10 facts about the railroad. 50 interesting facts about railways

Railways and aviation have long been competing with each other, attracting passengers with inexpensive, fast and convenient transportation. The average statistical person uses rail transport more than 9 times a year.

We present interesting facts about railways.

The longest line in the world - 9300 km, is the Trans-Siberian railway.

After the appearance of the first railway in Russia, travel was free for some time. Most likely, this was done so that residents could get used to this type of transport. The phrases "this is such a scary thing" were coming from everywhere.

A hundred years ago, a law appeared in France that forbade kissing at train stations. And all because because of this "criminal action" the trains left with a strong delay in time. The law is still "respected".

People who inspect the "iron horses" must have an ear for music in order to take action in time if a breakdown occurs. They determine it by ear - the way the wheel knocks must be of a certain frequency. Railway workers are distinguished from representatives of other professions by a special uniform; everyone has seen these people at railway stations. Today, you can freely buy a similar uniform for everyone, as well as for any other specialty https://specovka.by/obuv-rabochaya-specialnaya

In the city of love, in Paris, there is a similar "love train" to match. His route is not so big, Paris - Venice and back. But, suddenly, at such a distance, people in the compartment want to indulge in love pleasures, they will have all the conditions: a double shelf, a shower cabin and "room service".

There is a train that does not move on rails, but on a magnetic cushion. It was created by the Japanese, and the speed that it can develop reaches 517 km / h.

The first trains in Russia of the third class were equipped with ordinary wooden benches. But, it's still half the trouble. The fact that there was no roof in these cars is a real disaster.

Therefore, people who decided to "ride with the breeze" hid under these lavas from rain and snow.

Railways also visited the Guinness Book of Records. The Australian railway broke all records, not having a single turn for 500 km.

Today, the "iron world" does not stand still. Technologies are moving forward, new, "fast-moving" trains are appearing - electric trains, ready to deliver us to the place we need in the shortest possible time. The only downside is the price we have to pay for it.

By the way, the speed that modern high speed trains has already exceeded 580 km / h.

Interesting fact number 1

Every year 1,300,000,000 passengers use rail transport in Russia. That is, every resident of Russia uses the train 9 times a year. However, this figure is far from the limit. In the USSR, there were 15 train trips for every person.

Interesting fact number 2

The longest railway is the Trans-Siberian Railway, which has a length of about 9300 kilometers.

Interesting fact number 3

The middle station of the Trans-Siberian Railway is called "Half". From it to Moscow and to Vladivostok the same distance.

Interesting fact number 4

The first railway was opened between St. Petersburg and Moscow, and the first three days of transportation were free of charge. Simply no one wanted to ride on such an unknown thing as a train.

Interesting fact number 5

If you want to work at Russian Railways, enter the railway institute in Krasnoyarsk.

Interesting fact number 6

In France, it is forbidden to kiss at train stations, as this often caused train delays. The law has been in force for 100 years, and no one has repealed it to this day.

Interesting fact number 7

RailroadIt is known that linemen who check the serviceability of train wheels have a sensitive ear for music. After all, they have to identify wheel defects by changing the tone of the knock.

Interesting fact number 8

On one of the trains that runs in western Peru, conductors provide oxygen bags to their passengers. The fact is that the train travels on the highest railway in the world, which is located at an altitude of about three kilometers.

Interesting fact number 9

Once, in the USA, in the state of Ohio, a train collided with a steamboat. Lake Ohio overflowed its banks at that moment, and the railroad plunged into a meter-thick water column. The driver, however, still decided to drive across the river, well, his way was blocked by a steamboat.

Interesting fact number 10

In Bavaria, in 1910, an order was issued on behalf of the local authorities, which forbade the drinking of beer by machinists and stokers during stops.

Interesting fact number 11

In Argentina, you can ride the famous Patagonia-Express train, which survived the heist of the century. Tourists who decide to ride this train will not only be able to enjoy the scenery outside the window, but also unwittingly take part in a planned performance that simulates a real train robbery.

Interesting fact number 12

In Argentina, you can now take a tour on the legendary Patagonia Express train, which was restored specifically for tourists. In addition to the impressions of the surrounding landscapes, passengers can become participants in the carefully planned "Train Robbery" action without their consent.

Interesting fact number 13

For several years, there was a railway route "Paris-Venice", where a special "Train of Love" ran. A special service was organized in the compartment of such a train. At the disposal of the passengers was a TV, shower, and a special sleeping bunk for two people.

Interesting fact number 14

Once in Switzerland they organized a train tour, where the whole high society of Swiss society was: officials, honorary citizens, politicians, etc. For the occasion, the entire train was made up of restaurant cars. However, the organizers of this celebration did not take into account the fact that there are no toilets in dining cars in Switzerland. As a result, when the train reached its destination, the passengers jumped out of the cars, surprising all the citizens who had gathered to meet the guests of honor.

The very first railway in the world, designed to use steam engines, connected the coal mines located near the English village of Shildon with the cities of Stockton-on-Tees and Darlington. Its official opening took place in 1825. The economic meaning of this project was the prompt delivery of coal from the mines to the port for loading onto sea ships. Transportation on the first railroad in the world quickly turned into a very profitable business. Commercial gain led to the construction of an additional line to the Port of Middlesbrough. In the early stages of the operation of the world's first railway, coal trains were powered by steam locomotives, and passenger cars horses pulled.

background

Underground mines in the vicinity of Shildon have existed since ancient times. Before the advent of the world's first railway, coal was transported by carts. At the very beginning of the 19th century, a project to build a canal arose, which could become a solution to the transport problem, but this idea was not realized. The main obstacle was the dissent of John Scott, Peer of England and second Earl of Eldon. In accordance with the plan drawn up by the engineers, the canal was supposed to be drawn through his land holdings.

The birth of an idea

The project for the construction of the first railway in the world was submitted to the British Parliament for approval in 1821. The main investor was the businessman Edward Pease, who invested in this enterprise a huge sum of seven thousand pounds sterling at that time. As the largest shareholder, he had a significant impact on the process of building the world's first railway. The project was approved by Parliament and the King, but there was no mention of the use of steam locomotives in the text of the official building permit.

George Stephenson

The main investor and inspirer of the project of the world's first railway sought to find the most competent specialist capable of implementing advanced technologies for the early 19th century. He chose George Stephenson, a talented engineer who already had experience building steam engines. To manage the project, a special committee was created, whose members were appointed by the meeting of shareholders. The main investors of the enterprise belonged to the Christian Protestant Quaker movement. Among them was Edward Pease, who was later called "the father of the world's first railway." Due to the sectarian affiliation of the project's authors, the Stockton-Darlington rail track is also known as the "Quaker line".

George Stephenson was assisted in the planning process by his son Robert. The engineer made a number of suggestions designed to facilitate the implementation of a task that was quite difficult by the standards of that era. For example, he recommended using a malleable grade of iron for making rails. In 1822, a meeting of stockholders formally named Stephenson chief engineer. In accordance with the final version of the project, the length of the world's first railway was to be about 40 kilometers. The distance between the rails is four feet and eight inches (1.42 meters). Stephenson actively advocated the operation of steam locomotives and managed to convince shareholders of the prospects of this idea. In 1823, the British Parliament gave special permission for the use of "self-propelled machines".

Opening

Edward Pease and George Stephenson together founded the first locomotive building factory in history. It was located in Newcastle. On September 16, 1825, the first steam locomotive left the plant. Soon it was presented to the general public.

The cost of creating the first railway in the world greatly exceeded the original calculations. The company was forced to take out a short-term loan of £60,000. Shareholders hoped that the project would soon begin to make a profit, which would make it possible to repay a huge debt. The first railroad in the world was built in 1825. Its official opening took place on September 27. The locomotive, pulling 21 wagons, set off at about 7 o'clock in the morning. A rider with a flag rode ahead of the train. In a train equipped with seats, there were from 450 to 600 passengers. On some sections of the route, the train developed a speed of up to 24 kilometers per hour.

The first test was not without technical problems. The train made a forced stop lasting 20 minutes due to the fact that a wheel fell off the car in which the company representatives and engineers were traveling. Another half an hour had to be spent repairing the steam locomotive. The train covered a distance of 14 kilometers and was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of 10,000 people in Darlington. This journey took a total of two hours. The owners of the enterprise considered the opening successful and organized a festive banquet.

Operation in the early stages

When the first railway in the world appeared, the financial situation of the company that built it left much to be desired. The enterprise was under the burden of debts and could not attract new loans. The beginning of the operation of the road was the key to solving financial problems. By 1827, the company paid off its debts. Its share price quickly rose from £120 to £160. The company began to make a profit that could be invested in the development of the world's first railway.

In the early stages, the rail track was used exclusively for transporting coal. During the first three months of operation, the volume of transportation amounted to 10 thousand tons. The use of steam engines increased the amount of coal supplied and caused a significant drop in its market price. Soon the volume of transportation reached 52 thousand tons per year.

Profitability

The first locomotives were not very reliable. Their cast-iron wheels often became a source of problems. Regular repairs took a lot of time and required additional financial costs. In the early period, steam locomotives were less economically advantageous than horses. However, as technical problems were solved, their profitability increased. In 1828, a report was presented to the shareholders' meeting stating that the use of steam engines cut transportation costs in half. However, part of the passenger trains still used horse traction.

Founding of Middlesbrough

The coal transportation business, which had become the main source of profit for the railway company, needed further development and expansion. The port of Stockton could not accommodate enough ships. One of the company's engineers suggested building a new branch to Middlesbrough. This plan received approval from George Stephenson and the shareholders' meeting. The deepwater port of Middlesbrough could greatly speed up the delivery of coal. Before the advent of the railway line, there were only a few residential buildings in this area. The transformation of Middlesbrough into an important transport hub was the reason for the emergence of the city. Currently, its population is 174 thousand people.

Improvements

The railway was constantly modernized. In 1832 the second tracks were built. Around the same time, the use of horse-drawn passenger trains ceased. Steam locomotives replaced horses. Train timetables and signaling were introduced, which later became common on all British railways. Gradually increased the power of locomotives. In 1839, the average speed of passenger trains was 35 kilometers per hour. The number of flights between Stockton and Darlington reached six per day. An average of 200,000 passengers used the railway services annually. The division of wagons into three classes began, depending on which the fare was set. In 1863 the Stockton-Darlington line became part of the North Eastern Railway of Great Britain.

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

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

The most notable railway is the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is the longest in the world. From Moscow to Nakhodka - 9438 km and 97 major stations. The Rossiya branded train runs along this route, which is on the road for 8 days 4 hours and 25 minutes.

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

The coldest section of the Trans-Siberian Railway is located between the Mogocha and Skovorodino stations. The temperature here reaches -62 degrees. Although geographically it is not the northernmost point of the highway.

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

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

The first railway in Russia was a freight one, 2 km long. They built it in the Urals, at the Kolyvanovsky plant, and it worked on horse-drawn traction. The first passenger road was Tsarskoselskaya, known to everyone.

The speed of the first passenger trains in the 19th century was 33 km/h. And the railway workers at that time were a kind of elite: they were treated, for example, in the early 20th century to aviators, or in the 60s to astronauts. Modern trains can develop up to 580 km/h.

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

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

Thrill-seekers are invited to Argentina. The legendary Patagonia Express train, specially restored for tourists, runs there. In addition to vivid impressions of local landscapes, you can suddenly find yourself a participant in an action called “Train Robbery” :)

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

: the history of the appearance of the first locomotive and the first railways. The most unusual railway stations and railway communications. "Station" laws of France and a monument to a dog on Shibui.

1. The first trains, which are trolleys moving with the help of horses, arose back in the 17th century.. In Europe. The first steam locomotive in history, pushing cars, was built by the English inventor Richard Trevithick. It happened in 1801. The purpose of such transport was the transportation of iron ore at the Pen-and-Darren plant, and the speed of its movement was 8 kilometers per hour.
2. The movement on the first railway in the world was opened in England in the first half of the 19th century.. The final stops of the train route were located in the cities of Stockton and Darlington, and the road itself was intended to transport both goods and passengers. The length of such a section was 50 km, and the train consisted of only 6 cars.
3. The first competition of the American steam locomotive Tom Thumb (translated as "Boy with a finger") with a horse-drawn carriage took place in September 1830. The action took place along the railroad track from the village of Reilly Tavern to the city of Baltimore. A mechanical failure of the transport itself and a malfunction in the operation of the boiler decided the fate of the competition. The victory was won by the animal, and "Thumb boy" did not reach the finish line.

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4. What can be in common between professional musicians and linemen? It turns out that he has an exceptional ear for music. It is the sensitive hearing of the latter that makes it possible to detect wheel defects in time by changes in the tone of the knock.
5. At the beginning of the XX century. In France, a law was passed forbidding couples in love to kiss in the territory of railway stations. The reason for this was the frequent failures in the train schedule, caused by long, "passionate" goodbyes. This rule still applies today. Warning signs are placed everywhere, and separate zones are allocated for farewells of lovers.
6. The Ferrocaril Austral Fueguino (Argentina) railway is called the train to the very ends of the earth. It is the state's narrowest gauge railway (gauge is 50 cm). On the trajectory of the train there is a station called "End of the World", which is incredibly popular among those who want to get to the final stop on the "iron horse", and not on a cheaper bus. Interestingly, this road was originally intended to transport prisoners to corrective labor.

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7. The monument to Hachiko, dedicated to the faithful and devoted dog, is located on the territory of the Shibuya railway station (Japan). The animal became famous throughout the country in the 30s. XX century, after the publication in one of the largest newspapers of an article about an old dog waiting daily at the station for its owner, who died a few years ago. At the opening of the monument, a year before his death, Hachiko was present in person.

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8. You can travel between the most romantic cities in the world - Venice and Paris on the "train of love".

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9. The food market of one of the settlements in Thailand is located right on railway tracks . Several times a day, 10-15 minutes before the approach of the transport, traders pack their food and lower the awnings. After the trains have passed, the market fully resumes its work.
10. Passengers arriving in Monte Carlo for the first time by train are often met by locals. Strangers offer beginners to play instead of them in a casino, while promising a solid reward.
11. The smoothest railway, without a single turn, is in Australia. Its length is 500 km.
12. The fare for the express train "The Eastern & Oriental", the route of which passes through Southeast Asia, is 3000-9000 USD. The train includes several restaurant cars decorated in different styles, a library, a shop, a bar, and a magnificent viewing terrace is equipped on its back platform.

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13. A three-kilometer section of the railway, located near the village of Klevan (Ukraine), is called the "Tunnel of Love".
14. At the end of the XIX century. the locomotive became the protagonist of the Lumiere brothers film. Today, dozens of films have been shot about trains, among the most famous are “Runaway Train”, “Magistral”, “Station for Two”, etc.

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15. Although a train is considered several dozen times safer than a car, it is advisable to give preference to seating in the center cars when buying tickets.

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