Grocery store owner Yang Yubao says cheaper rail freight charges save him about CNY10,000 (about $1,530) a year. “I only need to arrange delivery from the railway station, instead of hiring trucks to pick up the rice from suppliers,” he adds. The railway project has been a powerful catalyst for economic growth. During 2004–2011, per capita rural incomes increased by 66% in the project area and poverty incidence fell from 30% in 2002 to 9% in 2010. The project has shown that with careful planning and execution, cultural preservation, economic development, and increased tourism can successfully coexist and benefit all.