"Vaudeville Hero" Interesting facts from the history of the first railway. Interesting facts about railways

Railways in Russia transport 1 billion 300 million passengers every year. On average, each of us is a train passenger 9 times a year, but this is a very small number. In Soviet times, this figure reached 15 times a year.

Trans-Siberian railway line considered the longest in the world. Its length is almost 9,300 kilometers.

Station "Polovina" is the very middle of the Trans-Siberian Railway. From this station the distance is the same to both Moscow and Vladivostok.

After the opening of the first railway in Russia (between Moscow and St. Petersburg), travel for the first three days was free. Because no one wanted to ride this “scary thing.”

In France, there is still a law that prohibits kissing at train stations. The reason for the ban was delays in train departures. The law was passed 100 years ago and has not yet been repealed.

It turns out that the trackmen who tap the wheels of trains have a perfect ear for music. By changing the tone, they should determine whether the wheel is faulty.

On a train in western Peru, conductors offer oxygen to passengers. Because the train travels along the highest mountain railway in the world (at an altitude of more than 3 kilometers).

Once upon a time railway In Ohio (USA), a train collided with a steamship. The fact is that Lake Ohio overflowed its banks, and the railroad track was under a meter of water. However, the driver decided to guide the train along the flooded track, but collided with the steamer.

The head of the Bavarian railways in 1910 was forced to issue an order prohibiting drivers and stokers from buying beer during stops at stations.

In Argentina, you can now take a tour on the legendary Patagonia Express train, which was restored especially for tourists. In addition to being impressed by the surrounding landscapes, passengers can, without their consent, become participants in a carefully planned “Train Robbery” event.

A few years ago, a special “love train” began running between Paris and Venice. In the compartment of such a train: VIP service, there is a TV, a shower and a special double berth.

One day, a train set off on a tour of Switzerland, carrying the cream of Swiss society: ministers, deputies, honorary citizens, etc. On the occasion of the celebration, the train was made up of only dining cars. But the organizers did not take into account a small nuance: there is no toilet in Swiss dining cars. Therefore, when the train approached the station, those who had gathered to greet it local residents, were very surprised: the guests of honor poured out of the carriage doors like peas.

As you know, some trains have their own names. For example, “Red Arrow”, “Russia”, “Baikal”, etc. Often the names of the trains are given by the passengers themselves: for example, the train “Rostov – Odessa” is affectionately called “Papa – Mama” by passengers.

The Japanese company Toshiba built a magnetic levitation train. The train is capable of reaching a speed of 517 km/h.

One day, a group of German engineers explored the Isthmus of Panama in order to build a trans-American railway. And in the end, she decided that it would be better to make the rails here not from iron, which is rare in these places, but... from gold.

Third class carriages on the first Russians railways followed at the front of the train and were equipped with hard benches. But passengers more often rode under the benches. Because these cars had no roof, and passengers were hiding from the weather and sparks.

In Australia, a railway was laid on a desert plain, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It is famous for the fact that for 500 km there is not a single turn on it.

Among the Fabergé collection is the Trans-Siberian Egg, which contains a clockwork model of the imperial Trans-Siberian train made of gold and platinum.

In the near future, two-tier apartments may appear in Russia. passenger carriages. Such cars will be much more economical for the railway and much more comfortable for passengers. Each compartment of this carriage has a shower, toilet and air conditioning.

In Monte Carlo you can see people waiting for trains to arrive in the Principality for the first time. After which passengers are offered money to play, promising a share of the winnings. It's all because of the sign that beginners are lucky.

But at Shibuya Station in Japan there is a monument to a dog with a “station master’s cap” on his head. The dog received this honor for his feat; for 10 years he met his owner, who left by train.

When the first section of the railway between Liverpool and Manchester was built in England, they decided to arrange a kind of competition between five locomotives. However, just before the start of the competition, the fifth car was removed from participation “due to an outdated engine.” Ordinary horses were hidden there under the steel sheathing.

The longest freight train in the world ran in the Soviet Union on the Ekibastuz-Ural route. The 6.5 kilometer long train transported 42,000 tons of coal in 440 wagons.

In the early 90s. such a scam was known: an African was promised emigration to Europe, they took the agreed amount, and brought it to Moscow (at that time it was simple and cheap). And then this African was put on a train, assured that it was a train to Germany. But in fact it was a metro train that moved along a circular route. The poor guy could have been driving for a very long time.

The driver of the Ahvaz-Tehran train once deserved severe punishment. His fault was that he did not stop the train during namaz (prayer). Because of this, passengers were forced to pray in the compartment, moreover, at every turn of the train they had to spin in place.

For safety reasons, experts advise giving preference to central carriages when purchasing tickets. In the event of an accident, they suffer less than the head or tail ones. It is also better to choose seats facing the movement of the train. By the way, according to statistics, trains are 45 times safer than cars

Maximum speed on the rail track it was recorded at 9851 km/h! This is exactly the speed the platform with rocket engine in New Mexico (USA)

Such a familiar thing to us - the railway! One of the most reliable and affordable and loved by many modes of transport. I bought a train ticket and came to the station. Nowadays no one remembers that when the railway between St. Petersburg and Moscow opened, travel was made free for the first three days precisely because everyone was afraid of this “terrible thing.”

On average, each of us becomes a railway passenger 9 times a year. The average number of passengers of JSC Russian Railways per year is 1 billion 300 million.

The most remarkable railway is the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is the longest in the world. From Moscow to Nakhodka - 9438 km and 97 large stations. Walks this route branded train"Russia", which is on the road for 8 days 4 hours and 25 minutes.

The very middle of the Trans-Siberian Railway is called Polovina station. It is the same distance from Moscow and Vladivostok.

The coldest section of the Trans-Siberian Railway is located between the Mogocha and Skovorodino stations. The temperature here reaches -62 degrees. Although geographically this is not the most northern point highways.

And the highest point, where the Trans-Siberian rails are laid, lies at an altitude of 1040 m, between the Turgutui and Yablonovaya stations. This is 6110 km, Yablonovy Pass.

The longest freight train was 6.5 km long, consisted of 440 cars and regularly transported 42,000 tons of coal from Ekibastuz to the Urals back in Soviet times. On the other side of the world, in South Africa, another record was recorded in 1989: a 7.3 km long train consisting of 660 cars. True, the experiment was not repeated. The track couldn't stand it.

The first railway in Russia was a freight railway, 2 km long. It was built in the Urals, at the Kolyvanovsky plant, and it was horse-drawn. The first passenger road was the well-known Tsarskoye Selo.

Speed ​​of the first passenger trains in the 19th century it was 33 km/h. And railway workers at that time were a kind of elite: they were treated like, for example, aviators at the beginning of the 20th century, or astronauts in the 60s. Modern trains can reach speeds of up to 580 km/h.

The requirements for hiring track linemen during this time have not changed: they must have a good ear for music, since they can determine the malfunction of a wheel by the change in tone when it is tapped.

According to statistics, the railway is 45 times safer than a car. For those who are still worried, experts advise choosing cars in the middle of the train, and seated carriages— buy a train ticket for seats against the traffic.

Lovers thrills invited to Argentina. The legendary Patagonia Express train, specially restored for tourists, runs there. In addition to the vivid impressions of the local landscapes, you can unexpectedly find yourself taking part in an action called “Train Robbery” :)

IN South America a lot of surprises. For example, German engineers who examined the Isthmus of Panama for the construction of the Trans-American Railway said that it was unprofitable to make rails from local iron. Gold is a more affordable metal here...

In which country did a cat work as a stationmaster and attract many new clients?

In 2006, a Japanese railway company in Wakayama Prefecture hired part-time station attendants to help optimize costs. One of the new employees took care of several stray cats, and soon they decided to officially appoint one of them, named Tama, as a station guard. Her main responsibility was to greet passengers wearing her signature cap, and the news about this significantly increased their flow. It was estimated that Tama's appointment brought over a billion yen into the local economy. For these achievements, Tama was promoted to executive director and worked at the company until her death in 2015.

Which country produced an armored car that could move on both tracks and rails?

Planning expansion into China and Siberia, the Japanese developed a special armored vehicle, the Type 2595 So-Ki, in the 1930s. Its distinctive advantage was the ability to move both on tracks and on railways. Transferring the vehicle from tracks to wheels took three minutes, and back - only a minute. The armament consisted of one machine gun in a conical turret. The So-Ki, capable of rail speeds of up to 72 km/h, was widely used in China for transportation and patrol purposes.

Why does the train go backwards before moving forward?

If the driver of a heavy freight train tries to start moving it sharply forward, the train may not move, since the total static friction force acting from the rails on the wheels of the cars will exceed the sliding force of the driving wheels of the locomotive. Often the driver must first back up to release the tension on the couplers. And only then drive forward, setting the carriages in motion one after another.

What country has a market with a railroad running right through the middle?

There is a railway track right in the middle of Maeklong Market in Thailand, along which a train travels every day. Warned by a siren, sellers know how to very quickly roll up their awnings and remove the goods, and then just as quickly return everything back, and trade continues. Many vegetables and fruits remain lying on the ground right next to the rails, since the train does not touch them. When the road was built in 1905, they wanted to move the market to the side, but its workers chose to stay and adapt.

Where and when did a baboon work as a railway signalman without making a single mistake?

At the end of the 19th century, James Wide worked as a signalman on the railway tracks of the port of Cape Town, who lost both legs in an accident. After some time, he bought Jack the baboon from the market, whom he trained to carry him on a cart between the hut and the signal box, and also help him switch signals using levers. One day, the railroad management received a complaint, and Whyd was almost fired, but he asked to test the abilities of the baboon, who did an excellent job with all the tests and was added to the staff. Jack worked as a signalman until his death and is said to have never made a single mistake.

Where does a train run that you can hitchhike on at any point along its route?

The Hurricane Turn train runs between Talkeetna and Hurricane Gulch in Alaska. The length of the route is just under 93 km, and there are no intermediate stations along this distance. But at any point on the route, those wishing to board the train can stop it by waving a white cloth.

Which toy part was used in the first electrocardiograph?

The first version of the electrocardiograph design was developed in 1887 by a London hospital employee, Augustus Waller, and included a platform from a toy railway. There was a movable photographic plate on it, on which the cardiogram was recorded. However, due to the low sensitivity of the electrometer used, Waller's apparatus was not yet suitable for full diagnostics.

What intellectual abilities have been identified in slime molds?

Slime molds are organisms of the protozoan kingdom. At various stages of development, they either take the form of mucus from a single multinucleated cell, or take on a more solid form, similar to the fruiting body of mushrooms, but in any case do not have even a hint of a nervous system. However, several studies have revealed the "intelligent" abilities of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum. For example, they can take the shortest route through a maze, at the entrance and exit of which pieces of food are placed. In another study, scientists arranged oat flakes so that they matched the size and position Japanese capital Tokyo and its 36 suburbs, and the slime mold has built a structure similar to the existing railway network.

What did chauffeurs originally do?

The word “driver” originally meant people who did not drive a vehicle, but threw coal or firewood into the firebox of the engine room. Literally translated from French, where it came to us from, chauffeur means “stoker, stoker.” Since the engine of the first cars was Steam engine, the drivers had to melt it, so by analogy with the stokers of steam locomotives, they also began to be called drivers.

Where is the railway laid where oxygen is supplied to the train cars?

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway in China is the highest in the world, rising in the most high point to an altitude of more than 5 kilometers. For this road, trains with special cars in which oxygen is supplied have been developed. In addition, each passenger can wear an individual oxygen mask.

Where do trains run with cars that tilt when turning?

In 1973, trains with cars that tilted when turning were used for the first time on the railway in Japan, allowing them to navigate turns at higher speed. The original technology was imperfect and caused seasickness among passengers, so it was not widely adopted. Modern systems based on digital signal processing and allowing active control of the tilt of each car have eliminated this problem, and such trains are now used in a dozen countries from Australia to Norway.

When and where did a tram run on rails laid at the bottom of the sea?

In 1896 between English cities Brighton and Rottingdean start to run unusual vehicle called Daddy Long Legs - a cross between a tram and a ferry. Laying a railway overland along this route required a lot of engineering structures, and engineer Magnus Volk proposed laying the rails directly along the bottom of the sea - the total length of the route was 4.5 km. The platform with passengers rose above the rails on four supports 7 meters long and had a flag, lifeboat and other marine attributes, since it was formally considered a ship. The service was canceled in 1901 when new breakwaters were decided to be built near Brighton and relocation of the route was considered too costly.

When and where did an out-of-control train travel over 100 km, accelerating to a speed of 76 km/h?

On May 15, 2001, in Ohio, USA, a railroad crew was moving a 47-car train from one track to another. Due to a technical error, an uncontrolled train called CSX 8888 picked up speed and set off for independent travel, during which it accelerated to a speed of 76 km/h. Having traveled more than 100 km, the train was stopped by the driver of a diesel locomotive that had caught up with it, who coupled up with the last car and applied rheostatic braking.

What mechanism received its name from the name of the inventor of the prototype bicycle?

The prototype of the bicycle was designed and patented by the German baron Karl von Dres in 1818. This mechanism had a wooden frame, metal wheels and a steering wheel, but there were no pedals - in order for it to move, you had to push off the ground with your feet. The name of the inventor was not fixed in the name of the bicycle, but it gave the name to the trolley - a device for moving on rails with mechanical traction.

How did the anti-alcohol campaign influence the lyrics of the Time Machine songs?

During Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign, many works of art were censored. For example, Andrei Makarevich changed the lyrics in the song “Conversation on the Train”: after the line “Wagon disputes are the last thing,” instead of “when there is nothing left to drink,” he began to sing “and you can’t cook porridge from them.”

What was the main reason for the change to the time zone system in the 19th century?

Until the 19th century, there was no division into time zones; time was determined everywhere by the Sun. There was no need for time zones since there was no rapid transit. Unification was driven by the development of railways in England, because time differences in each city made it very difficult to create a normal timetable. It was the railway companies that ensured that the entire country had one time zone, Greenwich Mean Time. And then gradually the time zone system began to spread throughout the world.

Who became the victim of a murderer whose brother had previously saved the life of the murdered man's son?

US President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in a theater by John Booth in 1865. Shortly before this, by coincidence, the latter’s brother, Edwin Booth, saved the life of the president’s son, Robert Lincoln, on a railway platform.

Where did the train accident happen that was caused by a language barrier?

In 2001, a train accident occurred in Belgium in which 8 people, including both drivers, were killed as a result of a head-on collision between trains. Among other accidents, this one is unique in that it main reason there was a language barrier. When the driver of the first train left the station despite the red light, the dispatcher called the next station to warn him about it. However, the dispatchers did not understand each other, as one spoke French and the other Dutch. Both of these languages ​​are official in Belgium, and according to the rules of the railway company, staff must know at least one of them.

What accident did the Americans stage in 1896 to entertain the public?

In 1896, one of the American railway companies staged a show - a deliberate collision of two trains at full speed. 40,000 tickets were sold for the “performance”, and a temporary town was built for the spectators who bought tickets. However, engineers miscalculated the force of the explosion and the crowd was not moved to a safe enough distance, resulting in three deaths and several others being injured.

What were military armored tires?

RAILWAY QUIZ

What was the name of the railway in the old days?
a) Tin;

b) Cast iron;

c) Serebryanka;

d) Glass.

(Cast iron, iron can.)

How in old times called the locomotive?
a) Steamboat;
b) Self-propelled;
c) Chimney;
d) Flyover.
(This is exactly what the locomotive is called in “A Passing Song” to the words of N.V. Kukolnik and the music of M.I. Glinka.)

Name the first tsar who began building railways in Russia.

a) Ivan VI;

b) Peter I ;

c) Nikolay I ;

d) Alexander II.

(In November 1851, the St. Petersburg-Moscow road was opened, built over 9 years by Russian engineers. Alexander II, who ascended the throne in 1855, gave the road the name Nikolaevskaya - after the name of his father Nicholas I, the first tsar who began building railways in Russia.)

In what year was the professional holiday Railwayman's Day established in Russia?

a) In 1896;

b) In 1917;

c) In 1936;

d) In 1985.

(Railroadman's Day was dedicated to the birthday of Emperor Nicholas I, who began the construction of railways. During his reign, the first pleasure railway to Tsarskoye Selo and the first all-Russian highway from St. Petersburg to Moscow were built. This holiday was celebrated in those years, until 1917 year, was celebrated on June 25. The festive tradition was revived in the USSR only after 20 years of oblivion - in 1936.)

What trains were there before?
a) Accounting;

b) Doctoral degrees;

c) Courier;

d) Banking.
(That's what express trains used to be called.)

What were railway workers called in the century before last?

a) Coachmen;

b) Drivers;
c) Travelers;

d) Plantains.

Which of these professions exist?
a) Highway flyer;

b) Trackman;
c) Road Supervisor;

d) Platform controller.
(This is a railway worker who regularly walks around the section of the railway track assigned to him for the purpose of observation and protection.)

Professional suitcase carrier at the railway station- who is this?
a) Carrier;

b) Nesun ;
c) Porter;

G) Wanderer.

What position is on the staff list of the railway station?
a) Rail compiler;

b) Compiler of protocols;
c) Train compiler;

G) Suitcase compiler.

What is the name of the main conductor of a passenger train?
a) Foreman;

b) Foreman ;
c) Brigadier;

G) Superconductor.

What is used to attach rails to wooden sleepers or beams?

a) Cane;

b) Crutch;

c) Grif;

d) Spear.

(Travel crutch.)

What cross section does the track crutch have?

a) Round;

b) Triangular;

c) Oval;

d) Square.

(A track crutch is a square steel rod with an oval head and an end beveled on both sides; it is widely replaced with screws.)

How do railway workers stop cars?
a) Shoes;

b) Boots ;
c) Heels;

G) Heels.
(A shoe is a device placed on a rail to stop the wheels. Hence the name of the railway profession - shoemaker.)

Railway cars have brakes... What?

a) Sleeves;

b) Pockets;

c) Belts;

d) Stripes.

(Connecting brake hoses forming the brake line – an air duct system located under the bottom of a car or train, into which air is supplied from the locomotive compressor and helps to brake the train.)

What is on the roof of an electric locomotive and electric train?

a) Pantograph;

b) Cardiograph;

c) Polygraph;

d) Autograph.

(This is a current collector with a lifting mechanism in the form of an articulated multi-link. It serves to ensure a reliable electrical connection with the contact wire of the overhead contact network of electric rolling stock of railways. The name of the pantograph comes from a device similar in shape to copying drawings, hence the root of the word -graph.)

What device allows rolling stock (trains) to move from the main track to adjacent tracks?
a) Arrow;
b) Barrier;
c) Semaphore;
d) Shoe.
(Switch switch.)

Which of these concepts does NOT exist?
a) Railway junction;
b) Railway line;
c) Railway track;
d) Railway spokes.

What is the end of a railroad track called?

a) Knot;

b) Travel;

c) Driving;

d) Deadlock.

What is the name of the part? railway line between adjacent stations?

a) Run;

b) Driving;

c) Rental;

d) Mileage.

What is the name of a piece of rolling stock that is specifically designed to pull trains and is not itself designed to carry passengers or freight?
a) Dynamo;
b) Locomotive;
c) Diesel;
d) Motrice.

What type of locomotives does NOT exist on Russian railways?
a) Passenger;
b) Freight;
c) Maneuvering;
d) Sports.

What is the name of the voluntary sports society of railway workers, founded in the USSR in 1936?
a) “Lokomotiv”;
b) “Beep”;
c) “Semaphore”;
d) "Express".
(Now the Russian Physical Culture and Sports Society "Lokomotiv" RFSO "Lokomotiv".)

What is the name of the specialist who drives a locomotive?
a) Machinist;

b) Motor mechanic;

c) Dispatcher;

d) Coach.

What is the name of the enterprise that carries out maintenance and repair of railway rolling stock?
a) Hangar;
b) Garage;
c) Depot;
d) Stall.

Which freight cars are designed for transporting liquid cargo?

a) Hoppers;

b) Dumpcars;

c) Tanks;

d) Gondola cars.

(Hoppers - for bulk bulk cargo, dump cars - for transportation and automated unloading of mining and earthen rocks, gondola cars - for bulk, stacked and piece cargo that do not require protection from atmospheric influences.)

Which cars, based on the number of wheel pairs (axles), make up the majority of the car fleet?

a) Biaxial;

b) Four-axle;

c) Six-axis;

c) Eight-axis.

What is the name of the central newspaper of railway workers, founded in 1917?
a) “Beep”;

b) "Siren" ;
c) “Whistle”;

G) "Gong".

What railways are there?

a) Monorails;

b) Stereo rail;

c) Multi-rail;

d) Trackless.

(Formerly called the single-rail railway.)

Which of these phraseological units was NOT born in the railway environment?
a) Turn the arrows (to someone);
b) Jump into the last carriage;
c) Run ahead of the locomotive;
d) Strike while the iron is hot.

(“Move the switches” - shift your blame, responsibility onto someone else. “Jump into the last carriage” - not be late, be on time, decide on something. “Run ahead of the locomotive” - get ahead of events, disrupt the normal course of development of the situation. “Forge iron” “while it’s hot” - don’t waste time, taking advantage of favorable circumstances.)

What railway is part of JSC Russian Railways?
a) December;
b) Mayskaya;
c) Oktyabrskaya;
d) November.
(The office is located in St. Petersburg.)

How many railways are there in Russia (branches of JSC Russian Railways)?
a) 5;

b) 13;

c) 16;

d) 21.

(East Siberian, Gorky, Far Eastern, Transbaikal, West Siberian, Kaliningrad, Krasnoyarsk, Kuibyshev, Moscow, Oktyabrsk, Volga, Sverdlovsk, Northern, North Caucasus, South-Eastern, South Ural.)

In which city is Vitebsky Station, the very first station in Russia, located?
a) In Moscow;
b) In St. Petersburg;
c) In Yekaterinburg;
d) In Krasnodar.
(The first one-story wooden building Vitebsky railway station was built in 1837 for the first Tsarskoe Selo railway in Russia, connecting St. Petersburg and Tsarskoe Selo. The original name was Tsarskoselsky, then Detskoselsky.)

How many main train stations are there in Moscow?
a) 3;

b) 5;

at 7;

d) 9.

(Belarusian, Kazan, Kiev, Kursk, Leningrad, Paveletsky, Rizhsky, Savelovsky, Yaroslavl.)

What is the unofficial name for Komsomolskaya Square in Moscow?

a) The area of ​​two stations;

b) The area of ​​three stations;

c) The area of ​​five stations;

d) The area of ​​seven stations.

What station is not on Komsomolskaya Square (the square of three stations) in Moscow?

a) Leningradsky;

b) Kievsky;

c) Yaroslavsky;

d) Kazansky.

The railway station of which Russian city is the most tall building station in Europe and the largest station in Russia?
a) Chelyabinsk;
b) Yekaterinburg;
c) Samara;
d) Rostov-on-Don.
(The height of the Samara station with its spire is 100 meters.)

Name the most railway city Russia, in which every fourth resident is a railway worker.

a) Tambov;

b) Lipetsk;

c) Liski;

d) Balashov.

(City in Voronezh region, which is a major railway junction. The city's coat of arms depicts a winged wheel – symbol of the decisive role of railways in the development of the city.)

What is the route of the main train of the country with the name “Russia”?
a) Moscow – St. Petersburg;
b) Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod;
c) Moscow - Vladivostok;
d) Moscow – Chelyabinsk.
(The Rossiya train is the longest railway passenger route on the planet, passing through the territory of one country. Route length – 9259 km. The train crosses almost all of Eurasia by land, passing through 14 regions, 90 cities, 8 time zones. It is on the way for 6 days.)

What name was given to train No. 1, running between Moscow and St. Petersburg?
a) “Red Arrow”;

b) “White Nights”;

c) "Lotus";

d) "Amber".

(The “White Nights” train runs on the route St. Petersburg – Vologda, “Lotos” – on the Astrakhan – Moscow route, “Yantar” – on the Kaliningrad – Moscow route.)

Which of the following rivers is NOT crossed by the Red Arrow passenger train?
a) Volga;

b) Volkhov;
c) Msta;

d) Don.

Which bird name Moscow received a high-speed electric train– Saint Petersburg?

a) “Hawk”;

b) "Swift";

c) "Sapsan";

d) "Falcon".

Where is Central Museum railway transport in Russia?

a) In Moscow;

b) In St. Petersburg;

c) In Samara;

d) In Novosibirsk.

What railways are in the Russian Railways system?

a) Toys;

b) Children's;

c) Junior;

d) Student.

(Children's railways are institutions of additional education for children, in which children aged 8-15 years study railway specialties. The main part of the Children's Railway is a narrow-gauge railway line, on which practical training for young railway workers takes place.)

How many children's railways are currently operating in the Russian Railways system?
a) 5;
b) 10;
in 20;
d) 25.

Which children's railway (children's railway) is the longest in Russia?
a) Svobodnenskaya Children's Railway;
b) Krasnoyarsk Children's Railway;
c) Kazan;
d) Chelyabinsk.
(In the city of Svobodny, in the Amur region of the Russian Federation. It is part of the Trans-Baikal Railway. Its length is 11.4 km. The Krasnoyarsk Children's Railway is the first “small” road in Russia. Its length is the smallest - 1300 m.)

Which of these Russian writers was a railway engineer who worked on the construction of the largest Russian railways?

a) Mamin-Sibiryak;

b) Garin-Mikhailovsky;

c) Chekhov;

d) Kuprin.

(The fourth story of N.G. Garin-Mikhailovsky’s tetralogy, the first three parts of which are titled “Tema’s Childhood”, “Gymnasium Students”, “Students”, is called “Engineers”. The square near railway station Novosibirsk and the Novosibirsk metro station.)

In Voronezh, on the centenary of the birth of this writer, who spent many years serving on the South-Eastern Railway, a memorial plaque with the following text was unveiled on the building of the railway station: Voronezh is the birthplace of the writer... - the author of many works about railway workers? Say his name.
a) Andrey Platonov;

b) Ivan Nikitin;

c) Alexander Kuprin;

d) Alexey Koltsov.

How does the title of the story by A.S. end? Pushkin “Station...”?
a) Observer;

b) Caretaker;
c) Observer;

d) Overseer.

What is the name of the historical station of the October Railway?

a) Shore;

b) Pool;

c) Bottom;

d) Stranded.

(The famous abdication of the throne took place at this station. Everyone has known it since childhood, because it was here that a certain dog was discovered missing from a lady who checked in her luggage.)

In Russia, they started talking about the possibility of a railway back in the twenties of the 19th century, when information reached the emperor that the railway saved the treasury's expenses and even increased wealth, as was the case in England (at that time, rails were used to transport coal).

In order for the adherents of progress not to become discouraged and think that the necessary road will never be built in St. Petersburg, they added that the Moscow-Petersburg line will appear “not before the completion of the road... and after learning from experience the benefits of such roads for the state, public and shareholders."

How money was raised for construction

Speaking of shareholders, it is worth noting that 700 people took part in the purchase of the relevant securities. Fifteen thousand shares were issued to create capital. The required amount of three million rubles was collected by subscription over a period of six months.

Count Bobrinsky became one of the main sponsors of the railway. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

One of the ardent supporters of the construction was the famous sugar factory, Count Alexei Alekseevich Bobrinsky, the son of Major General Alexei Bobrinsky, born in an extramarital affair between Catherine II and Grigory Orlov. The grandson of the great empress purchased shares worth 250 thousand rubles.

Road opening

On November 11, 1837, the road was officially opened. For such a solemn occasion, Nicholas I and his wife were invited.

A prayer service was served on the station tracks, Gerstner, as a driver, sat in the cabin of the locomotive and at half past one in the afternoon the train, amid loud exclamations of surprise and approval, moved towards Pavlovsk, where it arrived thirty-five minutes later. The maximum speed of the first steam locomotive was 64 kilometers per hour, but for the safety of passengers, the amazing machine did not show all its strength on the first trip.

Steel horse - steam locomotive

Gerstner personally was the first to travel by rail. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

In the Vedomosti newspaper that day one could read a note: “It was Saturday, the townspeople flocked to the old regimental Church of the Introduction at the Semyonovsky parade ground. They knew that an unusual railway was opening and “a steel horse carrying many, many carriages at once” would set off for the first time.

However, not everyone was able to see the first train. Commoners were not allowed into the station itself, which had only recently been built.

Exactly at 12:30 a.m., the tiny locomotive blew a piercing whistle, and eight carriages with the noble public set off along the route St. Petersburg - Tsarskoe Selo.”

The first days of the road's operation were trial ones, travel was free, and the quality, as they say, was at the risk of the buyer.

However, there were no dissatisfied people: up to fifty people were packed into each of the carriages - people of humble origin were given the opportunity to try out the new transport.

Despite the fact that the road had serious tasks, people considered the invention a kind of carousel: fast driving, a breeze blowing in the face, the smell of fields and arable land and a slight fright at the sounds of an oncoming train.

The excitement was monstrous, and the crowds besieging the locomotive were endless.

What the carriages of that time looked like

The carriages on the train were divided according to social status. Thus, a train of eight cars and a steam locomotive, which was built at the Stephenson plant in England and delivered to St. Petersburg by sea, consisted of four classes.

The most luxurious and clearly demonstrating the thickness of the gentleman’s wallet, who could afford to buy tickets for it, were the so-called “Berlins” - here the public could sit more relaxed in an easy chair, and people from the same social stratum sat opposite and to the side. There were eight such carriages in total, followed by stagecoaches that could accommodate a large number of people and “rulers” - carts open type. Those that had a roof were called “charabancs”, those that did not have one were called “waggons”. The latter had neither heating nor lighting.

In the first years, the fare for first and second class passengers was 2.5 and 1.8 rubles and 80 and 40 kopecks for third and fourth class. It is curious, but despite the fact that the train was designed not only to cover long distances, but also to keep pace with progress, until 1838, only horse-drawn vehicles were used on non-Sunday days and holidays. The steam method has become a kind of symbol of festivities or Sunday rest.

Imperial way

Since 1838, the movement became regular and then the schedule was finally decided. The first train departed at nine o'clock in the morning, and the last at ten o'clock in the evening. The interval between movements was three or four hours.

Members of the Romanov family and European monarchs also used the railway. Only one train could travel along the so-called “Imperial Route”. In Pushkin, the train stopped at the “Imperial Pavilion” - the station where the royal family was met.

Traffic along the Tsarskoe Selo - Pavlovsk line was opened in May 1838. For the significant day they lined concert hall, where Johann Strauss himself performed.

Steam locomotive "Elephant" and "Bogatyr"

At that time, steam locomotives were made at seven factories: in Belgium, England, Germany and the St. Petersburg Leuchtenberg plant. Each locomotive had its own name: “Agile”, “Strela”, “Bogatyr”, “Elephant”, “Eagle” and “Lion”. However, the romantic attitude towards the locomotive soon changed, and the rejoicing at the sight of it was replaced by habit, and instead of names, the trains acquired a dry number and a series of letters.

People often went to the Pavlovsky Music Station simply for entertainment. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Despite the initial fear of shareholders not to make a profit from the enterprise, in the first five years not only all the funds spent on construction were recouped, but also what was spent on operation: the road brought in significant income and allowed us to assume that further construction of new stations would bring truly fabulous income.

The first steam locomotive became a revelation for St. Petersburg residents: newspapers wrote about it, posters were drawn, candy wrappers were full of its image, and the vaudeville “A Trip to Tsarskoe Selo” even appeared in the repertoire of the Alexandrinsky Theater, the main character of which was a steam locomotive.