. Overall, the Tibet Autonomous Region's GDP has increased by 10 percent since the railway's operation. The above shows that it is plausible that the Qinghai-Tibet relationship would bring significant economic and social benefits to the region. Yet the above benefits did not come easily. The biggest challenge facing engineers is the unfavorable formation of Tibet... middle of article ...... considering the difficulties of success and the enormous benefits that come with it, it is plausible to say that the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a modern engineering marvel for China and the world. Works cited1. China.org.cn. (2013). Qinghai-Tibet Railway World Records. Retrieved from http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Tibet/172527.htm2. Xinhuanet.com. (2009). The Qinghai-Tibet Railway effectively stimulates economic development. Retrieved from http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/30/content_11626203.htm3. Wolman,D. (2006). Train to the Roof of the World. Wired Magazine. Issue 14.07. Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.07/chinarail.html?pg=2&topic=chinarail&topic_set=4. Official website of the Chinese government. (2006). The Qinghai-Tibet Railway establishes a harmonious connection between wildlife and humans. Retrieved from http://english.gov.cn/special/2006-07/02/content_325304.htm