What fuel do long-distance trains ride? What are the types of trains in the CIS. Last minute boarding a train

Trains are one of the most important modes of transport in the world. Millions of passengers travel by rail every day, and it doesn’t surprise anyone that you can buy a train ticket on the site without leaving your home and board the train by simply presenting the conductor with an electronic ticket (boarding pass) on paper (A4 format) or screen mobile device and passenger identification document (electronic registration). Often, just a passport is enough.

Although trains appeared much earlier than automobile and especially aviation transport, in fact, the emergence of railway communication is a recent thing, one might say. Even 200 years ago, no one could have imagined that soon people would be able to comfortably travel any distance without the help of horses. The same applies to freight and mail delivery: only railways were able to create a unified transport system in the vast territories of America, Europe, Russia, which significantly influenced the development of the economy. So, when and where was the very first train in the world created, and what was its speed?

The prototype of a modern train

The prototype of the train, very primitive, can be called trolleys, which began to be used in the XVIII century in Europe. Between certain points, for example, a mine and a village, wooden beams (beds) were laid, which performed the role of modern rails. Trolleys moved by horses or ... people piled back and forth along them. At the end of the 18th century, single trolleys began to be interconnected by iron rings in order to increase transport efficiency. These short trains of several loaded trolleys, transported on wooden rails with the help of horses, became the prototype of those trains that are used in our time.

Russia is not much behind England. The first freight train with locomotive traction was launched in 1834, and already in 1837 the Tsarskoye Selo railway was built and opened, along which passenger trains ran at a speed of 33 km / h. The honor of creating the first Russian steam locomotive belongs to the Cherepanov brothers.

First steam locomotive

In 1804, the English engineer and inventor Richard Treytwick showed the first steam locomotive to curious viewers. This design was a cylindrical steam boiler, to which a tender was attached (a cart with coal and a place for a stoker) and one car, in which everyone could ride. The first steam locomotive did not cause much interest among the owners of mines and mines, which Treytwick wanted to interest. Perhaps, in fact, his ingenious invention was ahead of his time, as is often the case. The high cost of materials for the manufacture of rails, the need to create all the details of a steam locomotive manually, the lack of funds and qualified helpers - all these negative factors led to the fact that in 1811 Treytvik abandoned his work.

First freight train

Using Treytvik's drawings and developments, many European engineers began to actively create and improve various types of steam locomotives. Since 1814, several models have been constructed (Blucher, Puffing Billy, Killingworth, etc.), which were successfully operated by the owners of large mines and mines. The first freight trains could carry about 30-40 tons of cargo and reached speeds of up to 6-8 km / h.

First main train

On September 19, 1825, the first train operated by its creator George Stephenson passed the first public railway between Darlington and Stockton. The train consisted of a locomotive "Movement", 12 freight cars with flour and coal and 22 cars with passengers. The mass of the train, along with the cargo and passengers, was 90 tons, its speed in various sections was from 10 to 24 km / h. For comparison: today the speed of passenger trains is on average 50 km / h, and high-speed trains such as Sapsan - 250 km / h. In 1830, the Liverpool-Manchester Highway was opened in England. On the opening day, the first passenger train passed through it, which included a postal car - also the first in the world.

Already stipulates the mandatory presence of traction units:

Composition of interlocked railway wagons driven by a locomotive or motor wagon.

As the use of horse-drawn vehicles was reduced, the word “train” gradually lost its original meaning (“row of wagons”) and became associated exclusively with the railway.

A train  a railroad formed and linked train of wagons with one or more operating locomotives or motor wagons, having light and other identification signals

Design and calculation of trains

The weight of the train is one of the most important parameters, as it determines the carrying capacity of the sections, that is, how many passengers or cargo will be transported between stations in a certain time (most often - 1 day). Increasing the mass of the train allows not only to raise this parameter, but also to reduce the cost of transportation. At the same time, an excessive increase in the weight of the train leads to an overload of locomotives and to premature failure of their equipment. Also, as a result of the design, it is possible to determine the length of the train, the number of cars and locomotives in it and their distribution according to the composition, as well as modes of the train along various sections of the track.

Freight train formation

The procedure for the formation and admission of long, heavy, connected, increased weight and length of freight trains is established by the duty officer of the railway. Formation is carried out without a selection of cars according to the number of axles and weight, but when forming long-train and heavy trains, empty cars must be placed in the last third of the train. when proceeding for repair or out of repair, they are put in the tail of a freight train by one group. The current rules for the technical operation of railways in Russia prohibit the following cars:

Formation of passenger trains

The norms of weight and length of long-distance and local passenger trains and the procedure for placing cars in them are indicated in the books of train schedules. In the front and last cars, the end-end doors are locked, and the transitional areas are fixed in the raised position. The procedure for linking wagon cars to passenger trains beyond the norm and following long-haul passenger trains is determined by the relevant instructions. On Russian railways it is allowed to attach non-all-metal utility wagons to passenger trains (except for suburban).

It is forbidden to put in passenger and mail-baggage trains:

• wagons with dangerous goods;
• wagons with expired periods of periodic repair or with expired terms of a unified technical audit.

In passenger (except for high-speed and fast) and mail-baggage trains can also be delivered several freight cars.

• in the far - 1 car (or one two-car section for the transport of live fish);
• in local and suburban - 3 cars;
• in postal and luggage - 6 cars;

The speed of passenger and mail-baggage trains, which include cars of other designs and types, is limited by the speeds set for these cars.

Organization of train traffic

The basis for the organization of train traffic on the main railways is a traffic schedule, the violation of which is not allowed. Thanks to it, traffic safety and the rational use of rolling stock are ensured. In accordance with the schedule, each train is assigned a specific number. Trains of a certain direction are assigned even numbers, and trains of the opposite direction are assigned odd numbers. In addition to the number, each freight train at the formation station is assigned a specific index, which does not change until the disbandment station. If the train is not provided for by the timetable, then a number is assigned to it when it is assigned. In accordance with the rules for the technical operation of Russian railways, trains are divided into the following categories:

• Extraordinary:

• Regular - in order of priority:

• Trains of federal significance:

• Passenger high-speed (always federal);
• Fast passenger trains of federal significance (usually branded);
• Commodity trains of federal significance;

• Passenger ambulances;
• Freight trains of increased importance:

• Special orders of increased cost;
• Perishable freight trains;

• Passenger trains (additional trains and low-level passenger trains);
• Post and baggage, military, passenger-and-freight, human, expedited freight;
• Freight (through, precinct, precast, export, transfer), economic trains;

To control the movement of all trains, the railway is divided into certain sections (usually 100-150 km), called plots. All trains in each section are controlled by a train dispatcher (DC). His responsibilities include ensuring the fulfillment of the train schedule, so the orders of the dispatcher are subject to unconditional implementation. In addition, train drivers and other train servants obey the instructions of station attendants, who in turn also obey the train dispatcher. Up to several sections can be under the control of one dispatcher.

Varieties of trains

Trains differ in the nature of the cargo, speed, size, weight, etc. The following train types are found on Russian railways.

• Passenger  - designed to carry passengers, baggage and mail. In turn, they differ in:

• Freight (commodity - obsolete name):

• Expedited:

• Fast freight;
• Refrigerated;
• For transportation of animals;
• For transportation of perishable products;

• Flood control;
• Separate locomotives:

• Dispatching;

• Military  - designed to move troops, military equipment, institutions and other military cargo.

In addition, the word “train” is an integral part of the following names:

• Propaganda train - rolling stock, designed for campaigning, propaganda and educational work;
• An air train is a multi-car train using aerodynamic forces to create a screen effect when moving;
• Armored train - armored rolling stock for warfare;
• Diesel train - diesel engine carriage;
• Turbo train - a motor-car rolling stock in which the gas turbine is the primary engine;
• Electrical train - a unit designed for electrical work during the electrification of railways;
• Electric train - a motor-car rolling stock that receives energy from an external electric network (contact network, contact rail), or from rechargeable batteries.
• Energy installation train is a manufacturing enterprise that constructs power lines in rail transport.

Train equipment

The brakes

Currently, the trains will use a variety of types of brakes: pneumatic and electric, automatic and non-automatic, freight and passenger, non-rigid and semi-rigid, etc.

The main disadvantage of a pneumatic brake is that the speed of propagation of the air wave, and therefore the response of the brakes in composition, is equal to the speed of sound (331 m / s). The non-simultaneous operation of the brakes can lead to longitudinal shocks, which in passenger trains leads to discomfort for passengers, and in long freight trains, to train rupture. Therefore, on passenger as well as long-haul freight trains, electro-pneumatic brakes are used. In this case, an electric wire runs parallel to the brake line, through which signals are transmitted to the air distributors (the latter is called an electric air distributor, due to the presence of an electrical part in the structure). The advantage of this type of brake lies in the almost simultaneous operation of the brakes along the entire length of the composition, which also reduces the braking distance.

In addition to the Westinghouse brake, the Matrosov brake system is also used. In the former USSR by train, truck and some types of buses. The peculiarity of this system is that braking is performed when the pressure in the brake system drops. There are two types of Matrosov brake systems: with spring braking, and with air valve braking. In contrast to the Westinghouse system, it is not possible to move in the absence of pressure in the brake system.

Trolley Cart. Between the wheels you can see the magnet brake shoe

Control and safety devices

To increase safety, trains are equipped with various instruments and devices, most of which are located in the driver's cab. To control the signals of traffic lights, the train is equipped with ALS - automatic locomotive signaling. It reads from the way the special signals coming from the traffic light in front, decrypts them at the mini-traffic light (locomotive traffic light) located in the cab, duplicates the signals in front of the standing traffic light. To check the vigilance of the driver is the so-called vigilance handle (RB, structurally it is made in the form of a button or pedal). When changing readings at a locomotive traffic light, as well as if the driver has not changed the position of the traction and brake controls for a long time, an audible signal is generated, which is often duplicated by a light (in some cases, the light signal lights up before the sound). Having heard a sound signal (or having seen a light signal), the driver must immediately press the RB, otherwise, after some time (5-10 s), emergency braking will be automatically applied. A periodic check of vigilance is also carried out when the train approaches a traffic light with a prohibitive indication. Often, sensors are used to control the vigilance of the driver, which measure his physiological data (pulse, pressure, head tilt).

Signals

	Steam whistle
Playback help

As is clear from the definition, one of the properties of a train is the presence of signals. Train signals are included in the general railway signaling system, which also includes travel signals - traffic lights, signal signs, signs, etc. The signals are divided into sound and visible.

For the sound signals are special devices installed on rolling stock - whistles, typhons, bells. They are designed to increase safety, by warning about the approach of the train, as well as to give commands to train compilers and car inspectors. Sound signals, in turn, are divided into high volume signals and low volume signals. A high-volume signal should have reliable audibility within the braking distance and is used extremely rarely, especially in cities and towns. Typhon is used for its supply. On railway locomotives, the sound level of a typhon signal at a distance of 5 meters is about 120 dB at a tone frequency of 360-380 Hz. Bells were used to provide low-volume signals on early locomotives; at present, their whistles have changed. The whistle signal at a distance of 5 meters has a sound level of 105 dB at a fundamental frequency of about 1200 Hz. To drive the whistle and typhon on steam locomotives, steam from the boiler is used, on the other locomotives - compressed air. On trams, signals are given by an electric bell.

   Examples of some sound signals given by train drivers on Russian railways:

Signal	Value	When served
3 short	“Stop”	When approaching a prohibition signal.
	Full stop signal	Served after the train stops completely.
One long	“Set off for the train”	When leaving the train.
	Alert Signal	When approaching crossings, tunnels, passenger platforms, curves, locations for track work. When following in conditions of reduced visibility (blizzard, fog, etc.). To prevent collisions with people. When trains meet at double-track sections: the first signal is when approaching the oncoming train, the second is when approaching its tail.
One long, one short, one long	Announcer following the wrong path	In the same cases as the usual announcer.
	Alert signal	When receiving a train to the station on the wrong track. When approaching a traffic light with a prohibition indication, if there is permission to follow it. When following a traffic light with a prohibiting or incomprehensible indication.

• The head of all trains when following the correct path is indicated by a searchlight and two transparent white lights that are turned on at the buffer beam (buffer lights), and in this case, a motor-carriage train is allowed to follow with extinguished buffer lights;
• When the train is following the wrong path, its head is indicated by the red light of the lantern on the left side, and the transparent-white light of the lantern - on the right side;
• The tail of freight and passenger-and-freight trains is indicated by one red disk with a reflector at the buffer beam on the right side;
• The tail of passenger and postal-luggage trains is indicated by three red lights, and in the case of hitching into the tail of a freight car, one red;
• The tail of a locomotive traveling in the tail of a train, or without cars at all, is indicated by one red light on the right side;
• During shunting movements (including following to the depot), a locomotive and a motor vehicle rolling stock are indicated by one buffer lamp in front and behind, turned on from the side of the main control panel (on ordinary main locomotives and motor carriage trains - the left buffer lamp in front and the right buffer lamp back).

Communication

To exchange information of train drivers with station attendants, train dispatchers, train compilers, as well as between themselves, trains are equipped with radio communication devices. Depending on the type of work, two types of radio communications are used on the subway and main railways - train and shunting. The first is used to exchange information of train drivers with train dispatchers, as well as among themselves, the second is used to exchange information from a centralization officer with a train driver and train compilers during maneuvers.

Radio communication operates in simplex mode with group calling in the most common hectometer (~ 2 MHz) and meter (~ 151-156 MHz) bands. Since the noise level in the hectometer range is quite high, to get a good signal along the railway track, guide wires are pulled, which can be placed on the supports of the contact network, or on the supports of overhead communication lines. On the main railways, the radio communication of train drivers with train dispatchers is carried out through the dispatch train radio communications in the decimeter range (330 MHz, abroad - up to 450 MHz), the train is used to communicate train drivers with each other, with duty stations, as well as with the head of the train (on passenger trains). Locomotive radio stations are installed in the control cabin, often with two remotes (separately for the driver and for his assistant).

On passenger motor-train trains, an internal communication system is installed, which is carried out via a wire line. This system is designed to transmit messages to passengers in the cabin, as well as to exchange information between members of the locomotive crew (the driver with an assistant or conductor) located in different cabins. For emergency communication of passengers with the driver, the “passenger-driver” communication system is designed, the intercoms of which are located in the passenger cabins. Often, the communication systems "driver-passenger" and "passenger-driver" are combined into one.

Train pull

Main article: Traction Theory

The muscular power of animals, mainly horses, was used to set the train in motion on the first railroad tracks. In the first half of the 19th century, they were replaced by a locomotive - a traction vehicle moving along rails. The principle of its operation is the interaction of the wheel and the rail - traction is transmitted from the engine to the wheel, and the wheel, due to the friction force on the rail, drives the locomotive, and with it the whole train, into motion. The first type of locomotive was a steam locomotive - a vehicle powered by a steam engine. Steam entered the steam engine from the steam boiler, which was located on the locomotive. Despite such an advantage as “omnivorous” (oil, coal, firewood, peat could serve as a fuel for the locomotive), such locomotives had a very significant drawback - a very low efficiency, which amounted to about 5-7%. Therefore, at present, steam locomotives are almost not used in train work.

In modern locomotives, internal combustion engines are used as the primary engine - diesel (diesel locomotives) or a gas turbine (gas turbines). Since such engines can operate in a limited range of rotational speeds, to transmit rotation to the driving wheels, an intermediate gear is required - electric or hydraulic. Electric transmission consists of a generator and electric motors, hydraulic - of hydraulic couplings, torque converters and hydraulic pumps. Hydraulic transmission is lighter and cheaper, but electric transmission is more reliable and more economical. On low-power locomotives, mechanical transmission is sometimes used. Of the autonomous locomotives, diesel locomotives with electric transmission were most widely used.

The primary engine can be completely removed from the locomotive, and energy can be transferred to the locomotive from the outside - via the contact network. It is on this principle that an electric locomotive works - a non-autonomous locomotive driven by electric motors. An electric locomotive through the current collector receives electricity from the contact network, which is then transmitted to the traction motors, which drive the moving axes into rotation through the gear transmission. The main advantage of an electric locomotive over autonomous locomotives is the practical absence of harmful emissions into the atmosphere (unless emissions from power plants are taken into account), which made it possible to transfer all city rail transport - trams and subways, as well as monorail trains to electric traction. In addition to the enumerated types of locomotives, there are also combinations of them: electric locomotive, electric locomotive, heat locomotive and so on.

The train can be set in motion without transmitting traction from the engine to the wheel and further to the rail. So in a linear motor, electricity is directly converted into translational energy - the train moves due to the interaction of the magnetic fields of the inductor and the metal strip. The inductor can be located both in the overpass and on rolling stock. Such an engine is used on trains with magnetic suspension (maglev), as well as in monorail transport. In addition, in the twentieth century, experiments were carried out using aircraft engines for propulsion of trains (propeller, jet engine), but they were mainly intended to study the interaction of rolling stock and rails at high speeds.

Energy of cars

In passenger trains there are many auxiliary systems designed to ensure passenger comfort. For most of them (lighting, heating, ventilation, cooking in dining cars), electricity is used. One of its sources is an autonomous power supply system, which includes a generator and a battery. The DC generator is driven into rotation from the axis of the wheelset through a belt or cardan transmission. The voltage on the generator is 50 V, and its power is about 10 kW.

If the car is equipped with an air conditioning system, the voltage on the generator is 110 V, and its power can reach 30 kW. In this case, an alternator and a rectifier are more often used. To obtain alternating current (to power fluorescent lamps, radio equipment, sockets for connecting electric shavers and other low-power devices), machine or semiconductor DC to AC converters are used. The battery is designed to backup the generator at low speeds, and also perceives load peaks. The main disadvantage of such a system is an increase in resistance to movement up to 10%.

On high-speed and high-speed trains, a power car is used to power the train. It is equipped with a diesel generator set and is mainly installed in the front of the train, immediately behind the locomotive (on the high-speed trains Aurora and Nevsky Express it is installed in the tail of the train). On diesel trains, auxiliary generators are used to obtain low voltage, which are driven by a diesel installation. On direct current electric trains, the generator is located on the same shaft with a dynamotor located under the car, and high-voltage semiconductor converters are also often used. On AC electric trains, low voltage is obtained from the traction transformer, where the voltage of the contact network is reduced to the required level (about 220 V). Next, the single-phase current in the machine converter is converted to three-phase. To obtain direct current from alternating current, rectifiers are used. On subway cars, the control and lighting circuits receive power from the battery (it is also charged from the contact rail through a set of resistors), or from a static converter.

To supply heating circuits, a high voltage (on the main railways - about 3000 V) is required, which comes from the locomotive. On a direct current electric locomotive, power in the heating circuit of the train comes directly from the contact network, on an alternating current electric locomotive, the voltage of the contact network (25 kV) is reduced to 3 kV by means of a special winding on the traction transformer, and then it enters the heating circuit. A special generator can be installed on the diesel locomotive, generating a voltage of 3 kV, otherwise, heating on the passenger cars is provided with fuel (coal, firewood, peat). In subway cars operating in open areas (for example, the Filyovskaya line of the Moscow metro), as well as in tram cars, electric furnaces are connected directly to the contact network (or to the contact rail). High voltage can also come not only from the locomotive, but also from the power car. Often a low voltage can be supplied to the cars from the locomotive - to power the lighting, ventilation, etc. circuits, which eliminates the need for an autonomous power supply system.

Trains in art and culture

In painting

One of the first paintings depicting a train can rightfully be considered a painting by the artist Tyumling which depicts the train of the Tsarskoye Selo Railway (see above). In 1915, Gino Severini painted the painting "A Sanitary Train Rushing Through the City." Also in the halls of many museums you can find many other paintings with the image of trains ("Turksib", "Winners" and others). Trains in his paintings were painted by Vladimir Gavrilovich Kazantsev, Isaac Ilyich Levitan.

In literature

Trains appear in a large number of literary works, and in some of them trains play an important role. So in trains the action of some Agatha Christie novels about Hercule Poirot was unfolding: “The Secret of the Blue Train” and “”. The main character of Leo Tolstoy’s novel “Anna Karenina” rushes under the train. One of Jules Verne’s first novels, “Paris in the Twentieth Century,” describes a train that is driven by a cylinder moving inside a pipe and connected to the composition by magnetic coupling — a prototype of a linear engine, and the hero travels by train in the novel “Clodius Bombarnacus” along the Trans-Siberian Railway. The book "The Yellow Arrow" by V. Pelevin is also devoted to the trip on the train. In 1943, Boris Pasternak published a collection of poems entitled "On Early Trains." In 1952, Gianni Rodari published a collection of children's poems called The Train of Poems. In the Harry Potter series of novels by J.K. Rowling, the Hogwarts Express train takes students to Hogwarts School at the beginning of each school year. In V. Krapivin’s short story “An outpost on an anchor field”, the futuristic maglev train is one of the key elements of the plot, sometimes visiting a secret station located in a parallel world

The plot of I. Stemler’s book “The Train” is also developing in the train.

In the cinema

As representatives of railway transport, trains appear in a huge number of films, starting with the earliest ones - “Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station” (it can also be seen in the film “A Man from the Capuchin Boulevard”). Also, the main action of the films (“Under Siege 2: Territory of Darkness”, “Golden Echelon”, “Highway”, “Uncontrollable”, “34th ambulance”, “Murder on the Orient Express”, “Train”, “ We, the undersigned ”and others).

In cartoons

One of the most famous cartoons related to trains is the English animated series Thomas and Friends (since 1984), as well as its Soviet predecessor, The Steam Engine from Romashkov. In many American cartoons, you can often see the episode when the train knocks down a character standing on the rails (this episode is even played out in the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit). Also, trains can be seen in cartoons such as:

• "Wait for it! (Issue 6) ”(1973) - at the end, the Wolf chases after the Hare by train;
• "Shapoklyak" (1974) - Gena and Cheburashka at the beginning and end of the cartoon ride the train. It is noteworthy that in the locomotive an electric locomotive ChS2 is easily guessed, which has the nickname “Cheburashka” among railway workers;
• “Vacations in Prostokvashino” (1980) - Uncle Fedor escapes from his parents on a suburban train;
• “Stop the train” (1982);
• "Around the World with Willy Fog" (1983);
• "South Park" - in the episode "Cartman's Milf - A Dirty Whore" (1998) Kenny knocks down a train;
• “Futurama” - at the exhibition “Pastorama” (episode “Lesser of Two Evils” (2000)) Fry defines the train as “a mobile free house”;
• "Cars" (2006) - McQueen crosses the crossing just before the train;
• “The Simpsons in the Movie” (2007) - EPA agents catch Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie on the train.
• "Tilly's Little Brave Train"
• In the Polish animated series "Magic Pencil" one of the series

In the songs

One of the most famous Soviet songs about the train is the children's song "Blue Carriage", played in the cartoon "Shapoklyak":

The blue carriage runs swinging
  The fast train is gaining momentum ...

Many songs about trains are heard in movies or on music scenes:

• “Train to Chattanooga” - from the movie “Serenade of the Sun Valley”
• “The train goes east” - from the film of the same name
• “I will take a fast train” - Mikhail Boyarsky
• "Train to Leningrad" - Empire
• "Fast train" (D. Tukhmanov - V. Kharitonov) - Funny guys
• Fast Train - Bravo
• Fast Train - Victor Petlyura
• “The fast train will come” - Team C
• “Train Again” - Chizh & Co
• City of Roads - Centr
• "Train on Fire" - Aquarium
• Postal Train - Hi-Fi
• “Talking on the Train” - Time Machine
• “Another Town, Another Train” - ABBA
• Trainhide to Russia - Accept
• "Train of Consequences" - Megadeth
• “Bullet Train” - Judas Priest
• “Train Kept A Rollin`” and “Back Back Train” - Aerosmith
• “Train” - 3 Doors Down
• Zion Train - Bob Marley
• Suburbian Train and Urban Train - DJ Tiesto
• Rock’n’Roll Train - AC / DC
• “Hold the Train” - Metal Corrosion
• “The slowest train” - Laima Vaikule
• “The waiting room” - Irina Bogushevskaya
• “Farewell” (... from all stations, trains leave for distant lands ...) - Lev Leshchenko
• “Burning Arrow” - Aria, as well as other performers
• “Train to Surkharban” - Oleg Medvedev
• "Knock" - Cinema
• “Train 193” - Alexander Bashlachev
• "Road number 5" - Chizh & Co

Also, songs about trains can include any song that mentions moving rail rolling stock:

• “Wait, the engine” - from the movie “Operation Y and Shurik’s other adventures”
• "Electric Train" - Cinema
• “Train” - Alena Apina
• "Train-cloud" - Lyceum
• "42 minutes underground" - Bravo
• Pyramochka Tram - Lube
• “Extra 38” - Chizh & Co
• "Thirty-ninth tram" - Irina Bogushevskaya
• "Hesitated" - Disco Crash
• "347th" - 7B
• “The car is swinging” - Vyacheslav Dobrynin
• “Knocking Wheels” - KREC et al.
• “Quiet Don” - Nikolai Bobrovich
• “Trains are leaving” - Alexander Emelyanov

In the techno-opera of Viktor Argonov 2032: Legend of the unfulfilled future, the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, A. S. Milinevsky, visits the secret city of Zelenodolsk-26 on Maglev, which is mentioned in the songs “200 Minutes” and “Unrealizable Your Way”. Given the speed of the train, slightly exceeding 300 km / h.

On stamps

In computer and video games

Due to the huge number of computer games of various genres, trains are found in a considerable number of games. There is even a whole genre of games dedicated to trains - train simulator. The most famous games of this genre are: Southern Belle and its sequel Evening Star, Train Simulator, Densha de GO !, Microsoft Train Simulator, Trainz, Rail Simulator. In these games, the player is given the opportunity to manage trains of various countries of the world according to various options of routes with various options for the formation of trains.

In games of other genres, trains play a much smaller role and they act there, mainly, only as a means of delivery. In such games, the player can simply observe the movement of the train along a pre-created railway (Commandos 3: Destination Berlin, Blitzkrieg), but can also create the infrastructure of the railway, set up routes for trains and even pick up the number of cars in the train and the type of cargo. The latter is especially pronounced in economic simulators, for example, in Transport Tycoon, Railroad Tycoon and their sequels (Transport Tycoon Deluxe, Transport Giant, Railroad Tycoon 3, Pioneers of railways and so on). Some games even have the ability to primitively control the train (GTA: San Andreas, SimCity 4: Rush hour).

Railway slang

• "Mad" - high-speed train;
• “Turntable” - a freight train, mainly composed of dump cars and hoppers, traveling along a ring-shaped route;
• "Humpbacked" - a train with oversized cargo;
• “Pen” - a motor train (diesel or electric train), the next run-in without passengers, or a locomotive, the next without cars;
• "Parrot" - a motor train (diesel or electric train), following the schedule of a fast train;
• “Fly” - a working train of 2-3 passenger cars with a shunting locomotive;
• "Surge" - reducing the time of delay of passenger trains;
• “Bulk”, “bulk” - a train carrying liquid (bulk) cargoes (mainly oil and oil products, as well as oils, acids, liquefied gases, etc.);
• "Stub", "shorty" - a short and easy train;
• “Foundling” - a suburban train consisting of a locomotive and 1-4 cars, or an electric train of 4-6 cars;
• “Stretch out” - to stop with a train on a difficult section (ascent, profile fracture) due to breakage or inability to drive a train;
• "Raft" - several locomotives linked together following the stage;
• “Heavyweight” - a locomotive following a reserve (without wagons);
• “Commodity” - a freight train;
• "Mother-in-law" - a signal indicating the tail of a train;
• “Coal” - a train loaded with coal.

Records among trains

Main article: Train Speed \u200b\u200bRecords

In the world

In the CIS

Train crashes and wrecks

In the world

Crash in Germany in 1988

In Russia

Terrorist acts related to trains

Helicopter in a train

Gallery

Notes

1. The French train surpassed its record. Vesti.ru (April 3, 2008). Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
2. Section 5 // Rules for the technical operation of the railways of the Russian Federation.
3. .
4. The article "Train" in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd ed.
5. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 210.
6. The history of railway transport in Russia / ed. E.N.Boravskaya, K.A. Ermakov. - SPb. : AOOT Ivan Fedorov, 1994. - T. 1. - S. 24-25. - ISBN 5-859-52-005-0
7. Zabarinsky P.  Stephenson. - Moscow: Journal and Newspaper Association, 1937.
8. ed. Boravskaya E.N., Ermakov K.A.  The history of railway transport in Russia. - St. Petersburg: AOOT "Ivan Fedorov", 1994. - T. 1. - P. 38-40. - ISBN 5-859-52-005-0
9. The first digit indicates the number of axles - they help the engine fit better into the curves and somewhat relieve its front end. The second digit indicates the number of coupling axles (also called driving) - the working moment from the engines is directly transmitted to these axes. It is the wheels on these axes that drive the engine, and with it the whole train, into motion. The third digit indicates the number of supporting axles - they help to better distribute the weight of the engine on the rails, somewhat unloading its rear
10. Several steam locomotives, to reduce the axle load on the rails, were soon equipped with a slider axis, as a result of which the type 1-3-0 was created for the first time in the world
11. The history of railway transport in Russia / ed. E.N.Boravskaya, K.A. Ermakov. - SPb. : AOOT Ivan Fedorov, 1994. - T. 1. - S. 29, 106, 243-249. - ISBN 5-859-52-005-0
12. Railway transport // Big Encyclopedia of Transport. - T. 4. - S. 184-185.
13. Section 4. // Rules for the technical operation of the railways of the Russian Federation.
14. Since the 1980s, in the majority of motor car depots of the USSR, the position of conductor was abolished, and part of his duties (monitoring the boarding and disembarkation of passengers) was transferred to the assistant driver.
15. Railway transport // Big Encyclopedia of Transport. - T. 4. - S. 170-171.
16. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 78-80, 291-293.
17. Currently [ when?] another definition is adopted: high-speed train - a train following at an average speed of at least 51 km / h and at least 5 km / h faster than other passenger trains traveling in the same direction ((subst: AI))
18. The concept is relatively arbitrary, for example, the length of the route of the suburban train St. Petersburg - Malaya Vishera is about 163 km.
19. Conventional wagon - a conditional measure of length equal to 14 m. It is mainly used to measure the length of station tracks.
20. Given the number of axles of the locomotive
21. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 24, 30, 44, 115, 462, 519, 522.
22. Railway transport // Big Encyclopedia of Transport. - T. 4. - S. 132-135.
23. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 448-450.
24. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 514.
25. Rakov V.A.   . - M.: Transport,. - ISBN 5-277-02012-8
26. Rakov V.A.  Locomotives and motorcar rolling stock of the railways of the Soviet Union, 1976-1985. - M.: Transport,.
27. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 222.
28. Railway transport // Big Encyclopedia of Transport. - T. 4. - S. 125-127, 199.
29. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 18.
30. Because of this, and also because of the characteristic tapping during work, the nickname of an informer was assigned to a mechanical speedometer.
31. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 22-23, 199, 392-393.
32. One of the drawbacks of the SAVP of suburban trains is the error of up to 20 meters, which may lead to the fact that the first car will be outside the platform.
33. For comparison: 110 dB - the sound level of a working tractor at a distance of 1 m; 150 dB - sound level of a take-off jet
34. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 389.
35. Chapter 8. Sound signals //. - Transport, 2005.
36. For example, when driving on the right - on the left
37. Chapter 7. Signals used to designate trains, locomotives and other moving units. // Instructions for signaling on the railways of the Russian Federation. TsRB-757. - Transport, 2005.
38. Railway transport // Big Encyclopedia of Transport. - T. 4. - S. 127-128.
39. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 383-384.
40. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 352.
41. Pegov D.V. and etc.  DC electric trains / Ageev KP .. - Moscow: “Center for Commercial Development”, 2006. - P. 68. - ISBN 5-902624-06-1
42. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 289-290.
43. Railway transport // Big Encyclopedia of Transport. - T. 4. - S. 138-145.
44. Rakov V.A.  Trunk electric locomotives with hydraulic transmission // Locomotives of domestic railways, 1956-1975. - Moscow: Transport,. - S. 179-180. - ISBN 5-277-02012-8
45. Railway transport // Big Encyclopedia of Transport. - T. 4. - S. 203-205.
46. Railway transport // Big Russian Encyclopedia. - 1994 .-- S. 211.
47. Background to high-speed and high-speed foreign railways // High-speed and high-speed rail. - T. 1. - S. 171-172.
48. Railway transport // Big Encyclopedia of Transport. - T. 4. - S. 135-138, 149-153.
49. At the stop. Winter morning on the Ural railway. 1891
50. The train is on the way. 1890s Art catalog. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
51. Jules Verne  Paris in the twentieth century.
52. Danil Koretsky  Nuclear train. - Moscow: Eksmo, 2004. - ISBN 5-699-09043-6
53. Russian railway slang. Steam locomotive IC. Archived from the original on August 20, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
54. Background to high-speed and high-speed foreign railways // High-speed and high-speed rail. - T. 1. - S. 176.
55. World records of speed on railways // High-speed and high-speed rail. - T. 1. - S. 295.
56. China Artemy Lebedev. Home Page. - See the latest photo. Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved February 25, 2009.

A train is a type of transport that is most often used by residents of the CIS if they need to travel outside their community. However, few people know that before the advent of railways, the word “train” was used to refer to another type of transport. Let's find out which one, and also get a little acquainted with the history of trains, their types.

The train is ...

Today, this word refers to a train of several wagons attached to a locomotive, which sets the whole train in motion. Typically, trains have a “head” (beginning) and a “tail” (end), on both sides of which are attached to the locomotive. Depending on which locomotive is pulling the wagons, the location of the head and tail of the train may vary.

By the way, not everyone knows, but even a locomotive without wagons attached to it also belongs to the concept of “train”.

In the CIS countries, trains are numbered so that there is no confusion. Wagons also receive numbers, while they are unchanged even in the event of a change in the "head" of the train.

What was called the "train" in the past

In Russia, the word "train" appeared much earlier than humanity in general invented rail transport. In the old days this was the name of a wagon train, consisting of a string of carts following each other (in winter - a sled). Such trains were used to transport provisions and weapons by the military, as well as traders, in order to deliver their goods from one place to another.

With the advent of railways, the word familiar to the people of the Russian Empire began to be used as a name both for the engine itself and for it in combination with wagons. By the way, the cars themselves initially continued to be called crews.

Interestingly, in this sense, the term "train" is used today only during wedding festivities. This is the name of the solemn procession of the groom, following to the bride’s house to take her to church or registry office.

Origin of the term

The noun “train” is the original Russian word, which was formed from the noun “trip”, and before that, from the verb “ride” (move with the help of a vehicle).

The verb itself still existed in the Pre-Slavic language. For this reason, it has been preserved in modern Ukrainian (“izdit”), Belarusian (“izdzits”), Bulgarian (“izdizi”), Czech ( jezdit), Polish ( jeździć) and other Slavic languages.

The first railway in the Russian Empire

The first in September 1830 was first launched in Europe. Practical Europeans pretty soon realized how convenient and practical, and most importantly, cheap, a new mode of transport, and soon the territory of the most advanced countries was covered with a grid of railways.

A few years after the first train was launched, the inhabitants of the Russian Empire became interested in it, and work began on creating their own locomotive.

Already in 1836 there was the first attempt to start the train by rail, however, then instead of a steam locomotive, the wagons pulled a drawn train of horses. After successful trials in 1837, the St. Petersburg - Tsarskoye Selo train was established, which ran along a specially constructed railway for it. It is noteworthy that the steam locomotive was used to move this train only on weekends, and on weekdays instead of it, the train carriage was pulled by rails drawn by horses.

It is worth noting that the successful demonstration of the first railway and its capabilities contributed to the development of this infrastructure throughout the empire, and by the beginning of the new century there was a whole network of railways in Russia.

What are the types of trains in the CIS

Classification of trains is carried out according to various criteria. To understand which train belongs to which type, you need to clearly know its speed, length, mass, range and type of cargo.

• The speed of the train can be: fast (more than 50 km / h), high-speed (140 km / h), high-speed (200-250 km / h) and accelerated (there is no exact speed, but it moves faster than fast and high-speed, does not carry passengers) .
• In length - ordinary ones without a name, long compound ones, of increased length and connected from several trains.
• By weight - super heavy and increased mass (more than 6000 tons).
• By distance - suburban, distant (more than 150 km), direct (follow more than two roads), local (within one road follow less than 700 km), through, precinct (go from one station to another), combined ( cars deliver to different stations).
• By the type of cargo, trains are passenger, freight (freight), passenger-and-freight, cargo-luggage, postal-luggage and military.
• By regularity: summer, one-time, year-round.

The terms "train", "station": what is the relationship between them?

Considering the topic of trains, one can not help but recall such a thing as a “station”. Although there are bus, river, sea, aviation (airports) stations, most often in the minds of citizens this concept is firmly connected with the railway. The fact is that travel by train to this day remains the cheapest and most affordable for residents of almost any country where there is a railway.

A station is a complex of one or several buildings built to serve passengers and sort luggage. They are located in particularly important points of transport (in the case of the railway - in the largest settlements).

By tradition, at the stations, you can not only get on or off any transport, but also find out the train schedule, buy a ticket at the ticket office, leave your luggage in a luggage room, go to the toilet or have a meal in a local cafe. Also, many stations are equipped with waiting rooms, lounges (or hotels), where each passenger can wait for his train or relax and put himself in order.

The theory of train movement is an integral part of the applied science of train traction, which studies the issues of train movement and the operation of locomotives. For a clearer understanding of the operation of an electric locomotive, it is necessary to know the basic principles of this theory. First of all, we consider the main forces acting on a train when moving - it is the traction force F, the resistance to movement W, the braking force B. The driver can change the traction force and the braking force; the force of resistance to movement cannot be controlled.

How are these forces formed, on what do they depend? We have already said that each driving wheel pair of an electric locomotive has a separate traction motor, which is connected to it by a gear reducer (Fig. 3, a). The small gear wheel of the gearbox (gear) is mounted on the shaft of the traction motor, and the large one is on the axis of the wheelset. The ratio of the number of teeth of a large wheel to the number of teeth of a small wheel is called the gear ratio. If you use the traction motor, then torque is created on its shaft. The frequency of rotation of the wheelset will be 1 times less than the frequency of rotation of the motor shaft, but the torque, respectively, 1 times more (if you do not take into account the efficiency of the gear transmission).

Consider the conditions necessary for the electric locomotive to move.

If the wheels of the electric locomotive did not touch the rails, then after starting the traction engines they would simply rotate, remaining in the same place. However, due to the fact that the wheels of the locomotive come into contact with the rails when transmitting torques M on the axis of the wheel pairs, the adhesion force appears between the surfaces of the wheels and the rails.

Along the way, we note that initially, when creating the first locomotives - steam locomotives, they generally doubted their ability to move along a “smooth” rail track. Therefore, it was proposed to create a gearing between the wheels of the steam locomotive and the rails (Blenkinson steam locomotive). A locomotive (Brunton steam locomotive) was also built, which moved on rails with the help of special devices that alternately repelled from the path. Fortunately, these doubts did not materialize.

The moment M (see Fig. 3) applied to the wheel forms a pair of forces with shoulder R. The force FK is directed against the movement. She seeks to move the wheel reference point relative to the rail in the direction opposite to the direction of movement. This is prevented by the reaction force of the rail arising from pressing the wheel on the rail at the reference point, the so-called traction force Fcu. According to Newton’s third law, it is equal to and opposite to the force FK. This force makes the wheel, and therefore the electric locomotive, move along the rail.

There are two points in the place of contact of the wheel with the rail, one of which belongs to the bandage Ab, and the other to the rail Ar. In an electric locomotive standing motionless, these points merge into one. If in the process of transmitting a torque to the wheel, the point Ab displaces relative to the point Лр, then in the next instant, the points of the bandage begin to come into contact with the point Лр in turn. In this case, the locomotive does not move, and if it has already moved, then its speed decreases sharply, the wheel loses emphasis and begins to slip relative to the rail - to box.

In the case when the points Ap and Ab do not have a relative displacement, at each subsequent moment of time they exit the contact, but at the same time the following points continuously come into contact: BB with Br, Wb with Br, etc.

The point of contact between the wheel and the rail is the instantaneous center of rotation. Obviously, the speed with which the instantaneous center of rotation moves along the rails is equal to the speed of translational motion of the locomotive.

For the movement of the electric locomotive, it is necessary that the adhesion force at the point of contact of the wheel and rail feu, equal to but opposite in the direction of the force FK, does not exceed a certain limit value. Until it reaches its point, the force FC creates a reactive moment FCVLR, which, under the condition of uniform motion, should equal the torque.

The sum of the adhesion forces at the points of contact of all the wheels of an electric locomotive determines the total force called the tangent force of the traction FK. It is easy to imagine that there is a certain maximum traction force limited by adhesion forces, at which boxing does not yet occur.

The occurrence of adhesion can be somewhat simplified as follows. There are bumps on the seemingly smooth surfaces of the rails and wheels. Since the contact area (contact surface) of the wheel and rail is very small, and the load of the wheels on the rails is significant, large pressures occur at the contact point. The irregularities of the wheel are pressed into the irregularities on the surface of the rails, as a result of which the wheel engages with the rail.

It was found that the adhesion force is directly proportional to the pressure force - the load from all moving wheels on the rails. This load is called the grip weight of the locomotive.

To calculate the greatest traction force that a locomotive can develop without exceeding the traction force, in addition to the grip weight, it is also necessary to know the traction coefficient. Multiplying the grip weight of the locomotive by this coefficient, determine the traction force.

The work of many scientists and practitioners is devoted to the problem of the maximum use of the force of adhesion of wheels to rails. It has not been finally resolved so far.

What determines the value of the coefficient of adhesion? First of all, it depends on the material and the condition of the contacting surfaces, the shape of the bandages and rails. With increasing hardness of the tires of the wheelsets and rails, the adhesion coefficient increases. When the rails are wet and dirty, the adhesion coefficient is lower than when dry and clean. The influence of the state of the surface of the rails on the coefficient of adhesion can be illustrated by the following example. In the newspaper Trud of December 13, 1973, in a note entitled Snails Against a Steam Locomotive, it was reported that one of the trains in Italy had to stop for several hours. The reason for the delay was a huge number of snails crawling through the railroad tracks. The driver tried to lead the train through this moving mass, but to no avail: the wheels were skidding and he could not budge. Only after the stream of snails thinned, the train could move.

The adhesion coefficient also depends on the design of the electric locomotive - spring suspension devices, the switching on of traction motors, their location, type of current, track condition (the more the rails are deformed or the ballast layer sags, the lower the adhesion coefficient is) and other reasons. How these reasons influence the realization of traction force will be described later in the relevant paragraphs of the book. The adhesion coefficient also depends on the speed of the train: at the moment the train starts moving, it is larger, with increasing speed, the realized adhesion coefficient first increases slightly, then drops. As you know, its value varies widely - from 0.06 to 0.5. Due to the fact that the adhesion coefficient depends on many reasons, the estimated adhesion coefficient is used to determine the maximum traction force that an electric locomotive can develop without boxing. It represents the ratio of the greatest traction force reliably realized under operating conditions to the grip weight of the locomotive. The estimated coefficient of adhesion is determined by empirical formulas that depend on speed; they are obtained on the basis of numerous studies and experimental trips, taking into account the achievements of advanced machinists.

When starting off, that is, when the speed is zero, the coefficient for direct current and dual power electric locomotives is 0.34 (0.33 for VL8 series electric locomotives) and 0.36 for alternating current electric locomotives. So, for a dual-supply electric locomotive V L 82m, the coupling weight of which is P \u003d 1960 kN (200 tf), the tangential traction force Fк, taking into account the calculated coefficient.

If the surface of the rails is dirty and the adhesion coefficient has dropped, say, to 0.2, then the traction force Pk will be 392 kN (40 tf). When sand is supplied, this coefficient can increase to the previous value and even exceed it. The use of sand is especially effective at low speeds: up to a speed of 10 km / h on wet rails, the adhesion coefficient increases by 70-75%. The effect of applying sand decreases with increasing speed.

It is very important to ensure the greatest coefficient of adhesion when starting and moving: the higher it is, the greater the traction force can be realized by an electric locomotive, the greater the mass of the train can be driven.

Resistance to the movement of the train W occurs due to friction of the wheels on the rails, friction in the axle boxes, deformation of the track, air resistance, resistance due to descents and rises, curved sections of the track, etc. The resultant of all resistance forces is usually directed against the movement and only at very steep downhill coincides with the direction of movement.

Resistance to movement is divided into primary and secondary. The main resistance acts constantly and arises as soon as the train begins to move; the additional is due to the slopes of the path, curves, the temperature of the outside air, strong winds, moving away.

It is very difficult to calculate the individual components of the main resistance to the movement of the train. Usually it is calculated for cars of each type and locomotives of different series according to empirical formulas obtained on the basis of the results of many studies and tests under various conditions. The main resistance increases with increasing speed. At high speeds, air resistance prevails in it.
   Given the basic resistance to locomotive movement, in addition to the tangential traction force of an electric locomotive, the concept of traction force on the automatic coupler Fa is introduced (Fig. 4).

In the process of running a train, brakes are used to reduce the speed, stop, or maintain its constant speed on the descents. The brakes create braking force B. The braking force is generated due to friction of the brake pads on the wheel bandages (mechanical braking) or when the traction motors act as generators. As a result of pressing the brake pad to the bandage with the force K (see Fig. 3, b), friction force arises on it.

friction. Due to this, the adhesion force B is formed on the bandage at the point of contact with the rail, equal to the force T. Force B is braking: it impedes the movement of the train.

The maximum value of the braking force is determined by the same conditions as the traction forces.In order to avoid skidding (sliding without wheel rotation on the rails) during braking, the condition for friction of the brake pads against the brace must be met, depending on the speed of movement, the specific pressing of the pads on the wheel and their material. This coefficient decreases with increasing speed and specific pressing due to an increase in the temperature of rubbing surfaces. Therefore, apply two-way depressing the wheels when braking.

Depending on the forces applied to the train, there are three modes of train movement: traction (moving under current), coasting (without current), and braking.

At the moment of starting up and during the period of further movement under current, the traction force Fк and the resistance to the movement of the train K act on the train K. The nature of the change in speed depending on time in the section of the OA curve (Fig. 5) is determined by the difference in forces. The larger this difference, the greater the acceleration of the train. Resistance to movement, as already noted, is a variable quantity, depending on the speed. With increasing speed, it increases. Therefore, if the traction force is unchanged, the accelerating traction force will decrease. After a certain point О, the traction force decreases. Then there comes a moment when Fк and the train moves with constant speed under current (a portion of the AB curve).

Next, the driver can turn off the engines and continue to coast (section BV) due to the kinetic energy of the train. At the same time, only the force of resistance to movement that reduces its speed acts on the train if the train does not move on a steep descent. When the driver turns on the brakes (from point B to point G), two forces act on the train - resistance to movement and braking force B. The speed of the train decreases. The sum of forces B is a decelerating force. There is a possible case of movement when the train moves on a steep descent and the driver uses braking force to maintain a constant permissible speed.

The previous article was popular, because on the eve of the summer I decided to again turn to the topic of train travel and highlight some more tricks and unobvious moments associated with this type of movement. If anyone missed, then the first article on this topic. Knowing these things makes your trip more comfortable or predictable, and something can even save your life (seriously!)

Train passenger tricks

1. Number of seats in the car

People are sometimes confused and cannot understand what place they are buying. In fact, everything is simple. Odd numbers are lower shelves. Even - top. Numbers 1 to 36 are seats in the compartment (9 compartments in 4 places). From 37 to 54 - side in the reserved seat. And yes, 37 and 38 are the same side walls at the toilet!

Regarding which places are better to choose, one can reason for a long time. It is traditionally believed that the last compartment in the reserved seat is worse than the rest, and the worst place in the car is 38 (the upper side wall of the toilet). By the way, in new cars, the vacuum toilet can work quite noisily, then the last compartment of the compartment car will be different from the rest, a little worse. But, for example, 35 and 36 regiments in the reserved seat (the last compartment, seats on the right) are good from some point of view, better than 33 and 34. In most cars (but not in new ones), there is a partition at places 35.36, which protects legs from the door. The same partition also protects against careless passengers. Have you ever been woken up by people passing by accidentally hitting your leg? Me - yes, especially if you go to the lower shelf (I do not like the lower shelves). This partition restricts someone, but for me, there’s more benefit from it than harm.

Personally, I don’t like the first compartment in the reserved seat because it is fairly light at night - in the service aisle, the light usually does not go out and makes it a little difficult to sleep. In general, based on probability theory, on average, the calmest and quietest places will be in the middle of the car (17-20 and side 45-46), if we assume that it’s calmer where you walk less. This is in a standard carriage with toilets on both sides. But how exactly will be in your case - no one knows. There will be a snoring passenger in this middle of the car, and suffer like this all night 🙂

2. Cheaper ticket categories

For some time now, there is a different approach to the cost of different seats in the carriage in Russian Railways cars. In my opinion, it is perfectly reasonable that places with different levels of comfort should vary in price. Today it is implemented, although not always and not everywhere.

It works like this. We go in and start looking for tickets in the direction. They show us some prices. Then we go to the data entry, continue the design, and then we find that the final price is much higher than the one indicated during the search. Simply, when searching, they show us the minimum prices, and the place is automatically selected at the maximum. So for the minimum cost you need to choose a place yourself.

The problem is that at the moment the Russian Railways website does not inform us in advance what place it costs, we only learn about it at the stage of the last data check. And the situation is far from always the same. Possible options that I have identified empirically:

• in the compartment  upper shelves may be cheaper than lower;
• in the reserved seat all top shelves may be cheaper;
• side upper shelves may be cheaper;
• the last compartment of the reserved seat may be cheaper, by the toilet, places 33-38;
• it may be cheaper than the only 38 shelf, sideboard by the toilet.

It happens that 38 regiments are sold at one price, and all the others at one different price. And it happens that the 38th shelf is the cheapest, the upper shelves are more expensive, and the lower ones are even more expensive. But the 38th regiment will not necessarily be cheaper than the other upper ones. It happens that one has to figure out with such an exhaustive search what Russian Railways came up with this time.

3. Emergency exits in compartment 3 and 6

For those who feel stuffy and who like to open windows. In new cars, it’s irrelevant - air conditioning is working, but for old cars everything is still the same. I remind you that in the car there are two compartments with emergency exits through the window. It is always a compartment numbered 3 and 6, seat numbers in the car 9-12 and 21-24. On the window there it says “Emergency exit”. You cannot open it without the need.

In fact, there are especially gifted people who open such windows. It is difficult, but it can open, as usual. But if, after all, someone guessed to open such a window, then in no case should you try to close it.I remember the story when the conductor tried to close such a window while the train was moving. The window did not close immediately, and she guessed to stand on the table. As a result, flew out of the car with the window - this is an emergency exit!

If the window is open, then it is worth telling the conductor about this. Maybe they will try to close it while parking at the station. But personally, I would have left at the place of the conductor until the end of the route. So if you do not want to go with the window open all the way and freeze at night, then do not touch it. And don’t touch it at all!

4. How many errors can be in the ticket

Several times I heard that up to three mistakes are made in the first name and surname or passport number. In fact, when I worked as a guide (although it was in 2008, I doubt that something had changed), according to the instructions, we had to let the passenger into the car if there was a mistake in one (!) Letter or number. It was allowed that two adjacent letters or numbers were interchanged. I think if you have 2-3 errors in the surname, and the passport number is written correctly (or vice versa), then, probably, you will still be put on the train. But it is better not to take risks and carefully check your data when buying.

Obviously, it is necessary to present the document for which the ticket was purchased (passport, passport, military ID). The document number and name on the ticket must match the document. I recall the cases when the conductors put passengers with errors on the ticket “for a fee”. But this is forbidden, rarely anyone will do this, according to the rules, the conductor simply must refuse to land.

5. Do I need to print a paper ticket

With the introduction of electronic registration, we were able to travel without traditional tickets printed on an orange form. Now you can buy a ticket yourself on the Internet and go on it. We are provided with a paper ticket, which is a strict reporting document. By the way, do not forget to check that there is a mark “Passed electronic registration” on the ticket. Today, in 99 cases out of 100, when buying on the Internet, electronic registration is automatic. But there are still trains where, in principle, it cannot be. If you bought such a ticket, then you will need to print an orange ticket at the ticket office or in the terminal, otherwise they will not be put on the train. So for now, we are checking that there are no surprises.

Regarding the need to print a paper ticket. The following is written on it;

“Print this coupon or save it on your mobile device and present it at the time of boarding together with the identity document indicated when purchasing the electronic ticket.”

In fact, conductors do not ask for this listing in 90% of cases. If they have lists, then they will look for your last name in the list, checking only the passport. True, it sometimes happens that they do not have lists. And then something is needed confirming. Personally, I’m not printing anything right now, and if necessary, I’m showing a ticket in the smartphone application. I use the unofficial “Russian Railways Application”, wrote about it, very convenient.

Oh, by the way, I once came across a story when a peasant did not want to be put on a train. He had passed electronic registration, and on the ticket it was written about it, I saw it myself. But for some reason he was not on the landing lists. The situation was solved, the head of the train called somewhere, registered it. Then he told him that he somehow did not complete the registration. I can’t imagine what it could be. If only he registered, printed the form, and then canceled the electronic registration. Or a failure at Russian Railways. I don’t think it’s worth worrying much about such opportunities.

6. When does the boarding start and when does it end

We are not talking about intermediate stations, where the landing starts in accordance with the schedule, but about the initial ones. Here, boarding begins exactly 30 minutes before departure. Often the composition itself is served to the platform earlier. And some passengers like to get to their car, it is especially interesting in the winter, and wait on the platform and remember the conductor with an unkind word. You can still start knocking on the window. So all this is pointless, the landing should begin the same throughout the composition, in exactly 30 minutes. Then, the station will announce the start of boarding your train. So if you arrived at the station early, then sit quietly in the building. Peregrine Falcons, by the way, are often served even later, usually in about 20 minutes.

5 minutes before departure, they announce at the station that “there are 5 minutes left before boarding”. After this announcement, the conductor will ask everyone who is still on the platform to go into the car, and then go through the car to check if there are any mourners.

2 minutes before the departure of the train, they announce “a train such and such leaves from such and such a route”. That's right, they have already announced that the train leaves, but before the departure two more minutes. By the way, this also applies to commuter trains. Therefore, if you are late for the train and heard such an announcement, then do not despair. There is still some time to try to be in time.

7. Is it possible to hop on the train on the go

In the cinema, we have repeatedly seen passengers running along the platform behind a train that has already started moving and jumping into the open doors. In fact, this will never happen. The conductor must close the door immediately after the train has started. It’s more expensive to land passengers when the train has already begun. Besides the fact that you can get a fine, it may well turn out that the passenger confused the train (not the car, but the train!). And what will the conductor do with it when the train is already moving?

Therefore, if you came running to a door already closed, then knocking and asking for admission is pointless. Just turn around and go to the cashier, try (some amount you can still expect to receive).

To prevent such situations, we arrive at the landing in advance, and if we already feel that we do not have time in our car, then we run into the first one that we get. The conductor is required to land you upon presentation of a ticket for this train.

For situations when you are already traveling by train, and left at the intermediate station. There, theoretically, it would be possible to sit on the go, most likely, the conductor will wait, in which case it is already disadvantageous for him, if you stay, then write reports. But it’s better not to bring this up, except that the conductor risks a fine, because it’s also elementarily dangerous. Therefore, we follow the rules, listen to the requirements of the conductor, and go into the car in advance!

8. Is it possible not to buy bed linen

Today it is impossible to refuse to buy bed linen in compartment cars and SV. But in the reserved seat you can. In 2017, underwear costs 138 rubles, and over time this figure is gradually growing, along with inflation.

But you must remember that paying for bed linen gives you the right to use a mattress, pillow and blanket. If the linen is not paid, then you can’t use it, so the option with your own bed linen will not work. Therefore, such savings make sense only if you plan to sit all the way. No one forbids hikers to lay out their skins and sleeping bags 🙂

By the way, if you did not include bed linen in the ticket in advance, then it can always be purchased from the guide for the same price.

9. A bandage for a dream

It is absolutely incomprehensible to me why this attribute is not very popular among travelers. After I appreciated the convenience of the sleep dressing, I never part with it at all, especially when traveling in any transport.

Thanks to this accessory, we become independent of the lighting in the car. You can sleep during the day. But even at night there are some problems on the train, for example, that you are already going to sleep, but everyone does not turn off the light. Once I was driving in a reserved seat car, where an inexperienced conductor left a dim light all night. You could go and ask to turn it off, but it was easier to put on a bandage and not think about it.

10. Do I need to pour tea myself

When we buy tea from the conductor, it is not necessary to pour boiling water on our own. In many cases, the guide himself will offer you tea to your place. But it happens that the conductors are too lazy to do this and limit themselves to giving you a glass in the cup holder and a tea bag. To prevent this from happening, do not ask for tea and wait. We approached the guide, said: “Bring tea to such and such a place, please,” and that’s all, we’re leaving. We will pay the money when it brings. The conductor is not a fool, of course, will bring you tea, it is beneficial for him. You don’t even have to go after him, you can pick out the guide when he passes by your place. C - service.

Although I do not force anyone to strain the conductor once again, some people like to pour tea for themselves.