In fact, the construction of this railway has already started, but most people think it is just to repair the official road. The railway route is basically not much different from the routes of later generations. After leaving Chang'an City, the railway will cross the Wei River, and then Turn southwest and follow the west bank of the Wei River to Chencang.
Because there are numerous large and small tributaries on the east bank of the Wei River, and there are much fewer tributaries on the west bank of the Wei River, it is more troublesome for the railway to advance along the west bank, and fewer bridges need to be built.
The first bridge over the Wei River will be built as a road-rail bridge. Anyway, Li Ke has complete technology in his hands, but it will not be built into a double-deck bridge like the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge in later generations, so there is no need.
It will use a single-layer bridge deck, and will be widened and isolated on both sides of the railway for traffic. The train track will be a single track, and waiting lines will be established on the east and west coasts.
When the railway was first built, there were not so many trains running, and there was no need to directly build a double track.
The main reason is that the double track has too high requirements for bridge piers and steel. Although Datang's technology has improved, it is too difficult to completely and accurately complete the construction of these steel materials.
So it is better to build a low-end version first, and then build a high-end version after the technology improves in the future.
For the construction of the Weihe River Bridge this time, the piers will use the same construction method as the piers of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, the pipe string drilling method.
pipe string drilling method
In fact, there is no need to adopt such a construction method on the Wei River, because in the Wei River near Chang'an, narrower sections can be found, which may be better constructed using concrete arch bridges, and there are many bridge experts who build arch bridges in Datang.
However, the reason why such a plan is adopted is to prepare technical reserves for future bridges across the Yangtze River and Yellow River, and the quality of the bridge piers constructed by this pipe string drilling method can have a large margin.
In addition, it can be built at a higher height without affecting the current transportation situation of the Wei River.
Even so, this bridge is built in the upper reaches of the Wei River and will not affect the shipping situation from the Wei River pier to the Yellow River Basin.
In fact, it is somewhat unnecessary for Datang to pursue direct railways across major rivers. Railways can be constructed in sections.
For example, the distance from Chencang to Chang'an, which is about 300 miles, is transported by railway. However, the section from Chencang to Qinzhou, which was Tianshui County in the former Sui Dynasty. The later Tianshui section has to cross the Qinling Mountains, so the railway construction between the canyons is not so It’s easy, you don’t need to build it yet.
Then, on the road from Tianshui to Jincheng and later Lanzhou, all the sections where railways could be easily built were built first in sections. The construction of the more difficult sections in the middle can be postponed.
Even with such segmented construction, the time from Chang'an to the Western Regions will inevitably be greatly shortened!
Especially when entering Longyou Road and extending to Urumqi and other places in later generations, in fact, there is a long section in the middle of the railway that is very easy to build. The same is true in the eastern region. Using segmented construction and building railways between important cities can greatly save Datang's control over the border areas, but the railways in the east are further behind.
Li Ke did not fully refer to the railway construction sequence of later generations, but had his own considerations because the strategic goals were different.
The reason why we started to go to the Western Region first instead of continuing to the east is because the east of the Tang Dynasty is the sea. Even if they are asked to rebel in these places, no one would dare to rebel, but the Western Region is different.
If a phased railway can be built through Chang'an all the way to Yili, and if Xinjiang Road uses Yili as its main administrative center, then the area that can be controlled will be too large.
The purpose and order of railway construction in different stages, different strategic purposes, and different element periods are naturally different.
In the current Tang Dynasty, the coastal areas are not in a hurry at all, because these places are within the Tang Dynasty's pocket, and controlling the Western Region is the strategic purpose. Therefore, the railway to the Western Regions is the most critical.
In fact, it is not difficult to build a railway in Qinghai Road. The environment of Qinghai Road is much better than that of later generations, and many places are in the vast Gobi Desert. The foundation for construction is already there. The track of the steam train is not as high as that of later generations. It is nothing more than every other Fresh water had to be found some distance away, as steam trains had water filling stations at regular intervals.
These water filling stations, combined with the outpost soldiers patrolling the railway, can form living areas, which can be regarded as enriching the lives of the personnel stationed on Qinghai Road.
It doesn't matter if you really can't find fresh water. It's normal for trains traveling in special areas to undergo special modifications. How big of a problem can it be to pull fresh water in one extra carriage?
It is not difficult to go from the Red Sea to Mangyai in later generations, or stop at places such as Lenghu Town, and then start from Ruoqiang and follow the Taklimakan River, which is still full of water, along Yanqi and other countries to Yili. .
This railway is the most important and important strategic route of Datang in the future.
Because he has cultivated Yili, this means that Datang has a foothold in the entire Central Asia region in later generations.
Speaking of which, because of this strategic goal, the most prosperous area in Datang for a period of time may be the Western Regions. There is also a railway, that is, from Chencang to Gaoping (Hout Guyuan) and then to Yinchuan in later times, along the Yellow River to Bayannur, and then to the east.
These two railway lines were probably the last to be built when the country first started building railways in later generations, because there was no strategic need.
But this period was completely different from that of later generations. Once these two railways were built, it meant that the Tang Dynasty controlled the Western Regions to the west and the entire grassland to the north, and could even build it all the way north to Lake Baikal. With these two railway lines, it means that Datang can truly and completely solve the pain points of the Central Plains dynasty's rule over the nomadic people! Let them learn to sing and dance thoroughly!
Our Tang Dynasty has a promising future!
Let Yang Anning and Yang Li see off Sun Simiao, while Li Ke lay there thinking about what technology to develop next.
Here, sending Sun Simiao out, Yang Anning hesitated for a moment, and then asked in a low voice: "Master Sun, you just checked His Highness's pulse. Is His Highness's health okay?"
"No problem, it's good. In fact, you don't know what happened to his injury. Don't worry." Sun Simiao said with a smile.
"Then... Master Sun, please check your pulse. You can tell whether His Highness is fine in all aspects." Yang Anning bit her lip and asked.
Sun Simiao was stunned for a moment, then looked at Yang Anning, and it suddenly dawned on him. He couldn't help laughing twice and said: "Don't worry, little lady, there are some things, just let nature take its course, and what should come will come naturally."
"But...but there is nothing wrong with my health, and there is nothing wrong with Xiaoli and the others..." Yang Anning was a little shy, and Yang Li next to her also looked at Sun Simiao expectantly.
"Haha, believe me, don't force this matter, it will come faster." Sun Simiao laughed twice.
"Then thank you Master Sun." Yang Anning and Yang Li finally thanked him, sent Sun Simiao to the carriage, and sent him away.
After Sun Simiao left, Yang Li immediately said with a smile: "Sister An Ning, don't worry, Your Highness is fine."
"Then you see, neither we nor His Highness have taken any measures. We haven't done anything for so long. I'm a little worried. We don't care. It's just that this is very important to His Highness." Yang Anning whispered.
"Master Sun said it's okay, so there must be no problem. Sister An Ning, don't worry. If it doesn't work, you and I will go find His Highness today so that His Highness can pass the path and get his job." Yang Li said with a low smile.
"His Highness is still injured. What are you talking about? Let's go. Even if it doesn't turn into nonsense in the end." Yang Anning smiled and pinched her.
