Russia had the first railway troops in the world. For the holiday of the ZhDV

During the war years, it was called the "steel artery". It provided all offensive units of the Russian troops with ammunition, armored vehicles, provisions and technical equipment. It did not lose its strategic importance even in the post-war period, acting as a link between settlements, countries and even continents. We are talking about the most popular transport artery - the railway. Thanks to the construction railway tracks reports, in the middle of the 19th century, scientific and technological progress in Russia developed by leaps and bounds, and already in the 20th century, the presence of a large-scale railway network with centralized control made it possible to carry out "high-profile" revolutions within the country, as well as win military confrontations. And even today, without a developed railway connection, it is also impossible to imagine an increase in the level of civilian, industrial and military cargo turnover in the country.

The intensive development of railway transport served as an impetus for the creation of separate formations in the Russian army - the railway troops (ZhDV). In peacetime, the "steel fighters" were assigned the tasks of maintaining and repairing railway lines, while during the period of active hostilities, soldiers provided support for almost all defensive and offensive operations. Their key tasks include the clearance of railway tracks, the repair and complete restoration of damaged sections of the track, as well as the construction of bridge crossings and protective fences. In addition, railway workers help the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the process of emergency response to the consequences of natural and man-made emergencies. Today, serving in the ranks of the ZhDV is as honorable and prestigious as undergoing special training in the Airborne Forces and the Marine Corps.

The railway or, as they are called in civilian life, the transport troops of Russia, according to the generally accepted military classification, belong to separate units of the rear support of the army and are special forces. They are not only building railroads across the country, but they are also working hard to prevent them from being damaged and destroyed by enemy units. For more than 160 years, the soldiers of the ZhDV have been valiantly and steadfastly serving in the ranks of the Russian army, confirming their high status and professionalism. Their history is rich in significant events and amazing facts. Many pages from the "biography" are devoted to military operations during world wars and local conflicts with neighboring states. The process of development and formation of railway units is inextricably linked with the history of the armed forces of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation.

On the balance sheet of the Railway Forces, in addition to standard weapons, which practically do not differ from the weapons of the ground forces, there are also special technical equipment, tools and repair kits for the prompt restoration of railways, as well as mobile mechanized complexes designed for the construction or urgent "resuscitation" of individual sections of the railway ways. In addition to separate and link track-laying vehicles, the existing railway battalions are also equipped with:

• pile driving and drilling and blasting devices;
• mine-explosive special weapons;
• overpasses for carrying out assembly and dismantling works;
• technical means of emergency repair of railway tracks.

Separate divisions additionally use stationary and mobile overhead cranes, superstructures and diesel hammers for driving piles into the ground. In order to carry out construction and restoration work on floating railway bridges, soldiers are issued special diving equipment without fail. With such a rich set of equipment, railway workers are able to perform the most complex tasks in a short time.

Stages of development of units of the railway troops

The railroad military went through a rather thorny path of development and formation. Various innovations and changes that concerned the field of the military industry, as well as the socio-political and socio-economic spheres of life, left their mark on the internal structure of the units and the appearance of the transport troops. The staffing system was constantly modified, the range of basic tasks was expanded, and the principles of training military personnel were updated. At the same time, it should be noted that the process of development and modernization of transport troops did not occur on its own, but had a pronounced clear sequence and logic. In the history of the Russian railway troops, separate time intervals can be distinguished, which marked a fundamental change in the military command and control system. Starting from the moment of foundation and ending in 1918, there were 5 such key stages in total:

• 1851–1860 - the operating units of the transport troops were separate formations, which consisted of military-worker detachments. Their main task was the construction and maintenance of railway lines;
• 1870–1876 - the structure of the railway troops has undergone significant changes, special railway teams have been formed;
• 1877–1885 - there were reforms in the staffing and organizational structure, battalions were approved as the main operating units, which were part of separate sapper brigades;
• 1886–1903 - the army command decided to unite the battalions into brigades, which became the main tactical formations with an expanded range of combat missions;
• 1904–1914 - in the Russian army, for the first time, the concept of "ZhDV" was officially approved, and the military-railroad workers themselves left the command of the SMI and came under the command of the General Staff.

Thus, in the period 1851-1914. railway troops actively developed "on all fronts", keeping up with other branches of the armed forces. The reforms that affected the organizational structure clearly benefited, while the soldiers and officers themselves made a significant contribution to strengthening the country's defense capability. The stages of development presented above are only short episodes from the “biography” of the ZhDV, which focus on the most significant moments of their formation. In order to objectively assess the role of divisions throughout Russia, you need to go back to the past and go through the difficult path of railway workers from beginning to end.

Railway troops of the imperial period

The date of formation of the first railway formations of the Russian army is the day of August 6, 1851, when the All-Russian Emperor Nicholas I ordered the formation of a railway company to maintain and operate the St. Petersburg-Moscow railway. On the basis of the approved regulations and rules on the composition of the management of the railway line, workers, conductors and a separate telegraph company were created in the ranks of the armed forces of the acting Imperial Army. In this composition, the military railway units of Russia appeared. And the first passengers of the railway were the imperial guards, who were transported from St. Petersburg to Moscow.

The formation of railway troops was a logical pattern. Already in those days, in view of the vast territory, it was required to use a lifting and fast transport, which would be widely exploited for both civilian and defense purposes. Starting approximately from the middle of the 19th century, the active formations of the railway troops of the Russian army participated in almost all armed conflicts and wars in which the Russian Empire was directly or indirectly involved. At the same time, the first combat experience was obtained and miscalculations were discovered in the tactics of conducting hostilities.

New reforms in the army made it possible to adapt the railway troops to the realities of "field everyday life". The total number of units amounted to 4340 enlisted men and higher ranks of the officer circle. The lists of the railway battalion included Emperor Nicholas I himself and his son Alexei. This helped the “newly minted” army unit to immediately be on the list of elite troops. Since at that time the insignia and shoulder straps had not yet been invented, they used stripes that were sewn onto overcoats and tunics. The gunners wore red stripes, the pilots wore light blue or light blue, and the railway workers got black.

During the period 1877–78. soldiers of railway units took part in the war against the Turks. They promptly supplied the offensive units of the Imperial Army with weapons, ammunition and food. For "humanitarian" cargo transportation, a railway was used, connecting the settlements of Bendery and Galati. In many ways, thanks to timely supplies from the rear, the Russian soldiers managed to defeat the best Turkish army in Plevna, and also open the road to Constantinople. Until 1908, the transport units were listed on the balance sheet of the engineering troops, and in 1909 they were singled out as an independent branch of the army and transferred to the subordination of the VOSO bodies of the General Staff.

Railway construction at the end of the 19th century

Starting from the 1880s, the development of the capitalist economy required large material and technical resources. But the railway network that existed at that time was poorly developed and did not meet the needs of the industrial sector. The situation could be corrected only by the construction of new railways. Even then, the leader of the proletariat and a supporter of the capitalist system, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, said that it was urgent to connect the backward outskirts of the Asian and European regions of Russia with the capital and cities located in the central regions of the country. Therefore, the members of the state apparatus unanimously decided to take a course towards the intensive construction of new railway lines.

Since the attraction of civilian labor was not economically profitable, besides, there was a constant threat of an enemy attack near the borders of the Russian Empire, the construction of railways was entrusted to "universal" soldiers from the ZhDV units. At that time, they had already proved themselves quite well not only in military campaigns, but also in solving civilian problems in peacetime. In the 80s of the XIX century, new railways were laid in three main directions:

• western borders of Russia;
• Polissya region;
• Privislinsky region.

Later, the construction of transport railway lines was carried out on the colonial outskirts of the country - in the Central Asian region and regions of Western Siberia. To connect the cities located in the coastal zone of the Black and Baltic Seas, the Romny-Kremenchug line railway was built. But most of all, the railway workers distinguished themselves in 1883, when they were instructed to lay a separate branch of the railway line in the Zhabinka-Pinsk section in Polesie. The total length of the new transport route was more than 130 miles. It was a relatively straight railroad - only 10 miles of track was laid on winding sections of the terrain. The appearance of the railway communication "Zhabinka-Pinsk" in the transport system of Russia contributed to the development of trade and industry in the region.

In the spring of 1885, the All-Russian Emperor Alexander III Alexandrovich issued an urgent decree, according to which the divisions of the railway troops were ordered to begin laying the Trans-Caspian railway. The total length of the railway track was more than 1000 miles. The new transport highway was supposed to connect the Turkmen city of Kizyl-Arvat with the Uzbek city of Samarkand. To this end, the second battalion of the ZhDV of the Transcaspian region was urgently formed, which was directly subordinate to the command of the General Staff of the Army. The personnel of the battalion amounted to about a thousand ordinary soldiers, more than 25 officers and 3 controlling persons from among the officials.

The construction of the Trans-Caspian railway branch was unique, since work on such a scale had not yet been carried out. This is the first experience in the world practice of laying a military railway by the forces of the ZhDV soldiers, the total length of which exceeded 1000 kilometers. At the same time, the highway itself passed through scorched desert areas, which required enormous endurance and stamina from the railway workers. Despite the difficulties, the work was carried out very quickly - in a year, about 50% of the entire distance of the railway track was built. On May 15, 1888, all work was successfully completed. In addition to 1101 versts of the railway, more than 600 bridge crossings and about 110 artificial culverts were also built.

Facts from the "biography" of the railway troops of tsarist times

In 1881, during the military campaign of General Skobelev, the first narrow-gauge military field railway appeared in the south of modern Turkmenistan. Before the start of World War I, several large units were formed in Russia, which were abbreviated as KPZhD - they served horse-drawn field railways used for the transfer of troops and transport supplies.

In the second half of the 19th century, the construction of the first passenger trains of the D series began, which received the nickname "two-park" because they had two pairs of driving wheels. These steam locomotives were distinguished by reliability and unpretentiousness in operation, and were capable of speeds up to 90 km / h. Later they served as a "prototype" for the creation of military locomotives.

In the history of the development of the railway troops in the tsarist era, Stanislav Ippolitovich Olshevsky, a Russian engineer of Polish origin, a graduate of St. Petersburg University and the Institute of Railway Engineers, occupies a special place. According to his projects, railways and bridges were built in Central Russia, in the Urals, in the regions of Western Siberia, and the world's largest bridge across the Amu Darya River was also built.

In 1904, traffic was solemnly opened along the Circum-Baikal Railway, which was built in order to connect the part of the Trans-Siberian Railway torn by Lake Baikal. It was laid by the forces of the railway troops in just two years. In the middle of the 20th century, it was partially flooded during the filling of the Irkutsk reservoir.

In the summer of 1910, the construction of the Zelenodolsk railway bridge across the Volga River began, which connected the city of Zelenodolsk and the village of Nizhniye Vyazovye. The construction of this crossing took place on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan. Emperor Nicholas II gave this bridge the name "Romanovsky". The official opening took place in the winter of 1913. The length of the structure is almost 800 m. On the occasion of such a significant event, a religious procession took place.

History of signals on the railway

The first railway warning signals were developed and implemented as soon as the Tsarskoye Selo road was built. All signals at that time were divided into optical and sound. The role of an optical signal was played by a ball, which was lifted with a winch onto a special wooden structure. Depending on whether the ball was raised or not, the machinist understood whether he could move on or need to stop. In fact, it was a distant "relative" of the semaphore. But very distant. These balls were controlled by signalmen, who stood along the railway every 1-2 versts. At the same time, railroad workers were flogged with whips if they fell asleep at the post or raised the ball incorrectly. It should be noted that this system of optical signals was appropriate at short distances - up to 40 km. If we talk about the railway that connected Moscow with St. Petersburg (its length was 650 km), then it was already quite difficult to place signalmen every 1-2 versts. Therefore, to alert the drivers, they decided to use semaphores.

Beginning in 1857, when Nicholas I died and Alexander II came to power, the construction of new railways began, and then mainly foreign specialists were attracted. For example, well-known French and English engineers were invited to lay the Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod highway, which became the second in a row after the Petersburg-Moscow railway. Together with them, Western railway signaling systems "migrated" to Russia. The most widespread were the so-called warning discs, while the English semaphores were eventually abandoned, and there was a good reason for this.

The first version of the semaphore was invented in the early 1940s by the English designer C. Gregory. It was this model that they wanted to adopt, but it turned out to be ineffective in everyday use. And not because the semaphores were wooden. They just had one feature - the wing did not rise 135 degrees to the mast, like the current Russian-style semaphore. The wing, which was lowered by 45 degrees, served as a signal for further movement. This is the so-called English system of measures, called "Five o'clock". There was one cost in this design of the semaphore - if the wing completely fell down, then the driver took this indication as allowing, which very often led to disasters.

English semaphores were usually fenced off by railway stations. They were used to show the train driver that he could get to the station - the way was clear. In those days, there was no auto-blocking and roadblocks, so it was necessary to use the available "handy tools". However, over time, railroad workers began to invent their own innovations. For example, a very cunning signaling system was used on the Ural Mining Railway - a three-winged home-made semaphore on a wooden pole. Its wings resembled compass needles and were directed in different directions: one straight, the other down, which meant free passage. But this was a "gag", since each railroad had its own conditional warning systems. This was the main problem. The Russian railway network needed a unified warning system.

In 1873, a unified regulation on signals was developed and implemented. English semaphores were temporarily replaced by warning discs. Red disk - passage is prohibited, the disk lies edgewise or green - you can go. In addition to optical signals, sound alerts were also widely used. Just as the marine “telegraph” with flags, developed back in 1895 by Vice Admiral Stepan Osipovich Makarov, was used at sea, so the generally accepted system of horns and locomotive whistles operated on the military railway:

• 1 long - forward movement;
• 1 short - brake test;
• 2 short - brake release;
• 2 long - backward movement, etc.

Everything was described in detail in a special railway instruction. From the moment of the foundation of the first railway line "Petersburg-Moscow", a signal bell was hung at each station. The instructions clearly stated that the signal for the departure of the train is given at the railway station exclusively by ringing the bell. Three strokes of the signal bell should have sounded, then the whistle of the main conductor was heard, then a powerful whistle of the locomotive sounded, and only after that the train driver could move off. Violation of this peculiar "tradition" was severely punished.

In 1880, the remarkable scientist Yakov Nikolaevich Gordienko, who was also a leading professor at St. Petersburg University, first created a mechanical centralization of the arrows. He also invented the semaphore model, which is still used today. In a unified signaling system, warning discs served until the twenties. In 1924, the Soviet engineer Daniil Treger created an improved electrical unit. In the 1930s, auto-blocking and cab signals were introduced for the first time, which marked a huge breakthrough in the field of transport and military communication. This made it possible to multiply the throughput and carrying capacity of the Russian "steel arteries".

During the period of 1918–21, when Russia was mired in the Civil War, more than 20,000 kilometers of railways and about 3,000 bridge crossings were restored by the forces of the ZhDV soldiers. And in 1926, a separate railway corps of the Red Army troops carried out the topography of the area of ​​the Baikal-Amur region, on the territory of which it was planned to build the largest transport railway line in the USSR. The railroad soldiers rendered great assistance to the offensive detachments during active hostilities near Lake Khasan and on the Khalkhin-Gol River in 1938-39. Then, in just 2.5 months, the railway fighters laid the Borzya-Bain-Tumen railway with a total length of more than 300 km. During the Soviet-Finnish military campaign, in just 1.5 months, a railway line was built that connected the city of Petrozavodsk and the city in the Republic of Karelia - Suoyarvi. The total length was more than 130 km.

During the Second World War, the Railway Troops repaired more than 80,000 kilometers of main railway lines, as well as about 30,000 kilometers of fixed tracks. Also, the soldiers in a short time built about 2.5 thousand kilometers of narrow gauge lines and installed over 70,000 km of communication lines. In 1946-50, according to official data from archival documents, thanks to the "steel fighters", about 37 million cubic meters of earthworks were carried out. In 1989, all active units of the Railway Forces, along with the KGB border troops and the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, were disbanded and expelled from the armed forces of the USSR. A new round in the development of the railway troops took place already in the federal period.

The decisive role of the railway troops in the war years

In World War I, Russian railway workers made an invaluable contribution to the victory by laying about four thousand kilometers of narrow gauge and about three hundred kilometers of "wide" lines. The forces of the railway troops restored more than 4,000 km of the upper tracks, as well as almost 5,000 km of telephone and telegraph military lines, which ensured continuous communication between the front-line units and the command of the Army General Staff.

After 1917, in the conditions of the Civil War, which was fought mainly in the main railway line, the role of armored trains increased sharply. It was then that the finest hour of these "battle monsters" came. Russian armored trains are whole fleets of mobile fortresses that moved around the country, bringing death and destruction. Like the ships of the Navy, each armored train had its own bright name. Armored trains of the White Guards: "Admiral Kolchak", "Ataman Platov", "Thunder of Victory". Armored trains of the Red Army - "Stenka Razin", "im. Petrovsky", "Ermak Timofeevich", "Morozov", "Red Eagles".

The most massive were military steam locomotives of the "E" series. These were real workhorses that "traveled" around the country since 1912. For the next few decades, the legendary steam locomotives, manufactured at the Lugansk Machine-Building Plant, "on their shoulders" took Russia out of all armed conflicts. In the early thirties, this "indestructible" heavy equipment was replaced by more powerful units. The most popular were the heavy trains of the FD series, the main freight steam locomotives of Sergo Ordzhonikidze, and the best on the entire territory of the European continent - the Russian trains of the IS series, named after the leader of the USSR Joseph Stalin. However, they were not going to say goodbye to the “E” series steam locomotives forever. During the war years with the Germans, they provided about 2/3 of all military cargo transportation.

For the railway troops, the initial period of the Great Patriotic War became the most difficult test, since most of the junction stations in the western direction were defeated. During the battle near Moscow, the General Staff raised the question "point-blank" about the complete disbandment of the transport troops. They wanted to throw the railroad workers into the general infantry formations. However, Joseph Stalin eventually canceled this decision. And, as it turned out later, not in vain. The volume of military cargo transportation in the initial period of the war amounted to almost 3 million wagons. However, the soldiers themselves were able to distinguish themselves in the fight against the German invaders.

As practice has shown, even the largest and well-equipped army is absolutely helpless in front of the enemy without the support of the railway troops. And the highest ranks understood this even during the Second World War. Tanks will not come by themselves, and shells need to be brought up regularly. It was possible to do this as quickly as possible only by railroads. Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov said: “When an offensive operation is being prepared, in which several branches of the military are involved, then even if someone fails to arrive in time, it is still possible to carry out military operations with grief in half. But if the railway troops are not prepared, then the operation cannot be started - any plan will definitely fail.

In April 1945, the first Russian train solemnly arrived at the Lichtenberg railway station in Berlin. To do this, the railroad soldiers repaired and put together all the damaged sections of the railway track in a short time. In a telegram sent to the country's military leadership, Marshal Zhukov attached a brief but rather expressive resolution: "Well done!" With this phrase, the great Russian commander and skillful military strategist described the courageous feat of the brave fighters of the ZhDV. After the end of the Great Patriotic War, railroad soldiers participated in the overhaul and reconstruction of the “steel highways” of the country. Particularly significant was their participation in the construction of BAM. In terms of the height of the flight of engineering and technical thought, as well as in terms of scale, the construction of the Baikal-Amur Railway became a truly unique phenomenon in the history of Russia.

Great construction of the 20th century: how BAM was "raised"

In the early summer of 1974, members of the Central Committee of the CPSU, with the support of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, decided to begin construction of the largest Baikal-Amur railway line in terms of size. The scope of the upcoming "construction of the century" struck the imagination of thousands of Soviet citizens. However, not only the scale of the new railway was surprising, but also the very methods of implementing this project. The transport "steel artery" had to pass through a difficult area of ​​​​terrain - mountains, seismic zones, full-flowing rivers and permafrost. The construction of BAM was planned to be carried out in the harsh climate of the northern regions of the country, where the average air temperature rarely dropped below -50 ℃, and the ground was hidden under a layer of snow, no roads or paths were visible.

To lay more than 3,000 kilometers of track, it was necessary to additionally build over 3,000 engineering communications, carry out about 300 million cubic meters of earthworks, and also break through more than 25 km of tunnels in mountain ranges. Obviously, this required incredible human efforts and huge expenditures of material and technical resources. Therefore, civilians involved in the construction of other sections of the “steel line” were also deployed to help the soldiers of the railway troops who worked on the eastern section of the BAM. At the same time, engineers developed technical documentation, geological and topographic reconnaissance of all sections of the railway track was carried out, issues of providing people with provisions, clothing and temporary housing were resolved in a short time.

In addition to developing a unified schedule for the work at BAM, Soviet engineers spent days on end over the drawings, racking their brains on how to adapt mechanisms and construction equipment in order to ensure a high level of performance in permafrost regions. Bridges and viaducts were built by the forces of the Main Directorate for the Construction of Bridge Crossings. Separate mechanized columns in an enhanced mode carried out work on the construction of an earth embankment. Huge assistance to the railroad soldiers on the Eastern section of the railway track was provided by helicopter special squads.

The total length of the BAM was more than 3500 km. This unique construction of human hands can be seen even from space. The main goal of the construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline was the desire to build a railway with the largest capacity not only in Russia, but also in the world. And this task was successfully completed. It was a huge national enthusiasm and, of course, a considerable material and moral interest.

Participation of railway workers in the Chechen campaign

In December 1994, communication between the Chechen Republic and the Federal Center of Russia by rail was unexpectedly interrupted. The task force led by General Nikolai Pavlovich Koshman was ordered to urgently restore traffic along the Northern direction to Kizlyar and Grozny. The main command raised the issue of transferring armored trains to Chechnya. But heavy armored trains could not quickly cover huge distances from Transbaikalia to Chechnya, since their speed was only 40-50 km / h. To transfer this bulky equipment, the Ministry of Railways and Communication would have to completely revise the timetable for all railway trains, but there was no time for this.

To accomplish the task, a special train was created for the railway troops, which became a new type of railway military equipment. He was armed with only 2 infantry fighting vehicles on platforms, to which wagons for personnel and recovery materials were attached. To enhance protection, the locomotive itself was surrounded by bags of cement and bulletproof vests. Wheel pairs were with sliders. If a mine exploded under the wheels of the platform, they quickly recovered and the train could move on. On December 30, the special train went on the route. Already 13 days later, the crew was ordered to urgently clear the bridge across the Terek River in order to restore normal traffic. On the bridge, sappers neutralized 16 anti-tank mines and removed two tanks of fuel to the nearest station, installed to enhance the explosive effect.

But it was not enough just to clear the bridge crossing - it still had to be held, as the militants began heavy shelling of the bridge, trying to capture it at any cost. The forces of the parties were unequal (there were more Chechens), so the soldiers of the special forces who accompanied the special train and the railway workers used a trick - they drove several diesel KRAZ vehicles to the nearest station. Their engines began to run at maximum speed, creating a deafening roar. At this time, the head of the task force, during a communication session with his subordinates, broadcast disinformation live, designed to intercept militants by radio.

The report said that a tank and several armored personnel carriers were sent to help counter the enemy attack. This misinformation had a sobering effect on the Chechens, and soon attempts to capture the bridge ceased. A little later, a second special train appeared in the group of railway troops in Chechnya. In total, during the first military campaign, thanks to the attracted special trains, it was possible to almost completely restore traffic by rail in the republic.

The help of armored trains was also needed during the days of the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus region. To provide the troops with weapons, ammunition, food and technical equipment, special detachments of the ZhDV were involved, which were assigned the tasks of transport support and technical cover for railway facilities. For this purpose, 5 new special trains were additionally created, which can be considered the heirs of the armored trains of the Soviet period. They served for the clearance of railways and bridges, engineering reconnaissance and escort of military cargo.

On July 12, 2002, the commander of one of the special trains received an order from the commander of the operational group to escort a particularly important echelon. There were 200 tons of explosives. According to intelligence, the militants were preparing to undermine this echelon. Upon the exit of the special train to the route, the observer of the first platform discovered an enemy ambush in the roadside thickets of reeds. The commander gave the order to open fire from all types of weapons. As a result of the shelling, the militants were destroyed, and later, during the engineering reconnaissance of this section of the railway track, two land mines were found ready for use. The special operation was carried out successfully, and the railway workers delivered the echelon with valuable cargo to its destination.

Railway troops of the federal period

In 1992, the military and administrative centers of the railway troops were taken under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation, and the Main Directorate (GU) of the Railways was reorganized into the Federal Directorate of the Railways. From this moment, the revival of subdivisions, units and professional training centers of the railway troops begins. In 1995, a unified Federal Service of Railway Transport Formations (FSZhV) was created. Only ten years later, in 2005, the ZhDV, as an independent branch of the military, became part of the Russian Armed Forces. The day of August 6 was officially recognized as the "birthday" of all railway soldiers - in independent Russia, a professional holiday has been celebrated annually since 1996.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the General Headquarters of the Army Command adopted a new course for the development, modernization and re-equipment of the existing units of the Railway Forces, in accordance with the generally accepted concept of development of the RF Armed Forces. The main goal of improving the Russian railway troops is to bring the level of their combat capability to real-time conditions, as well as to give them a modern innovative look. Transport troops are being equipped with new types of weapons, technical equipment and high-performance equipment for the repair and construction of railways. A full-scale modernization of the railway line will minimize manual labor and maximize labor productivity.

Repeatedly, Russian railway workers repaired bridge crossings and railway lines outside the Russian Federation. The railway divisions worked in the territory of Abkhazia in 2008, and in 2015 they began to build a new double-track railway bypassing the territory of Ukraine. Today, more than 25,000 personnel serve in the ranks of the ZhDV. The units are recruited by the Military Transport University of the Railway Troops of Russia.

Bridge units of the railway troops

Railway bridges and crossings are strategically important objects of the country. That is why, in any military conflict, enemy shells fly first of all at them. And if the crossing was destroyed, an alarm button lights up in the location of the bridge battalion - the soldiers, along with special equipment, urgently move to the scene of the accident. Bridge battalions of the railway troops are operational units. Only one hour is given for the collection of personnel. During this time, the servicemen are obliged to advance to the object that was attacked. Railway workers build temporary bridges that are supported by wooden poles. It is from them that the construction of the future crossing begins. That's just the logs get to the fighters "rough and uncouth", and only after machining they turn into piles, ready for subsequent use.

While one department is preparing the piles, the other is preparing the diesel hammer for work. It is impossible to move a massive installation for driving piles in assembled form (dimensions do not allow), so it is assembled on site. The assembly principle is the same as in the children's designer. A telescopic boom is assembled from several links. When the preparatory stage is completed, the next one begins - the process of pile driving itself. A powerful machine is capable of driving wooden piles weighing up to 800 kg even into “tightly” frozen ground. Such piles are driven both on land and on water. To build a bridge even across a small river or a shallow pond, there must be a lot of wooden supports, because not only passenger trains, but also trains with heavy military cargo will pass through it. Therefore, resource reserves must be foreseen in advance.

Actually, the railway troops are successfully coping with the task, since this is what they are intended for - in a short time to restore the destroyed railway facilities for the passage of passenger and military trains. After installing the supports, the fighters of the railway troops must put heavy steel platforms weighing 5 tons and more. This is jewelry work, where rush is not needed. For this, high-precision special equipment is used. But the laying of rails is carried out by other units.

The legendary Russian armored train "Baikal"

The heyday of armored trains in Russia fell on the 20s of the last century. In the era of harsh military romance, they were even given appropriate names: “Knight”, “Rosa Luxembourg”, and also “Freedom” or “Death” - during the Great Patriotic War, they also reached Berlin. But the armored train "Ilya Muromets" is considered one of the legends of the Second World War. In 1944, he knocked out several Luftwaffe aircraft with anti-aircraft guns, and also defeated Adolf Hitler, a German squad with the name of the leader of the Third Reich, who could not resist the powerful onslaught of the Katyushas of the armored hero.

In the modern history of the railway troops, the Russian armored train "Baikal", which is on combat duty today, deserves special attention. In the era of drones and nuclear missiles, he feels quite comfortable. In total, in the 90s, 4 mobile armored trains were created in the country: Amur, Don, Terek and Baikal. And although these armored vehicles were assigned mainly peaceful tasks, they were a rather powerful strike force capable of snapping back in response to enemy attacks. Even today, Baikal remains the pride of the Russian railway troops.

Thanks to satellite communications and navigation, the commander of the special train is able not only to predict the safest route, but also to contact higher headquarters in a closed communication mode. 200-mm armor protects personnel from bullets from heavy machine guns and sniper rifles. For self-defense, the special train has a T-62 tank, an anti-aircraft gun, an AGS-17 Plamya automatic grenade launcher and a 12.7-mm Utes heavy machine gun. Reliable protection against remote detonation of explosive devices is provided by a special electronic warfare car. In order to avoid mine explosions, two platforms with gravel and a firing point were installed in front of the special train.

This armored train is capable of covering 250 km in a day, and if necessary, it will spend half a month offline. Its "heart" - the diesel locomotive is securely hidden in the depths of the train, in front of which there is a cover platform (in the case of mining the rails, it gets hit first). Also, Baikal is equipped with a modern anti-aircraft system capable of repulsing an attack from the air, its own radio station and a special system that interferes with radio-controlled projectiles (“jammer”). This armored train looks like a small fortress. In addition to weapons and communications, there are wagons for personnel and a kitchen, which, having climbed onto the platform, turned from a field one into a railway one.

How do recruits serve in the railway troops today?

In addition to the Military Transport University and specialized schools, you can also get the profession of a railway worker at individual training centers of the Railways. One of these institutions is Center No. 857, which has been training professional personnel since 1996. Difficult soldiers are trained here - at the training grounds, "green" recruits will have to drive not tanks and armored personnel carriers, but track-laying vehicles. Unlike other ordinary soldiers, the first thing the railroad workers will pick up will be a wrench, not a machine gun. Nevertheless, the service in the ZhDV is very exciting and interesting. Along with army training, recruits learn to communicate with vehicles and complex mechanisms. Training in the center No. 857 is conducted in 12 specialties: crane operators, radiotelegraph operators, machinists, etc. In just three months (this is how long the training in the center lasts), a “newly minted” railway worker can master a new profession that will be in demand in the civilian world.

The curriculum in the professional center is quite dense and rich. The training process for new arrivals begins with enhanced physical training, otherwise the recruit simply will not be able to cope with heavy equipment and mechanisms. At the same time, the fighters undergo special technical training, and only then go to the training ground. Today, conscripts study for 8 training hours a day: five hours before lunch and three in the afternoon. On the territory of the training ground, future machinists and crane operators move in overalls and helmets - as it should be for safety reasons. By the end of the third month of training, cadets confidently perform any railway work:

• transport tons of cargo;
• driving piles into the ground;
• change damaged sleepers;
• laying railway lines.

All these operations are carried out using the most sophisticated equipment - from a conventional tractor tracklayer to lifting and leveling machines and powerful dosing tractors. Despite the fact that the fleet of special equipment is located on the territory of the training center, if necessary, the mechanisms will be promptly transferred to the accident site. So it was in 2009, when specialists from the railway troops participated in the elimination of the disaster on the Moscow-St. Petersburg railway.

The 857th training center of the railway troops of the Russian Federation, or military unit 11300, is located in the village. Zagoryansky, Moscow region. The educational institution trains specialists of the railway troops and unit commanders.

Story

The predecessor of the training center was the 1st Railway Training Regiment, created in October 1918 for the construction of communication lines. The personnel and officers performed combat missions to restore and undermine railways during the Great Patriotic War. The formation also participated in the construction of several railway lines: Abakan-Taishet, Tyumen-Surgut and BAM. The training center was established in August 1996.

Distinguishing sign of the 857th UTSZHDV

eyewitness impressions

The material and living conditions of the soldiers are different, because. on the territory of the center there are old-style barracks and new, kubrick ones. The canteen is staffed by civilians and military personnel are offered two meals to choose from during lunch. There is a chip. The connection is statutory, so there is no hazing. In addition, old-timers and new recruits live in separate rooms.

The unit also has a museum of railway troops and a dog training center. The classrooms are located in a separate building on the territory of the center. Training of specialists in military unit 11300 lasts about 3 months. Soldiers work out for 8 hours a day, using posters, educational literature and samples of real equipment. Before the start of the educational process, a conversation with a psychologist is mandatory.

Troop banner ceremony

Near the center are several polygons. In particular, on a truck crane, the skills of driving near power lines, as well as unloading and loading goods into cars or gondola cars are practiced. At the bridge range, cadets work with pile drivers that lift and install piles. Employees are also trained in radio communications over short and medium distances.

At the end of studies, the distribution of specialists is carried out. Lists are compiled at headquarters. Some fighters remain at the training center, others are sent to units of the railway troops in Russia. The rest of the unit live in standard barracks, equipped with bunk beds and bedside tables. Personal belongings and civilian clothes are stored in the pantry.
The oath is usually held prior to distribution. The event takes place on the parade ground at 9.00 am. Parents need to arrive an hour earlier - register at the checkpoint and find the soldier's details in the posted lists. After the oath, a leave is allowed, but the soldier must change into civilian clothes.

In the barracks of the training center of the railway troops

Relatives should take it with them.
The rest of the time, layoffs are provided on weekends, from 9.30 to 20.00. If the cadet plans to spend lunch and dinner with relatives, he notifies the company duty officer about this. On working days, meetings with soldiers last no more than 30 minutes, but the leadership of military unit 11300 does not welcome this. As eyewitnesses note, per diem dismissals are provided in very rare cases, and only with excellent results in passing the standards of the FIZO and several articles from the charter. The exact rules for visiting fighters are as follows:

• weekdays - from 18.45 to 19.35;
• Saturday - from 15.40 to 19.40;
• Sunday - from 8.30 to 19.40.

Construction parade ground of the 857th training center of the railway

Mobile phones are in the hands of cadets only during their studies. After distribution, they are deposited with the company commander and are issued twice a week - on Thursday and Saturday. The time allotted for communication is from 40 minutes to an hour and a half. On the birthday of a fighter, the phone is issued for the whole day.
The fighters spend their leisure time in the recreation room, where there is a library and a TV, at 16.00 on Sunday there can be watching movies on military topics.
The fighters receive monetary allowance on a VTB-24 card; money can only be withdrawn at a Sberbank ATM at the time of dismissal. The function of the hospital is performed by the local polyclinic, and the training center has a medical unit.

Taking military oath of soldiers of the military unit

Information for mom

Parcels and letters

On August 6, the Day of Railway Troops is celebrated in the Russian Federation. This holiday was first established by the relevant Decree of the President of the Russian Federation in 1996, and in 2006 a new Decree of the President of the Russian Federation "On the establishment of professional holidays and memorable days in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" was adopted. The railway troops have played a very important role in ensuring the defense and security of the Russian state for more than 160 years. After all, the Day of the Railway Troops was established in memory of the creation of the first divisions for the protection and operation of the St. Petersburg - Moscow railway, which, just, followed on August 6, 1851.

The beginning of a glorious journey. Military workers and conductor companies

Russian Railway Troops is in direct relationship with the development of railways in the country. In 1837, the first Tsarskoselskaya railway line in Russia was opened, although developments in the field of railway construction were undertaken before it. So, in 1833-1834. father and son E.A. and M.E. The Cherepanovs designed the first Russian steam locomotive. When the construction of the railway from St. Petersburg to Moscow was completed in 1851, it became necessary to create armed units designed to protect and ensure the smooth operation of the railway line. At the same time, the best representatives of domestic military thought thought about using the railroad to transport military units much earlier. So, back in 1841, N.S. Mordvinov predicted a great future for railways in terms of moving military units across the vast territory of the Russian Empire. During the period under review, the Main Directorate of Railways and Public Buildings was responsible for transport communication in the Russian Empire. In addition to civilian institutions, he was subordinate to military engineering units, consolidated into the Corps of Railway Engineers and the Construction Detachment. Directly subordinate to the Main Directorate were 52 separate military-working companies, which were engaged in ensuring the protection of land and waterways of communication, but also had the responsibility of repairing roads. In addition, there was a guard crew that served to protect the river routes - the Volga, Oka, Kama, Vyatka and Sura. Naturally, the appearance of the railway also required the creation of specialized military units for its maintenance. Initially, for the service for the protection of the construction of the St. Petersburg - Moscow railway, military worker companies were involved, guarding the land road of a similar direction.

After the construction of the railway line "St. Petersburg - Moscow" was completed in 1851, 14 separate military-working companies, 2 conductor companies and 1 telegraph company were formed by special order from the Main Directorate of Communications and Public Buildings. In the first conductor company, machinists, assistant drivers and stokers served, in the second company - chief conductor and conductor. The total number of personnel of the conductor companies was 550 people. The telegraph company was responsible for ensuring the operation of the telegraph throughout the entire length of the railway line. The number of the telegraphic company was 290 people. The military worker companies included 3,500 servicemen who were responsible for ensuring the protection of bridges, crossings and the operation of railway stations. The emblem of the units was the symbolism of the Department of Communications - a crossed ax and an anchor. Thus, in 1851, the first and very numerous units were formed, which were the prototype of the future Russian railway troops. However, railway construction in the Russian Empire faced numerous obstacles, primarily related to insufficient funding for the industry. Since the construction work was carried out by representatives of foreign companies, they cared less about the needs of Russia and, much more, were concerned about their own enrichment. Therefore, the country's leadership was forced to switch to a strategy to meet the needs of the construction of railways by military units.

Further development. Military road teams

In 1858, the first military work brigade was formed with a total of 3,500 servicemen. She was immediately involved in the construction of the St. Petersburg - Warsaw railway. In addition to the brigade, to solve the problems of building specific railway facilities, non-commissioned officers and privates of active service formed temporary military work brigades, which were disbanded after construction was completed. In particular, in 1863 four military-working companies were formed for the construction of the Odessa-Parkanskaya railway. All companies were subordinate to a staff officer who had the rights of a commander of a separate battalion. The detachment commander was accompanied by two officers, a treasurer, an auditor and an office official. In addition, each company included 550 privates, 12 non-commissioned officers, a captain, a paramedic, a company sergeant major and a company commander - an officer. With the development of systemic railway construction, it became obvious that it makes no sense to form temporary companies and brigades - after all, the rank and file and non-commissioned officers of these units only had time to delve into the essence of their service, as the units were disbanded. Therefore, it was decided to move on to the practice of creating railway military units of a permanent composition. In 1864, the formation of military worker brigades began. Unlike their predecessors, they were permanent and moved from one place to another as new railway lines were built. The strength of the military work brigade was determined to be seven companies of 650 privates in each company. Sometimes units of the ground forces, primarily infantry, were also involved in railway construction, but the military department gradually abandoned this practice, since participation in the construction of railways did not allow infantry units to fully conduct combat training, that is, to engage in its main service. The most demanded was the work of railway military work brigades in the construction of railways in remote areas of the Russian Empire - in the Far East, in Central Asia.

As the length of the railway track grew, the military leadership seriously thought about organizing and streamlining the transportation of large military contingents by rail. In 1862, a corresponding regulation was adopted, regulating the process of transporting troops and military personnel by rail. In 1866, the Regulations on the military road teams were adopted, which were to be created in case of war with the army in the field. The military road teams were subordinate to the inspector of military communications, and he, in turn, to the chief of staff of the army. The military road team included two departments - technical and working. Competent engineers and technicians, road foremen and workers of various specialties served in the technical department. The personnel of the department was recruited according to the order of the department of communications and approved by the Military Ministry. The working department was staffed by servicemen of the engineering troops and infantry who did not have special training and were capable of performing work that did not require high qualifications. The leadership of the department was appointed by the Ministry of War from among the officers of the military engineering service. Approximately at the same time that the regulations on military road teams and on the transportation of troops were being developed, the military workers, conductors and telegraph companies that had existed for a decade were disbanded. The War Ministry was faced with the acute question of the need to create an effective system for training railway specialists capable of serving in military road teams in the event of mobilization and the outbreak of hostilities. After all, by the time under review, the Russian army did not have such a reserve due to the lack of an organized personnel training system.

In 1869, the Regulations on military railway teams formed on railways in peacetime were developed. It was assumed that the military railway teams in peacetime would be formed from among the capable lower ranks of the infantry and engineering units. 75% of the personnel of the military railway teams were to be recruited from among the infantrymen, 25% of the personnel from among the sappers. The number of military railway teams on 23 railways of the country was determined at 800 people. In the process of service, soldiers and non-commissioned officers mastered railway specialties, and after demobilization they were taken on a special account and in case of war they had to be mobilized and sent to serve in military road teams. Along the way, military railway teams were engaged in the construction of railway lines, repair and track work. Three Cossack military railway teams were also formed, consisting of 100 Don Cossacks, who served on the Gryaz-Borisoglebskaya, Rostov-Grushevskaya and Kursk-Kharkov-Azov railways. The Cossack teams operated on a similar schedule with ordinary military railway teams, and the Cossacks who served in them, in case of war, were also to be sent to the military road teams. Mounted Cossacks, in the event of the outbreak of hostilities, were supposed to protect railway infrastructure facilities, repair them, and, if necessary, on the contrary, blow them up so that they would not get to the enemy. The creation of military railway teams had a positive effect on the mobilization readiness of the Russian army in the field of providing military communications. It was thanks to the activities of the military railway teams that in a relatively short time it was possible to prepare an impressive contingent of non-commissioned officers and privates with railway specialties. In 1876, the number of such people was 2200 people. Thus, a reliable and very numerous reserve of military road teams was provided for that time. At the same time, the military leadership decided to begin the formation of permanent railway military units that would be capable of performing large volumes of construction and repair of the railway track during hostilities.

Railway battalions in the Russian-Turkish war

One of the main reasons for the transition to a new form of organization of the railway troops was the upcoming war between the Russian Empire and Turkey, in the near beginning of which none of the leaders of the military department doubted. Therefore, the War Ministry was tasked with creating effective units for the maintenance and construction of railways capable of operating on the Russian-Turkish front. The situation was aggravated by the underdevelopment of the railways in the areas where, as expected, Russian troops would operate. The underdevelopment of the railway infrastructure, in turn, significantly hampered the transport of troops and the organization of their supply. Solving the tasks of organizing the provision of railway communication in a potentially front-line territory required the military leadership to streamline the service of military railway teams. The main drawback of the military railway teams was the personnel shortage: the teams experienced a colossal shortage of regular officers, and the training of personnel, although carried out at an acceptable level, was still not uniform, since each head of the military road team trained subordinates in accordance with their own views on service specifics. The need for the universalization of training and the provision of cadre officers, trained non-commissioned officers and soldiers, led to the formation of permanent military units in the form of railway battalions. According to the leaders of the military department, it was the battalion form of organization that best met the practical needs of railway construction and the service for the protection and repair of railway infrastructure. In accordance with the order of the Minister of War dated November 12, 1876, a military road battalion was formed, which soon received the name of the 3rd railway battalion and was included in the 3rd engineer brigade.

The 3rd railway battalion included two construction and two operational companies. The first operational company was a rolling stock and traction service company, the second was a traffic and telegraph service company. The number of operational companies was determined at 337 non-commissioned officers and privates each, the number of construction companies - at 196 non-commissioned officers and privates each. The personnel of the railway battalion were armed with Berdans, and the machinists, assistants and stokers were armed with revolvers. The servicemen of the battalion wore uniforms of sappers, but with the letters "Zh" on shoulder straps. The recruitment of the railway battalion was carried out through the selection of non-commissioned officers and privates who had been trained in military railway teams and had the appropriate railway specialties. The officers also had special training. As for construction companies, they included 5 railway engineers, 4 technicians, road foremen, foremen, track workers and other specialists necessary to organize construction and repair work on railway lines. The construction companies had their own 4 steam locomotives, 34 wagons for personnel, 2 auxiliary wagons and 4 platforms, as well as a large number of tools needed to carry out repair, restoration, construction or liquidation work on sections of the railway track. As for the operational companies, they included 9 railway engineers, telegraph department officials, machinists and their assistants, stokers, train compilers, conductors, assistant station chiefs and other specialists. Thus, 2 staff officers, 22 chief officers, 23 civil officials, 1066 non-commissioned officers and privates and 31 civilian employees served in the battalion. Thus, the first full-fledged military unit of the railway troops was created in the Russian Empire, capable of performing various combat missions. In 1877, two more railway battalions were created.

Russian-Turkish war 1877-1878 became the first serious test for the Russian railway troops. The vanguard of the Russian army included 3 officers and 129 lower ranks from the 3rd railway battalion. It was assumed that Russian troops would be sent through the territory of Romania, but the railways of this country were in very poor condition, practically unsuitable for transporting large military contingents. Therefore, the 3rd railway battalion was thrown into the restoration of the railway between Cucuteni and Iasi, which was washed out by the overflowing lakes. Within two days, railway communication was restored, while the Romanian railway services requested two weeks to complete this amount of work. Thus, the restoration of the Cucuteni-Iasi canvas was the first "battle" of the Russian railway troops, which they withstood with honor - including thanks to the titanic efforts of soldiers and non-commissioned officers who, under flood conditions, were able to restore the railway track. Subsequently, during the war, the 3rd railway battalion was repeatedly involved in the restoration of railway lines and even in the construction of an additional track on the Ungheni-Yasi stretch. In addition, the railway battalion carried out repairs to the rolling stock involved in the transportation of military units through Romania. Non-commissioned officers and privates of the railway battalion were seconded to the Romanian trains, covering the lack of qualified specialists in the Romanian department of communications. Until May 1878, Russian soldiers served on the territory of Romania, providing the country's railway communication.

During the war, the 2nd and 4th railway battalions were formed in Moscow. The 2nd battalion was formed on June 30, 1877 and immediately sent to the front - to Romania. The companies of the battalion were used to guard trains with cargoes en route to Bucharest, Brailov and other cities of the country. Construction companies took part in the construction of the Iasi - Bucharest branch, bypassing Pascani. In order to increase the capacity of the Romanian railways, it was decided to build a branch from Bendery to Galati, which the battalion was able to complete in just 100 days. Thanks to the built railway line, the task of transporting the Russian army and its equipment was greatly facilitated. During the construction of the branch, 15 stations, 300 bridges and pipes were built. In the period from December 1877 to November 1878, more than 130,000 servicemen of the Russian army were transported by road. In January 1878, a combined company of soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the railway battalions was formed, directed to the southern direction of the railways, and at the end of April 1878, the 3rd battalion in full force was sent to the southern Turkish railways. At the end of 1878, the 2nd and 3rd battalions were withdrawn to Russian territory. Until February 1879, the operation of the South Turkish railways was in the hands of the 4th railway battalion, after which it was transferred to the responsible Turkish departments. In June 1879, the 4th railway battalion was withdrawn to the territory of the Russian Empire. The Russian-Turkish war became the baptism of fire of the railway military units of the Russian army and showed the promise of their use in the conditions of modern warfare, convincing the military leadership of the importance of the railway troops for the Russian army. The railway infrastructure facilities built by Russian soldiers were subsequently operated by the Romanian railway department.

Own EIV railway regiment

In 1878, the 1st railway battalion was formed, whose tasks included serving to ensure the functioning and protection of the St. royal family. Due to the tasks performed, the 1st railway battalion had the rights of guards military units and was distinguished by a special order of service, the best supply. At the same time, soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers of the battalion were practically not involved in the tasks of railway construction and protection of tracks in other regions of Russia and during military campaigns. After the end of the Russian-Turkish war, the number of railway battalions was significantly reduced. In fact, they turned into cropped units, each consisting of a battalion commander, 4 company commanders, a clerk, 6 non-commissioned officers, 2 company drummers and 83 soldiers. The headquarters officers and chief officers of the battalions were sent to continue their service in the field and reserve infantry units, and the lower ranks were sent to the railways as ordinary workers. Thus, despite the successes of the railway troops in the Russian-Turkish war, in the post-war period, the policy of framing units actually led to a significant weakening of the real combat potential of the troops and brought them down to the pre-war level of military railway teams - both in terms of numbers, and in terms of the quality of training, and in terms of level of military discipline and cohesion of personnel. The War Department actually shifted the task of training railway specialists to the department of communications, since the officials of the military department were convinced that the railway troops should serve only in the operation of railways in wartime, and in peacetime, the civilian department will perfectly cope with these tasks. ways of communication. In this regard, there was a steady need for the reorganization and modernization of the railway troops, including in the direction of improving the quality of training of the personnel of the units. Moreover, the subordination of Central Asia dictated the need for the development of railway communication in the region. It was not possible to build and maintain a railway in Central Asia without military units - it was almost impossible to hire a large number of civilian specialists who were ready to work in the "wild region".

From the Caspian Sea to Samarkand

The need for the construction of a railway in Central Asia was dictated by economic and military-political considerations. First, the region was very loosely connected to Russia, making economic exchange and governance difficult. Secondly, without railway communication, the British, whose headquarters and military units were stationed in India, could get advantages in the region. The construction of the Transcaspian railway was entrusted to the Ministry of War, since the road was to be built in the conditions of the war that the tsarist government waged with the Turkmen tribes inhabiting the Transcaspian region. For the construction of the railway in 1880, the 1st reserve railway battalion was formed, which included 4 companies and 1069 non-commissioned officers and soldiers. However, in the process of recruiting the battalion, the command faced a total shortage of qualified personnel. Even to complete one company of the battalion, there was not the proper number of non-commissioned officers and soldiers, which required the involvement of military personnel from the infantry and engineering troops. On May 14, 1880, the 1st company of the regiment was sent from Moscow, and the recruitment of the battalion was completed only by December 25, 1880, after which the battalion was also sent to Central Asia to begin work on the construction of the Transcaspian railway. Engineers from the Ministry of Railways were seconded to the battalion, who were hastily certified as military personnel and enrolled in the battalion. In addition, diggers were attached to the battalion - civilians hired in the Central Russian provinces from among the unemployed peasant population. The construction of the Trans-Caspian railway was the next, after the Russian-Turkish war, a page in the glorious military path of the railway troops of the Russian Empire.

Path construction. Military train of the Russian Imperial Army in Asia, illustration from "Patriot", March 6, 1904.

Within forty days of work, by October 5, 1880, 23 kilometers of broad gauge to Molla-Kara and 37 kilometers of narrow gauge to Kyzyl-Arvat were built. During the construction of the road, the railway workers faced numerous difficulties, first of all, with the lack of clean water sources and climatic changes. By the method of "trial and error" the railway battalion mastered the specifics of the operation of the track in the desert. Naturally, Russia's success in railway construction in Central Asia led to a negative reaction from the British, who feared a further strengthening of the position of the Russian Empire in the region. London, acting through its lobby in St. Petersburg - the Russian "fifth column" - was able to get the tsarist government to decide to suspend further construction, after which work was stopped, and the railway battalion focused on ensuring the functioning and protection of the constructed section of the track to Kyzyl-Arvat . However, when relations between Russia and Great Britain escalated to the limit due to a clash of interests in Central Asia and Afghanistan and there was a threat of a real war with England in Central Asia, the government of the Russian Empire decided to resume the interrupted construction of the railway. The tasks of building the road were assigned to the 2nd Trans-Caspian railway battalion being formed. The functionality of the battalions was divided - the 1st Trans-Caspian railway battalion was responsible for maintaining the already built sections of the track and accepting new sections for operation, and the 2nd Trans-Caspian railway battalion took on the main tasks of building the railway track in the difficult conditions of the Central Asian region. In December 1886, the construction of a railway to the Amu Darya, 806 km long. was completed, after which the railway battalion moved on to the construction of a bridge across the Amu Darya. Complicated bridge work was carried out for four months. On May 15, 1888, the railway from the Caspian Sea to Samarkand was launched. The most important role in its construction and launch, and later - in ensuring the smooth functioning, was played by the Trans-Caspian railway battalions.

Transition to the railway brigade

Meanwhile, in the European part of the Russian Empire in 1885, a separate railway brigade was created, which included all three railway battalions. At the same time, the military leadership was puzzled by the optimization of the structure of battalions for war and peace. According to the wartime states, the railway battalion was to include two construction and two operational companies, 25 officers, 5 officials and 1112 lower ranks. In peacetime, the structure of the railway battalion was defined as two construction, two operational and one personnel company (in wartime, the second battalion was deployed at its base), but the number of personnel was reduced to 652 soldiers and 3 officials with the same number of officers of 25 people. Brigade and battalion schools were created under the brigade and battalions, which began training specialists in various military railway specialties - construction, traction, movement, telegraph and demolition. Officers were sometimes sent to the railways to improve their skills. The training of the personnel of the battalion was carried out at a special training ground in Baranovichi. Along with the training of personnel, the battalions of the railway brigade took part in the construction of railway lines and the provision of transportation of military contingents by rail during military exercises. At the same time, the government, interested in saving money, used the labor of the soldiers of the railway battalions to make a profit, which also explained the frequent participation of the battalions in the process of building new railway lines. In 1890, a commission was created to study the situation in the railway troops, according to whose members the training of the troops was carried out at an insufficient level and required the allocation of a separate railway for the training of soldiers and non-commissioned officers. But the country's government was not able to provide funding for the construction of the educational railway, so the idea of ​​the commission was never implemented.

In the same 1890, new measures were taken to streamline the situation in the railway troops. In accordance with the Regulations on the Field Command of Troops in Wartime, in the event of war, the general leadership of the railway troops was to be carried out by the chief of military communications of the army, subordinate to the chief of staff of the army, and on special issues subordinate to the head of the railway department of the headquarters of the commander in chief. Under the head of military communications of the army, the Field Road Directorate functioned, which was responsible for the construction and repair of roads. At the disposal of the head of the Field Road Directorate were railway battalions, operational teams, and railway protection units. At the same time, the formation of new military units of the railway troops took place. So, in 1895, the 1st Ussuriysk railway battalion was formed to carry out work on the construction of the South Ussuriysk railway, and in 1903 - the 2nd Ussuriysk battalion. On the basis of two battalions, the Ussuri railway brigade was created, which performed important functions in the construction of the railway from Vladivostok to the river. Amur. In 1903, 4 Trans-Amur battalions were formed, united in the Trans-Amur Border Guard Railroad Brigade, whose duties included the protection and operation of the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER). In Central Asia, the Turkestan railway brigade was created on the basis of the Transcaspian battalions. The latter unit was distinguished by the fact that the Kushkinskaya field railway company served in its composition, which served the field portable railway - a unique means of communication. Subsequently, similar companies were formed in Eastern Siberia - the Amur and Irkutsk field railway companies. By the beginning of the twentieth century. also includes the formation of a system of military education for officers of the railway troops.

Prior to this, the recruitment of officers was carried out through the transfer of officers from the engineering troops, but only 40% of the officers of the railway troops had a technical education. Therefore, in December 1903, a special officer school was founded at the Turkestan railway brigade, which was required to graduate from officers who did not have a special railway education and served in the ranks of the railway troops. Each year the school produced 6 traffic officers, 5 maintenance officers and 4 traction officers. The school organized the study of six subjects - the rules of railway traffic, steam mechanics and rolling stock, the construction of railways and artificial structures, building art and architecture, mechanics and water supply, railway hygiene. The teaching staff of the school was recruited from among the officers of the Turkestan railway brigade with proper education and service experience, and from among the engineering staff of the Office of the Transcaspian Railway. Thus, the training system was significantly improved not only for soldiers and non-commissioned officers, but also for officers of the railway troops who do not have a specialized or technical education.

Zaamur railway brigade

At the beginning of the twentieth century. The Russian Empire had very numerous and one of the best railway troops in the world. As part of the Russian army, there were 12 railway battalions, reduced to 4 railway brigades. The Baranovichi Railway Brigade was responsible for the European part of Russia and the combat training of personnel for all brigades. The Turkestan railway brigade ensured the operation and protection of the Trans-Caspian railway, the Ussuri brigade - the Ussuri railway, and the Zaamur brigade - the Chinese Eastern railway. One of the most combat-ready was the Zaamurskaya railway brigade of the border guard, which, after the Boxer uprising in China, was entrusted with the protection of the Chinese Eastern Railway. The brigade consisted of six companies of 325 soldiers and non-commissioned officers. For the acquisition of each company, 125 people were allocated from the railway and sapper units, and 200 people from the infantry units stationed on the territory of the Amur Military District. The brigade units were stationed in Manchuria and played a key role in ensuring the functioning of the CER during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Given the underdevelopment of the railway communication on the Russian-Chinese border, the railway troops played a crucial role in ensuring the supply of the Russian army and its supplies during the Russo-Japanese war. The fighting forced the military leadership to think about further improving the management of the railway troops.

In particular, in October 1904, the Military Council decided to form a special category of railway troops, which included all active railway battalions. Secondly, the staffing of the officers of the railway troops was to be carried out by graduates of the engineering school and officers from other branches of the military, provided they had a higher or secondary technical education. From the jurisdiction of the Main Engineering Directorate, the railway troops were reassigned to the General Staff of the Army. A uniform staff of railway troops was also established for peacetime and wartime, and the need for training personnel of the troops at a special training ground and a special military railway was emphasized. We can say that it was during the years of the Russo-Japanese War that ideas about the functionality of the railway troops during the hostilities took shape. It included: reconnaissance of communication routes for enemy troops, restoration and operation of railways liberated from enemy troops, construction of railways from main railways to locations of army units, organization of operation of railway lines in wartime, protection of railways and preparation for the defense of bridges and other infrastructure facilities, the possible destruction of the railway track in the event of a retreat. Despite the fact that for Russia as a whole, the Russo-Japanese War brought only disappointments, it helped the railway troops to realize their own shortcomings and merits. It was during the Russo-Japanese War that the final formalization of the railway troops took place, which were to take part in the much more global First World War.

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What is the first thought that comes to mind at the mention of the railway troops? For the sake of experiment, I asked the first one who turned up this question. I got a parent, also known as "mother", by the way, being the wife of a lieutenant colonel, she traveled a lot on business trips and had seen enough of military life in her life. However, the suggested associations were simple and surprising. Of course, the railway troops are armored iron monsters, flying wheeled brigades, anti-aircraft installations on railway platforms, lined with sacks and Maxim machine guns, etc. A clear picture is drawn in the mind with a huge depot and armored trains standing on a siding.

In order to figure out how everything really looks and get rid of illusions, I had to go with a group of bloggers to the 857th training center of the Railway Troops. Naturally, in reality, everything turned out to be completely different. Everything is much more prosaic, but no less interesting from this ...

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857 Training Center of the Railway Troops was established on August 1, 1996 on the basis of 1 separate training railway regiment, which began its history on October 5, 1918.

During the entire period of activity of the military unit, its main task was the training of highly qualified sergeants and junior specialists intended to fill positions that determine the combat capability of military units and formations of the Railway Troops. Over the past years, tens of thousands of junior commanders and specialists have been released from the military unit and sent to the troops. Graduates of the training military unit performed their tasks with honor and dignity on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, during the restoration of railways in the war and post-war period. The personnel made a great contribution to the development of the country's railway transport during the construction of the Ivdel-Ob, Abakan-Taishet, Tyumen-Surgut, Baikal-Amur Mainline railway lines. Hundreds of graduates of the unit were awarded government awards for the successes achieved in improving the combat readiness of military units and formations.

Currently, the Training Center of the Railway Troops continues to train squad commanders and specialist soldiers. Training is conducted in 14 specialties, determined by the order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation of 2006 No. 480 "On approval of the List of military positions filled by soldiers, sailors, sergeants and foremen, for which military personnel are subject to training in training formations and military units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation." This:

• foreman (for repair and storage of road engineering equipment)
• copier (for 4 types of crane equipment)
• driver (for 2 types of pile driving and pile driving units)
• track machine operator
• radiotelegrapher (radio station of medium and low power)
• mechanic (telephone ZAS)
• Track machine operator (ЗС-400(500)
• driver (railway crane type KDE, EDK)
• machinist (logging and sawmill equipment)
• crane operator (operation of automobile cranes)

Press release

The noisy company of bloggers and media representatives in the training center was met as positively as possible. About our arrival the command of the center learned literally "just now". But the military is what the military is for, because they quickly figured everything out. It turned out that a crowd of civilians with photo and video equipment was not looking for sensations and scandalous revelations, but simply arrived to get acquainted with the activities of the training center. Accordingly, the command staff quickly calmed down, gave a short lecture and proceeded to conduct an excursion.

The territory of the part is in perfect condition, everywhere is clean and well maintained. There are new barracks, there are old ones… although they differ from each other only in their architectural design, everything else looks decent. I don’t know how it was in other parts of the Moscow region, but in the garrisons, outside our Motherland, where he spent his entire childhood, such a state was considered the norm. Can you say window dressing and regular Potemkin villages here? And I'll tell you that you don't have to judge everyone by yourself!

“The parade ground is currently under repair, we are waiting for the asphalt.”- say the military, when bloggers unanimously find a “flaw”. And what? Why can't the parade ground be under repair? However, there is an idea that everyone who gathered understood this perfectly.

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We go further, we pass through the checkpoint to the territory of the park. At the entrance, the soldiers salute the officers, and, well, us, just in case. 🙂 Near the entrance hangs a rynda and instructions for its use. A joke of humor? No, as long-term practice shows, a simple solution is always better than a complex one. For this reason, a Kalashnikov assault rifle is more reliable than an M16 rifle, a tablet with a paper map is more reliable than a newfangled GPS navigator, and Soviet radars perfectly see "invisible" aircraft ... well, you understand.

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We were given the go-ahead to pester the accompanying officers with any stupid questions, which many immediately took advantage of. To the question "where are the trains?" the military raised their eyebrows in surprise, but they answered the rest of the questions very willingly, gradually switching from the military language to the public language (whoever communicated with military instructors will understand).

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Since we already know that the railway troops do not consist of drivers and stokers of "armored trains", but of specialists of other specialties ... without which, by the way, not a single armored train will go anywhere. The main task of the railway troops is the construction, restoration and protection of railway facilities. Let's see how the main strike forces will squirm if they are not delivered on time with ammunition, spare parts and provisions. Moreover, the railway troops constantly find something to do in peacetime.

But I digress ... we reached the truck crane range.

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As it is not difficult to guess from the name of the landfill, the skills of driving a truck crane are practiced here. In childhood, all the boys had such cars, they dragged them on a string through puddles and twisted the handle, lowering and raising small loads (damn, I had a dump truck). It's the same here, only seriously and for real.

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After a safety briefing “don’t stand under the arrow, I’ll kill you!”, the instructor sets the task and explains everything necessary to complete it.

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Training place number 2. Practicing driving a crane near power lines. The power lines are real. I just want to joke, if you behave well - we will turn off the electricity. But these are jokes, of course, there is no tension in the training wires.

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Under clear guidance, the cargo moves carefully, the power line is not damaged, everything is fine.

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Training place number 7. Here, personnel are trained in loading and unloading cargo from a car body.

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The correct position of the load in space is set by a crane and two fighters who correct it (position) with the help of simple devices such as a rope.

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While one team is working, the rest are watching from the sidelines and waiting for their turn.

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"in... and out... great out"(With)

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Training place number 8. The work of a truck crane with a long load. The task is simple - to move a long structure from point A to point B. At the same time, fix it correctly when moving and lay it in the indicated place.

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Contrary to popular belief that in the army they don’t swear, but talk, not a single indecent word was heard at the training ground.

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Moreover, everyone was so absorbed in their work that bloggers turned out to be the noisiest here. If we exclude this annoying trifle, then the working sound at the training ground is the rattling of truck crane motors and periodic beeping in the process of their movement.

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Training place number 4. Practice for loading and unloading goods into a gondola car. It must be admitted that this is a jewelry case ... after all, you can easily demolish half of the wall of the car, or even turn it over.

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Bloggers and journalists filled all the sites of the polygon. Some brazenly climbed under the cranes and interfered, and some quietly attached themselves to the ranks and did not shine. Nothing betrayed the spy u-96 … for some reason I didn’t want to climb onto the sites at all, so I limited myself to shooting from the side.

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Apparently realizing that if the bloggers were left unattended, they would disrupt all classes at the training ground, the officers accompanying us unobtrusively offered to go to the next training ground "there are more interesting pieces of equipment there."

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The bridge was next. This time the focus was on the pile drivers. A pile driver is a construction machine designed to lift and install piles.

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During our visit, the cadets were shown a mobile folding pile driver MSK-1M. This unit is designed for driving vertical and inclined piles on land, in shallow water and on water (from a ram). Equipped with diesel hammers MSDT1-1250 or MSDT1-1800.

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On the boards located around the perimeter of the landfill, you can get acquainted with all the necessary information, ranging from safety precautions, the performance characteristics of pile drivers, their purpose and composition. The device of diesel hammers and the features of their operation.

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A little further away you could see two portal pile driver designed for simultaneous driving of two piles. The simple design allows for construction work both on land and on water. In the case of using a pile driver on the water, it is installed on pontoons.

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Which is logical, if necessary, this design can be used as a conventional portal crane.

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And in the neighborhood, in the far corner of the training ground, the floating self-propelled pile driver PSK-M-2 × 500 was lonely. But we will look at this unit later, in action ...

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On the other side of the neat path dividing the bridge range into two parts, there was a training session on assembling a universal pile driver (UCA).

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The entire structure, disassembled, as well as the diesel hammer to it, are transported in a small trailer. If necessary, it can be assembled in any convenient place, and the same truck crane can be used as a lifting mechanism.

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Under the instructor's gaze, the design begins to take on a finished look. If necessary, the instructor prompts, and sometimes gives out "magic acceleration" to gaping soldiers.

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The personnel are closely monitoring what is happening, because the next brigade will be them.

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The construction had not yet been completed, and we were already on our way to the next training ground. In passing, we looked at the radio training ground.

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All the intricacies of military radio communications for short and medium distances are trained here.

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Mobile wide-range radio station of medium power R-161 A2M.

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While our noisy company stomped past, the soldiers cast interested glances at us, but continued to study. Assembly of a portable radio station R-168-5UNE-2.

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The next range turned out to be the most spacious and amazed everyone even more. Polygon-exhibition of railway equipment.

Here, future specialists mastered the ZS-500 link assembly stand. This tricky mechanism is designed to assemble 25-meter sections of the railway track with a gauge of 1520 and 1435 mm. on wooden sleepers with rails up to R-65 inclusive with crutch fastening.

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Anyone understand anything? No? Then I'll try to explain ... we bring the disassembled installation into place, unload it and proceed to assembly. We have 12 hours for assembly and adjustment. Then we take pre-prepared wooden sleepers and rails. The letter "P", in the designation of the latter, means "rail", and the figure corresponds to the weight of one linear meter in kilograms. Frozen again? Okay, let's continue ... from any convenient carrier (car, trolley, railway car), the sleepers are fed to the conveyor and enter the ZS-500. Here, holes are drilled in the sleepers, and a lining is installed under the rail, which is nailed with special nails (crutches are called).

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When ready, the sleeper is transferred to the next stage, where it is attached to the rails. Everything is simple and effective to disgrace.

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Manual labor is used only to control and "bait" crutches (nails). In total, ZS-500 can produce up to 500 meters of rail and sleeper grid per shift.

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PB-3M is designed for laying and dismantling of the railway track. The maximum length of links is 25 meters. It moves under its own power along the railway track or on roads for short distances, the power reserve of the tractor is not very large. 🙂

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A laying part is attached to the tractor, which is a welded tubular truss, pivotally supported by a rigid portal frame on two caterpillar trucks. Thanks to all this economy, the rails (rail grid) are moved, set in the desired position and lowered ...

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Further, the rails are fastened together with slips, sprinkled with ballast and basta, you can start the train. In general, we must pay tribute to the learning process, the soldiers are still completely inexperienced, just after the oath, but they do everything confidently and clearly. I think they also make mistakes, but who does not make them in the learning process? Another university would envy such a sharpening of skills.

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We were also shown the PRM-RM lifting and leveling machine in action. The task of which is to raise the track grid, straighten the track and other leveling work.

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It can also be used to replace wooden and reinforced concrete sleepers.

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In addition to those already listed, other items of equipment were presented at the site: Mobile small-sized track machine MMPM; Tractor tractor-doser TTD-2; Railcar with trolleys, for transportation of personnel; Dosing machine TTD-1 with track machine VPRM-600; Tracklayer MoAZ-6442.

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The latter seems to have passed the tests, but was never adopted for service.

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The military was pretty tired of telling bloggers about all the intricacies of railway construction equipment, so we missed all the machines listed above. But we were shown other wonders of engineering - ordinary vehicles, but on a railway track.

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The familiar military URAL, after minor modifications, turns into a completely independent locomotive.

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If the URAL on the rails looked impressive, then the UAZ against its background looked somewhat comical. But regardless of the chassis, the benefits of such a design are undeniable.

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Having passed the range to the end, we left its territory and found ourselves in an open field. Classes were also held here, we met the already familiar PSK-M-2 × 500.

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Behind the fence, in an open field, soldiers master the control of heavy tracked vehicles. It's a pity, of course, but for obvious reasons, we were not shown overcoming the water barrier. The cadets are not ready yet.

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We returned back to the technical range. Passing by the shooting range, many lamented that we were not allowed to shoot. And I, it’s a pity that I didn’t manage to watch the promised tactical exercises on military guards. 🙁

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Here, at the training ground, all those present were shown copra in action. One worked as it should, the other did not work out. If I understand correctly, the lifting mechanism did not catch on the diesel hammer or something like that. But, as they say, hard in learning, easy in battle.

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Since the technical ground is also an exhibition, we saw other samples of equipment used by the railway troops during the fulfillment of their tasks.

A mobile field kitchen... created on the basis of KAMAZ, unfolds on the spot and turns into a spacious dining room.

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Mobile repair complex PRK-1m in a modern design.

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Previously, it was based on ZILs. However, after the decree of the Minister of Defense, all military vehicles are now moving to the KAMAZ platform. Well, rightly so, no one has been doing anything at ZIL for a long time (I can state this quite authoritatively).

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Pontoon bridges with railway tracks, if necessary, you can quickly transfer the railway communication from one coast to another.

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Another version of the pontoon bridge ...

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Behind the back, at the training ground, there is still a lot of interesting things. I really wanted to visit the mobile workshops, inspect the kitchen arrangement and take a closer look at the presented samples of equipment, but time passed and we went further ...

We briefly looked into the classrooms ... naturally, in addition to practical training at special training grounds, soldiers also receive theoretical knowledge.

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Of course, the problems here are the same as in any educational institution... you need to embrace the immensity and convey to students the maximum necessary information. It became especially difficult after the reduction of the service life of conscripts to one year. Accordingly, the training time has been reduced, now instead of the prescribed 6 months, the process of training specialists in the training center takes only 3 months. On the one hand, it's good, but on the other? First, what can be taught in 3 months? Secondly, the program remained the same, designed for twice as long.

So the soldiers are engaged for 8 hours a day, instead of 6, as it was before. Everyone complains, it’s hard for everyone, but where to go ... one consolation, professionals are involved in the training, who do everything in their power and everything in their power. Even combined arms disciplines have time to study. Army, what can I say - ordered to dig, they will dig.

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The classrooms are equipped with visual material, information posters and real technology. Perhaps something looks already old, something is not relevant, but I dare to assure you, some universities can only envy such equipment (again, I know, the type of activity obliges).

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Let's continue ... we did not interfere with classes for a long time and left. By this moment, everyone was pretty tired, the sun was hot and I wanted to relax in the shade of the educational building. TV workers began to interview the command, and those who did not want to sit in one place for a long time went to watch the range of railway cranes.

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Here, the mustache is arranged according to the same principle as on the truck crane range. The only difference is the massiveness of the lifting mechanisms and the network of railway tracks underfoot.

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Time thoroughly began to run out, and there was still a museum of the Railway Troops and lunch ahead. Therefore, we run through the training ground, the poor soldiers and instructors did not even understand what had happened. 🙂

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The load is still moving from point A to point B. It is kept from uncontrolled rotation and guided manually ...

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They also teach how to work near buildings.

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Oh, it's a pity, I would have lingered here ... I always liked to watch the work of railway equipment. But we take a last look at the soldiers, who are larger than ours in the sun, but their appearance does not betray fatigue or weariness, but rather, they follow the actions of the cranes with interest. And we still run towards the museum ...

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On the way we look into the kennel of service dogs. Bloggers joke that they say “let's go feed the dogs” (by bloggers). The military either don't understand the joke or don't show it. Time is already on its heels, and, I think, we are thoroughly fed up here.

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Here, with your permission, I will turn a little detailed story… no, not because the museum is not interesting, but because quite the contrary. The museum covers the entire history of the Railway Troops, tells about all the operations and events in which, one way or another, representatives of this kind of troops participated. The museum is interesting! During the time that we spent inside, it is impossible to see and hear everything.

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The museum was opened 25 years ago. In four halls with a total area of ​​700 m there are hundreds of exhibits telling about the glorious history, rich military and labor traditions of military railwaymen. Among the exhibits are cold and firearms, awards, models of equipment and built objects, documents, uniforms of military railway workers of different years, photographs, electrified circuits, etc., giving an opportunity to imagine how the railway troops have developed since August 1851 (when Directive N25471 of the Emperor of Russia Nicholas I, the first units of military railway workers were formed) to this day. There are many exhibits telling about the working days of soldiers at peaceful construction sites: Abakan-Tashkent, Ivdel-Ob, Tyumen-Surgut, BAM.

Unfortunately, the museum is located on the territory of the HF, i.e. on a regime facility and getting here is quite difficult. But, as we were assured, nothing is impossible ... just call in advance and arrange a visit, preferably not alone, but in a group.

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The railway units became part of the engineering troops from the moment they were created in 1870. First in the form of railway teams, and since 1876 - railway battalions. The railway units were part of the engineering troops until 1908 inclusive. Then they were singled out as an independent category and subordinated to the military communications service (VOSO) of the General Staff.

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Melnikov Pavel Petrovich (1804 - 1880). General Engineer, Professor of Applied Mathematics, Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Member of the State Council, Chief Manager of Railways and Public Buildings since 1862, Minister of Railways from 1866 to 1869. Thanks to Pavel Petrovich Melnikov, railways became one of the most important symbols of the Russian state, a national school of railway construction was created, and the works and work of Melnikov allowed Russia to once and for all refuse the services of foreign specialists.

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In the museum you can see models of specially designed railway equipment. There was a UAZ and a URAL at the training ground, but here is an ordinary "loaf" on the same railway drive.

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Mock-up of a mobile trailer overpass (MPP-5).

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Universal tractor based on the KRAZ-250 vehicle with combined travel. Designed for transportation of track and other specialized vehicles on roads and railways.

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The museum has a lot of memorable souvenirs, awards and prizes received by the railway troops, and on the day of our visit there were still many bloggers. 🙂

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Banner of the Komsomol-youth labor relay race in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Komsomol. BAM - eastern section. The semaphore is active.

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Diesel locomotives TEM1 were built throughout the period 1958-1968. Diesel locomotives of this series were received for shunting work at many stations, and also replaced powerful steam locomotives on some industrial lines.

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A simple device for clearing rubble and destroyed railway tracks.

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Another simple device "boltodelalka". The red-hot crutch is lowered inside, the lever is pulled... BAM... and the bolt is ready. This simple device made it possible to increase labor productivity by more than 20 times.

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In general, if someone is interested in the subject and you have the opportunity to get into this museum, do not miss the chance. The museum is magnificent and very interesting, both in exhibits and in the stories of the caretakers. Again, it’s a pity that we were already on our last legs and missed a lot by ears and eyes.

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After the museum, we had a delicious meal in the soldiers' canteen. Salad, first, second and compote ... and thanks to the efforts of the respected u-96 we got an extra compote. 😀