Russian Railroad!!!

scharnhorst wrote:I have an intrest in Russian and in Ukrainian Railroads. I will be in Ukraine this summer and will try to do some railfaning in and around Kiev.

My Great Grand Father worked on the Trans-Siberian Railroad around the late 1880's to early 1900's when it was first being built under Czar. He stayed on long enough to make make a few houndred dollars so that he could come to america which he did around 1909 or 1910.

He made a good choice.

Komanchi wrote:I'm also interested in the Metro system in Moscow... such beautiful and elegant stations designed as "palaces for the people," truely transit dedicated to the masses.

The Moscow Metro is indeed spectacular; even the most recently-opened stations (such as Park Pobedy terminal) are architectural marvels. Some of the older ones are more like palaces. Some of the St Petersburg stations are also fascinating, such as Avtovo, but a number are very bland - in particular, those on the line which is served by the 'horizontal elevator' type doors to the platform. I visited both in July and have some pics at http://busestramsandtrains.fotopic.net/c1330370.html, along with some from both the Moscow and St Petersburg Railway Museums - both of which are a very interesting experience. I haven't got round to uploaded my 'heavy rail' shots yet.

Komanchi wrote:One of the questions I have is in regards to Helsinki (Finland?) station in St. Petersburg... Is there a statue there dedicated to Lenin, marking his triumphant return to Russia before he led the Bolshevick Revolution in 1917? Just currious.

When I travelled into Finland Station in St Petersburg, I didn't notice a statue of Lenin actually in the station. The locomotive which hauled his train is 'plinthed', and on display in a huge glass case, though. Perhaps the statue you're thinking of is the one which is in Ploshad Lenina, immediately outside the station's facade.

Hay guys just got back from Kiev, Ukraine this past Saterday and found that the main train station was impressive to see althow it was under reovations which seemed to be about the norm every where in Kiev. I saw a lot of trains on the move but did not stick around to long as the newer expastions and industrial areas of the city are vary high in crime.

It appears from this Times article that "it's open season" for incidence of sabotage against the Russian Railways.

Some of the attacks noted within the article appear to resemble the tactics used against Nazi Germany during WWII.