FROM THE HISTORY OF RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION IN RUSSIA (I)
During its near two-centuries history the railway transport in Russia has gone a long and difficult way of evolutional development, from the first cast iron tram way to the world’s largest transport system.
The beginning of railway construction in Russia was connected with the development of the mining industry.
In 1764 the first wooden tram way was built by foreman K.D. Frolov at the Kolyvan - Voskresensk Works in the Urals.
Charles Gascoigne, a manager of the Alexander Gun Works in Petrozavodsk, suggested using cast- iron rails instead of wooden ones in 1788. The length of the line was only 174 m.
The first lengthy 2 km long cast iron horse driven railway was built in the Altai Mountains by an engineer R.K. Frolov in 1809. It was on that railway where elliptical rails were first used instead of angular ones.
The talented workmen E.A. Cherepanov and M.E. Cherepanov constructed the first Russian steam locomotive at the Nizhniy Tagil Works in the Urals. In August 1834 they opened the movement on the line. The Cherepanovs’ steam locomotive could haul a carriage (each has a capacity of 3.3 tons) with a speed of about 15 km/h. Alternatively it could carry 40 passengers. Later, in March 1835, the second locomotive was built. It could haul 17 tons of freight and the length of a new line was 3.5 km.
In 1834 the Czech engineer F.A. Gerstner, a professor of Vienna Polytechnic Institute came to Russia. It was him who suggested building a railway St.-Petersburg – Tsarskoye Selo for common use. The construction of the line was begun on the 1st of May 1836. The average height of the embankment was 2.9 meters and 23 wooden bridges were built along the way. The rails and fittings were ordered from abroad. The length of the line was 27 km. The gauge was 6 feet (1829 mm). Six locomotives were ordered from England and Belgium. The inauguration of the railway took place on the 11th of November, 1837.
This railway was soon followed by the construction of the St-Petersburg – Moscow railway. It was the first class double track line. The gauge used was 1524 mm. The work was directed by professors of St-Petersburg Institute of the Corps of Engineers P.P.Melnikov, D.I.Zhuravski and N.O.Kraft. 8 large bridges, 182 average and small bridges, 19 viaducts and 69 culverts were built along the way. The line was under construction for 8.5 years. It was opened on the 1st of November, 1851. This line played the leading role in further development of railway construction in Russia.
1. Match the Words to their Definitions:
| 1. Someone who is travelling in a vehicle. | Embankment |
| 2. Someone whose job is to design or build roads, bridges, machines. | Cast iron |
| 3. A long high bridge that crosses a valley and has a railway on it. | Engineer |
| 4. A type of iron that is hard. | Passenger |
| 5. A wide wall of earth or stones built to support a railway. | Gauge |
| 6. The distance between the lines of a railway or between the wheels of a train. | Viaduct |
2. What innovations in the field of transportation are connected with the following names:
1. K.D.Frolov;
2. Ch. Gascoigne;
3. R.K.Frolov;
4. the Cherepanovs;
5. F.A.Gerstner;
6. P.P.Melnikov; N.O.Kraft; D.I.Zhuravski.
What historical events took place?
a). At the Kolyvan-Voskresensk Works in the Urals;
b). at the Alexander Gun Works in Petrozavodsk;
c). in the Altai Mountains;
d). at the Nizhniy Tagil Works;
e). in St-Petersburg- Tsarskoye Selo;
f). in St-Petersburg- Moscow.
4. Match the antonyms:
| First | |
| lengthy | |
| beginning | |
| elliptical | |
| world | |
| construct | |
| large | |
| horse- driven | |
| single – track | |
| local; steam - driven; short; destroy; double - track; angular; last; finish; small. |
Which word or word combination is missed?
1. The beginning of railway construction in Russia was connected with the development of…
2. In 1764 the first …was build by foreman K.D.Frolov.
3. Charles Gascoigne suggested using …rails instead of wooden ones.
4. It was on that railway where …were used instead of angular ones.
5. The Cherepanovs constructed the first Russian …
6. 23 wooden bridges were …on the way.
7. Six locomotives were ordered from...
8. The work on the …line was directed by professors of the Institute of the Corps of Engineers.
9. This line played the leading role in further development of … in Russia.
6. Translate into English:
1. Начало железнодорожного строительства в России было связано с развитием горнодобывающей промышленности.
2. В Алтайских горах впервые были применены рельсы овальной формы.
3. В августе 1834 Черепановы открыли движение по линии.
4. Паровоз Черепановых мог перевозить 40 пассажиров.
5. Средняя высота насыпи на линии между Санкт – Петербургом и Царским Селом составила 2,9 метра.
6. Паровозы были заказаны в Англии и Бельгии.
7. Дорога находилась в процессе строительства 8,5 лет.