Modern Russian railways

1. The territory of Russia stretches across 2 continents, from the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic and Black Seas. From the east to the west the territory of our country extends over 10, 000 km, and from the north to the south almost 5, 000 km. The tremendous area of the country, the highly developed industry and trade and the unique natural resources, determine the necessity for a widely developed transport system, including all modes of transportation.

2. Russian Railways occupy an outstanding position as a great freight and passenger carrier, accounting for about 60% of the country’s entire traffic and for 50% of the world’s freight turnover. Russia has the largest single railway system in the world, its total length being about 150, 000 km. Direct passenger service is available to the capitals of many foreign countries. The railway map of our country is changing all the time; new lines are constantly being projected and built. These new lines cross former desert and roadless regions, far from the central parts of Russia. Intensive railway construction is going on in the Far East and Siberia.

3. Besides building new railway routes, our country has been improving and modernizing old tracks, and electrifying many trunk lines with particularly heavy traffic. The length of the electrified railways in Russia is about 90, 000 km, some of them being the longest lines in the world: the Moscow – Vladivostok Railroad (9, 500 km). Russian Railways are equipped with new powerful electric and diesel-electric locomotives, high speed and high capacity freight cars and passenger coaches. To increase the safety of traffic and the comfort of passengers, trains are fitted with automatic air brakes and coaches are designed to have air-conditioning systems.

4. Much attention is being paid to the improvement of track facilities. On trunk lines, 65 and 75 kg high quality alloy steel rails are laid in the track. Continuous rails, welded into strings of 700 meters and more, and reinforced concrete sleepers are laid on crushed rock and gravel ballast. Over 90 million concrete sleepers have already been installed.

5. Various modern and efficient machines and mechanisms are widely employed for track renewal and maintenance. Thousands of kilometers of railways are equipped with automatic block signaling and Centralized Traffic Control (CTC). The wide use of new electronic equipment and highly efficient techniques has greatly improved track standards and reduced transport costs on Russian Railroads.

6. Although the future belongs to the air and automobile transportation, railways are and will always remain very popular, important and the most universal mode of transport in Russia.