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1. 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 figure. In Soviet times, this figure reached 15 times a year.
2. The Trans-Siberian Railway is considered the longest in the world. Its length is almost 9,300 kilometers.
3. Station "Half" is the very middle of the Trans-Siberian. From this station the same distance, both to Moscow and to Vladivostok.
4. After the opening of the first railway in Russia (between Moscow and St. Petersburg), the first three days the journey was free. Because no one wanted to ride this "terrible thing."
5. In France, there is still a law that prohibits kissing at train stations. The reason for the ban was delays in the departure of trains. The law was issued 100 years ago and still no one has repealed it.
6. It turns out that linemen who tap the wheels of trains have an ideal ear for music. By changing the tone, they should determine the malfunction of the wheel.
7. On a train that runs in western Peru, conductors offer passengers oxygen bag. Because the train goes along the highest mountain railway in the world (at an altitude of more than 3 kilometers).
8. Once upon a time railroad in the state of Ohio (USA) there was a collision of a train with a steamer. The fact is that Lake Ohio overflowed its banks, and the railway track was under a meter layer of water. However, the driver decided to take the train along the flooded track, but collided with the steamer.
9. The head of the Bavarian railways in 1910 was forced to issue an order forbidding machinists and stokers to buy beer during stops at the stations.
10. In Argentina, you can now take a tour on the legendary Patagonia Express train, which was restored specifically for tourists. In addition to the impressions of the surrounding landscapes, passengers can become participants in the carefully planned "Train Robbery" action without their consent.
11. A few years ago, a special “train of love” began to run between Paris and Venice. In the compartment of such a train: VIP-service, there is a TV, a shower cabin and a special double shelf.
12. Once on a tour of Switzerland, a train set off, on which the cream of Swiss society rode: 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 are no toilets in Swiss dining cars. Therefore, when the train approached the station, the locals who had gathered to meet him were very surprised: the guests of honor poured out of the doors of the cars like peas.
13. As you know, some trains have their own name. For example, "Red Arrow", "Russia", "Baikal", etc. Often the names of the trains are given by the passengers themselves: for example, the Rostov-Odessa train is affectionately called by the passengers "Papa - Mama"
14. The Japanese company Toshiba built a maglev train. The train is capable of speeds of 517 km/h.
15. One day a group of German engineers surveyed the Isthmus of Panama in order to build a trans-American railroad. And in the end, she decided that the rails here should be made not from iron, which is rare in these places, but ... from gold.
16. Cars of the third class on the first Russian railways followed in front of the train and were equipped with hard benches. But passengers were more likely to ride under the benches. Because these cars did not have a roof, and passengers were hiding from bad weather and sparks.
17. In Australia, a railway was laid on the desert plain, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It is famous for the fact that over 500 km there is not a single turn on it.
18. Among the collection of Faberge there is an egg "Trans-Siberian Railway", which contains a clockwork model of the imperial Trans-Siberian train made of gold and platinum.
19. In the near future, double-deck passenger cars may appear in Russia. Such cars will be much more economical for the railway and much more comfortable for passengers. Each compartment of such a carriage has a shower, toilet and air conditioning.
20. In Monte Carlo you can see people who meet trains in anticipation of those who have arrived in the Principality for the first time. After that, passengers are offered money to play, promising a share of the winnings in return. It's all the fault of the sign that newcomers are lucky.
21. But at the Shibuya station in Japan there is a monument to a dog with a "station master's cap" on his head. The dog was awarded this honor for its feat, for 10 years it met the owner who left by train.
22. 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 steam locomotives. However, just before the start of the competition, the fifth car was suspended from participation in them "due to an outdated engine." Under the steel sheathing there were hidden ordinary horses.
23. The longest freight train in the world ran in the Soviet Union along the route Ekibastuz - Ural. The train, 6.5 kilometers long, transported 42,000 tons of coal in 440 wagons.
24. In the early 90s. such a scam was known: an African was promised emigration to Europe, they took the agreed amount, brought it to Moscow (then it was simple and cheap). And then this African was put on a train, assuring that it was a train to Germany. But in fact, it was a subway train that moved along a circular route. The poor fellow could go for a very long time.
25. Once the machinist of the Ahvaz-Tehran train deserved a severe punishment. His fault was that he did not stop the train during namaz (prayer). Because of this, the passengers were forced to pray in the compartment, moreover, at every turn of the train they had to spin in place.
26. Experts advise, for security reasons, to give preference to central carriages when buying tickets. In the event of an accident, they suffer less than the head or tail ones. And also it is better to choose seats against the movement of the train. By the way, according to statistics, trains are 45 times safer than cars.
27. Max Speed on the rail track is fixed at around 9851 km / h! It was this speed that was developed during the experiment by a platform with a rocket engine in the state of New Mexico (USA)
In Russia, the possibility of a railway was discussed back in the twenties of the 19th century, when the emperor learned that the railway saves treasury expenses and even increases wealth, as happens in England (at that time, rails were used to transport coal).
The initial idea was to create a connection between St. Petersburg and Moscow, but the question of the effectiveness, and most importantly, the profitability of such an enterprise for investors, remained open.As the proverb says, “If you don’t try, you won’t know.” The commission and all kinds of meetings that were convened to solve the problem did not give a clear and precise answer. As a result, invited in 1834 to the professor of the Vienna Polytechnic Institute and the builder of the first railway common use in Europe, Franz Gerstner was offered to build a road that would “link” the suburbs of St. Petersburg - Tsarskoe Selo and Pavlovsk.
So that the zealots of progress do not lose heart and do not think that in St. Petersburg they will never build right way, added that the Moscow-Petersburg line will appear "not before the end of the road ... and upon inquiry from the experience of the benefits of such roads for the state, the public and shareholders."
How to raise money for construction
Speaking of shareholders, it is worth noting that 700 people took part in the purchase of the relevant securities. To create capital, fifteen thousand shares were issued. The required amount of three million rubles was collected by subscription within 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 manufacturer, Count Aleksey Alekseevich Bobrinsky, the son of Major General Alexei Bobrinsky, who was born in an extramarital affair between Catherine II and Grigory Orlov. The grandson of the great empress acquired shares worth 250 thousand rubles.
Road opening
On November 11, 1837, the road was officially opened. For the sake of such a solemn occasion, Nicholas I and his wife were invited.
A prayer service was served on the station tracks, Gerstner, as a driver, got into the cab of a steam locomotive, and at half past one the train, to 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 on the first trip, the amazing car did not show all its strength.
Steel horse 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 near Semenovsky 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 managed to see the first train. Commoners were not allowed to the station itself, which had been built recently.
Exactly at 12:30 pm, a tiny locomotive blew a piercing whistle, and eight cars with a noble audience set off along the route Petersburg - Tsarskoye Selo.
The first days of operation of the road were trial, the passage is free, and the quality, as they say, is at the risk of the buyer.
However, there were no dissatisfied people: up to fifty people were packed into each of the cars - people of humble origin were given the opportunity to try out the new transport.
Despite the fact that the road had serious problems, the 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 that besieged the locomotive were endless.
What did the wagons look like at the time?
The carriages on the train were divided into social sign. Thus, the composition of eight cars and a steam locomotive, which was built at the Stephenson factory in England and delivered to St. Petersburg by sea, consisted of four classes.
The most luxurious and vividly 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 easy chair, and opposite and to the side sat people from the same social stratum. There were eight such cars in total, followed by "stagecoaches" that could accommodate a large number of people and "rulers" - open-type carts. Those that were with a roof were called “chaises”, those that did not have one were called “waggons”. The latter had neither heating nor lighting.
In the early 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. 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 on a non-Sunday and holidays used only horse traction. The steam method has become a kind of symbol of festivities or Sunday rest.
Imperial way
Since 1838, the movement has become regular and then finally decided on the schedule. 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 move along the so-called "Imperial Way". In Pushkin, the train stopped at the "Imperial Pavilion" - the station where they met the royal family.
Traffic along the line Tsarskoe Selo - Pavlovsk was opened in May 1838. By the significant day, a concert hall was built there, where Johann Strauss himself performed.
Steam locomotive "Elephant" and "Bogatyr"
Steam locomotives at that time were made at seven factories: in Belgium, England, Germany and the St. Petersburg Leuchtenberg plant. Each locomotive had its own name: "Nimble", "Arrow", "Bogatyr", "Elephant", "Eagle" and "Lion". However, the romantic attitude towards the locomotive soon changed, and the jubilation at the sight of it was replaced by a habit, and instead of names, the trains acquired a dry number and a series of letters.
People often went to the Pavlovsky Musical Station just for entertainment. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
Despite the initial fear of shareholders not to make a profit from the enterprise, over the first five years, not only all the funds spent on construction, but also what was spent on operation were repaid: the road brought in significant income and allowed us to assume that the further construction of new stations would bring a truly fabulous income.
The first steam locomotive was a revelation for Petersburgers: they wrote about it in newspapers, drew posters, candy wrappers were full of its image, and the Alexandrinsky Theater even included the vaudeville “A Trip to Tsarskoye Selo”, the main character of which was a steam locomotive.
- In 1804, Richard Trevithick, a native of England, invented the first locomotive-powered train. There was also a passenger car. But he did not cause anything but smiles on the faces of the audience. They simply did not dare to sit in it.
- The epic of passenger mainline trains began on September 15, 1830, when a train departed from Liverpool to Manchester, accommodating not only emboldened passengers, but also the world's first mail car.
- For three whole days, the first train in Russia ran free of charge, connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg. The “terrible thing” scared potential passengers so much that they tried to bypass it.
- In 1830, in England, they decided to arrange a stunning competition between five steam locomotives. Unfortunately, one of the participants was not honest and hid live horses under the metal sheathing. You can not worry. He was suspended from participation in the competition. Not a single horse was harmed.
- The first third-class passengers on Russian trains had to travel under benches. The thing is that the cars of the front part of the train traveled without a roof, and the passengers had no choice but to hide “under” their seats in bad weather.
- An unprecedented incident happened once in the state of Ohio on the railroad. The train collided with the ship. This happened due to the fact that the lake closest to the railway overflowed its banks and “drowned” the tracks one meter under water. The train driver turned out to be a brave fellow and decided not to stop. Unfortunately, such courage led to a collision with the steamer.
- Like smooth roads? Feel free to go to Australia. 500 kilometers across the desert plain and not a single turn. Of course, such a road settled on the pages of the Guinness Book of Records.
- But Russia has distinguished itself with the longest railway line in the world. 9.3 thousand kilometers - this is the length of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
- "Half" - this is the name of the station of the Trans-Siberian Railway. From there, an equal distance, both to distant Vladivostok, and to the same distant Moscow.
- Going on a tour on the famous Patagonia Express train, be prepared for a robbery. This offer is very attractive to tourists. After all, you can not only admire the scenery, but also feel like victims of a carefully planned crime.
- If you are in Japan, be sure to check out Shibuya Station. The monument to the dog, who met his owner for 10 years, who left by train, is a local landmark and a touching story.
- 100 years ago, kissing was forbidden at railway stations in France, so that there would be no delays in sending trains. By the way, the law still applies today.
- 6.5 kilometers and 440 wagons - this is the length of the longest freight train, made, by the way, in Russia, and following the route Ekibastuz - Ural.
- An oxygen bag is a must for every passenger boarding a train in western Peru. Still would! You will travel at an altitude of more than 3 kilometers - along the highest mountain railway.
- Beginners are always lucky - it is this sign that makes the most reckless residents of Monte Carlo go out to the newly arrived trains and meet the newcomers. You will not only be met, but also offered money for the game (after all, you will definitely be lucky as a beginner), the owner of the money will take the winnings, but you will definitely receive your percentage.
- The most romantic cities in Europe - Paris and Venice are connected by a "train of love". TV, shower, double shelf and VIP service - what else do you need for romance?!
- "Russia", "Baikal", "Red Arrow" - the trains also have names and names. The Rostov-Odessa route was the most distinguished. Passengers nicknamed him "Papa-Mama".
- The Japanese always take care of the comfort of their trains. They created a composition on a magnetic cushion. At a speed of 517 km/h you will be delivered to any point of your route.
- A rocket-powered platform in the state of New Mexico allowed the train to reach the maximum speed to date - 9851 km / h!
- Russian railways promise to put into operation double-deck passenger cars in the future, where everything will be done for the maximum comfort of people - showers, toilets, air conditioning, and they will cost much less.
As you can see, there are a lot of funny cases and funny and fascinating facts about trains and railways. Travel! Watch! Learn new! Let railway crossings be always interesting and informative for you!
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 figure. In Soviet times, this figure reached 15 times a year.
The Trans-Siberian Railway is considered the longest in the world. Its length is almost 9,300 kilometers.
Station "Half" is the very middle of the Trans-Siberian. From this station the same distance, both to Moscow and to Vladivostok.
After the opening of the first railway in Russia (between Moscow and St. Petersburg), the first three days the journey was free. Because no one wanted to ride this "terrible thing."
France still has a law that bans kissing at train stations. The reason for the ban was delays in the departure of trains. The law was issued 100 years ago and still no one has repealed it.
It turns out that linemen who tap the wheels of trains have an ideal ear for music. By changing the tone, they should determine the malfunction of the wheel.
On a train that runs in western Peru, conductors offer passengers an oxygen bag. Because the train goes along the highest mountain railway in the world (at an altitude of more than 3 kilometers).
Once on a railway in Ohio (USA) a train collided with a steamboat. The fact is that Lake Ohio overflowed its banks, and the railway track was under a meter layer of water. However, the driver decided to take 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 forbidding machinists and stokers to buy beer during stops at stations.
In Argentina, you can now take a tour on the legendary Patagonia Express train, which was restored specifically for tourists. In addition to the impressions of the surrounding landscapes, passengers can become participants in the carefully planned "Train Robbery" action without their consent.
A few years ago, a special "train of love" began to run between Paris and Venice. In the compartment of such a train: VIP-service, there is a TV, a shower cabin and a special double shelf.
Once, a train set off on a tour of Switzerland, on which the cream of Swiss society rode: 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 are no toilets in Swiss dining cars. Therefore, when the train approached the station, the locals who had gathered to meet him were very surprised: the guests of honor poured out of the doors of the cars like peas.
As you know, some trains have their own name. For example, "Red Arrow", "Russia", "Baikal", etc. Often the names of the trains are given by the passengers themselves: for example, the Rostov-Odessa train is affectionately called by the passengers "Papa - Mama"
The Japanese firm Toshiba built a maglev train. The train is capable of speeds of 517 km/h.
Once a group of German engineers surveyed the Isthmus of Panama in order to build a trans-American railroad. And in the end, she decided that the rails here should be made not from iron, which is rare in these places, but ... from gold.
Third-class carriages on the first Russian railways followed in front of the train and were equipped with hard benches. But passengers were more likely to ride under the benches. Because these cars did not have a roof, and passengers were hiding from bad weather and sparks.
In Australia, a railway was laid on the desert plain, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It is famous for the fact that over 500 km there is not a single turn on it.
Among the collection of Faberge there is an egg "Trans-Siberian Railway", which contains a clockwork model of the imperial Trans-Siberian train made of gold and platinum.
In the near future, double-deck passenger cars may appear in Russia. Such cars will be much more economical for the railway and much more comfortable for passengers. Each compartment of such a carriage has a shower, toilet and air conditioning.
In Monte Carlo, you can see people meeting trains in anticipation of those who have arrived in the Principality for the first time. After that, passengers are offered money to play, promising a share of the winnings in return. It's all the fault of the sign that newcomers are lucky.
But at the Shibuya station in Japan there is a monument to a dog with a "station master's cap" on his head. The dog was awarded this honor for its feat, for 10 years it met the 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 steam locomotives. However, just before the start of the competition, the fifth car was suspended from participation in them "due to an outdated engine." Under the steel sheathing there were hidden ordinary horses.
The longest freight train in the world ran in the Soviet Union on the route Ekibastuz - Ural. The train, 6.5 kilometers long, 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, brought it to Moscow (then it was simple and cheap). And then this African was put on a train, assuring that it was a train to Germany. But in fact, it was a subway train that moved along a circular route. The poor fellow could go for a very long time.
The machinist of the Ahvaz-Tehran train once deserved a severe punishment. His fault was that he did not stop the train during namaz (prayer). Because of this, the passengers were forced to pray in the compartment, moreover, at every turn of the train they had to spin in place.
Experts advise, for security reasons, to give preference to the central carriages when buying tickets. In the event of an accident, they suffer less than the head or tail ones. And also it is better to choose seats against the movement of the train. By the way, according to statistics, trains are 45 times safer than cars.
The maximum speed on the rail track is fixed at around 9851 km/h! It was this speed that was developed during the experiment by a platform with a rocket engine in the state of New Mexico (USA)
To create such a large-scale project as railways, a lot of effort, time and Money. Sometimes, the great design geniuses came to crazy decisions and created ridiculous situations. Curious cases have become frequent in this reform activity. And also with the development of high-speed transport, the theme of trains and long trips began to be very often mentioned in art - music, films, theatrical productions; and even in politics. Here are the most interesting facts and references to railways:
1) Who lives at the bottom of the ocean?
In 1896, between the English cities of Brighton and Rottingdean, an unusual vehicle called Daddy Long Legs - a cross between a tram and a ferry. Laying the railway overland on this route required a lot of engineering structures, and engineer Magnus Volk proposed laying the rails directly on the seabed - the total length of the track was 4.5 km. The platform with passengers rose above the rails on four supports 7 meters long and had a flag, a lifeboat and other maritime attributes, as it was formally considered a ship. The service was canceled in 1901 when it was decided to build new breakwaters near Brighton, and the transfer of the track was considered too costly.
2) When and where did an uncontrolled train travel more than 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 unmanned train called CSX 8888 picked up speed and went on an independent journey, 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 the diesel locomotive that caught up with him, who grappled with the last car and applied rheostatic braking.
3) What mechanism got its name from the name of the inventor of the bicycle prototype?
The prototype of the bicycle was designed and patented by the German baron Karl von Dres in 1818. This mechanism had wooden frame, metal wheels and a steering wheel, but there were no pedals - in order for it to move, it was necessary to push off with your feet from the ground. The surname of the inventor in the name of the bicycle was not fixed, but gave the name to the trolley - a device for moving on rails with mechanical traction.
4) How did Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign influence the lyrics of "Time Machine" songs?
During Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign, many works of art were censored. For example, Andrey Makarevich changed the text in the song “Conversation on the Train”: after the line “Carriage disputes are the last thing,” instead of “when there is nothing else to drink,” he began to sing “and you can’t cook porridge from them.”
5) What was the main reason for the transition to a time zone system in the 19th century?
Until the 19th century, there was no division into time zones, everywhere the time was determined by the Sun. There was no need for time zones, as there was no high-speed transport. Unification was driven by the development of railways in England, because due to time differences in each city it was very difficult to draw up a normal timetable. It was the railway companies who ensured that there was one GMT time zone throughout the country. And then gradually the system of time zones began to spread around the world.
6) Who was the victim of the murderer, whose brother had previously saved the life of the son of the murdered?
US President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in a theater by John Booth in 1865. Shortly before this, by coincidence, the brother of the latter, Edwin Booth, saved the life of the president's son, Robert Lincoln, on a railway platform.
7) Where did the train crash occur due to the language barrier?
In 2001, there was a railway accident in Belgium in which 8 people, including both drivers, died as a result of a head-on collision of trains. Among other accidents, this one is unique in that its main cause was the language barrier. When the driver of the first train left the station despite the red signal, the dispatcher called the next station to warn about it. However, the controllers 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.
8) What accident did the Americans arrange in 1896 for the entertainment of the public?
In 1896, one of the American railroad companies staged a show - a deliberate collision of two trains at full speed. 40,000 tickets were sold for the "performance", and a temporary campus was built for the spectators who bought tickets. However, the engineers miscalculated the force of the explosion, and the crowd was not diverted sufficiently safe distance resulting in three deaths and several others injured.
9) What were military armored rubbers?
It is known that in the wars of the 19th century, the First and Second World Wars, many countries used armored trains. However, in addition to this, they tried to fight with the help of individual combat units - armored rubber. They were almost like tanks, but limited in movement only by rails.
10) Series Y?
From 1910 to 1920, freight steam locomotives of the Y series were mass-produced in Russia.
11) Why did the direct railway between Moscow and St. Petersburg have a curvilinear bend in one place?
The Oktyabrskaya railway connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg is now a collection of straight lines, although there used to be a slight curvilinear bend between Okulovka and Malaya Vishera. There is a legend that when designing the road, Emperor Nicholas I personally drew a straight line between the two capitals, and the bend arose due to the fact that the pencil went around the finger attached to the ruler.
In fact, there was a height difference in that place, which made it difficult for trains driven by low-powered locomotives to move. In order not to hook an additional locomotive, a detour was created.
12) Who and where managed to survive and not become disabled after his brain was pierced by an iron crowbar?
In 1848, an American railroad worker, Phineas Gage, suffered a work injury when a metal rod pierced the frontal lobes of his brain, entering through his left cheek and exiting near the top of his head. Less than an hour later, Gage came to his senses, and then went to the hospital and on the way calmly and calmly talked about the hole in his head. The wound developed an infection, but the worker recovered and lived another 12 years. His memory, speech, perception were not disturbed, only his character changed - he became more irritable and lost his inclination to work.
13) What myth of the Soviet times about the film "The Arrival of the Train" is still alive?
Contrary to popular belief (which even found its way into the Soviet textbook on the history of foreign cinema), the film The Arrival of the Train was not shown at the famous first paid film show in Paris in the basement of the Grand Cafe on the Boulevard des Capucines.
14) What was the name of the city where Anna Karenina threw herself under the train?
In the novel by Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina threw herself under a train at the Obiralovka station near Moscow. AT Soviet time this settlement became a city and was renamed Zheleznodorozhny.
15) Who invented Morse code?
Morse code in its usual form was not invented by Morse, but by the German engineer Gercke. The original Morse code was inconvenient, although it was used on some American railroads well into the 1960s.
16) Who has more?
An interesting fact is that the gauge of the railway in Russia is 8 centimeters more than in Europe. There is an epic that when Russian engineers came to the tsar and asked how wide the track should be, the same as in Europe or more, he replied: nah ... more. So they made the track exactly so much wider. The width of the European railway gauge was adopted long before the invention of the steam locomotive.
17) Whose standard?
The railway track corresponds exactly to the distance between the wheels of the ancient Roman chariots, with which the Romans made conquests in the territories of modern England and France. The peoples of Europe made their chariots according to Roman models, this standard was also taken into account in the construction of railways.
18) Mail trains under escort
In the early days of the existence of the Nikolaev railway, the mail was especially vigilantly guarded along the entire route. To this end, mail trains were sent under the escort of mounted gendarmes, galloping at full speed along the railway.
19) Rescue benches
Third-class carriages on the first Russian railways were installed in front of the train, were equipped with hard benches, but ... did not have a roof, and therefore passengers often traveled under the benches, where they escaped from the sparks that flew out of the locomotive pipe in sheaves, and cold.
20) Paradoxical love
The most paradoxical is the fact that with a small length of Russian railways (only 7 percent of total figure railway of the world), the Russian Federation accounts for about 35 percent of the world's rail freight traffic. These figures are explained by the unusual popularity of railways among Russian businessmen, and both the owners of large enterprises and individual entrepreneurs who need to transport small consignments give preference to this type of transport.
The reason for such love of the Russian people, and indeed the entire former USSR, for railways is easy to explain, if we recall, at least, the fact that this species transport is considered the safest. Let the speed of delivery leave much to be desired, but you can always be sure that the cargo will arrive at its destination safe and sound. After all, according to statistics, accidents on the railway happen ten times less often than on highways, and in every news release, reports of another plane crash have become a common occurrence. High level security is especially important when transporting valuable and fragile products, and such products today make up a significant part of the total cargo flow. As long as planes are falling, and roads, as you know, continue to be one of the main problems of the CIS, trains will occupy a leading position in the freight transportation market. It is no secret that in the remote corners of our countries, many roads in the spring-autumn period simply become impassable, so delivery by train remains generally the only possible option.
An important factor in favor of choosing rail freight is their relatively low cost. More profitable transport for the transport of timber and building materials just can't be found. There are also no restrictions on the types of cargo - bulk, bulk, volatile and food - it is possible to transport flour and cement, coal and alcohol. All that needs to be done by the owner of the cargo is to choose a suitable container (wagon, gondola car, platform, tank, refrigerator).
But with all the economic attractiveness and reliability, rail freight has a number of disadvantages.
Firstly, in small towns there are simply no railway stations, so you still have to use by car to deliver the goods to their destination. Secondly, there are a number of difficulties associated with different requirements for transportation technology in different countries. Therefore, international cargo transportation requires knowledge of many nuances and the ability to establish friendly foreign economic relations.
Today, transport companies, in order to ensure maximum comfort for the customer and the recipient of the cargo, develop a logistics scheme for each individual cargo, coordinate the features and conditions of transportation based on the characteristics of the product, and provide clear information about the train and the time of its arrival at the station.
21) The first mechanical (not hand or horse-drawn) elevator driven by a steam engine, called the "vertical railroad", was installed in the United States in 1850. By the 1880s, large hotels and wealthy buildings in the US and Europe were equipped with this type of elevator.
22) The "Underground Railroad" in the United States in the 1850s was the name of a secret organization of abolitionists (a social movement seeking the abolition of slavery) that transported fugitive blacks from the South to the North.