TRAFFIC DENSITY AND ELECTRIFICATION OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A007600360006-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 24, 2007
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: August 17, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/10/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007600360006-6
COUN1.,. ! USSR
CLASSIFICATION C-0-14 CENTRAL INTELUGENOE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SUBJECT Traffic Density and Electrification
of the Trans-Siberian Railroad
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
OF 1111 001110 $717110. SITR01 Tilt RIMMING OF 11fl1 W- 5071011$ 760
00 704. OF Tilt 0. S. CODs. 5$1010010, ITS 71611 mI OR 0 111-
1ftOl or ITS 10071/1$ TO OR 110117? BY AN Oil1071OIIUD 111605
I6 FSOilIN110 A LAW . 1111 101 D000C1I011 OF VMS POSE 10 710R101110-
JCODED Attached is a copy
REPORT
CD NO.
DATE DISTR. 17 August 1955
NO. OF PAGES 3
25X1
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BEWW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
`uhich is being forwarded as received.
CLASSIFICATION C-O-N-F-r-b-E-N-T-i-A-T.
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Red ChinL.
REPORT
information on the Trap:;--` i`adt t' Railroad. Line
EVALUATION
DATE OF CONTENT
DATE OBTAINED
REf ERENCES_.._... _._
C
PAG ES
REMARKS.._..__.__......
re;.crt:.;, 120 trains Proceed daily in each direction of this line It is
PLiJCE OBTAINED.__
Tho following observations were made during a trip from ;3edlin to Pei;-in,
i~. .xu.~ ..st 1;!54 25X1
Soviet co_an;ercial aircraft was used. fro-:; Tier in Sc ioenefeld
to osco?x with an intermediate landing in Minsk.
The trip to Peiping was continued by rail from L:osco~v via Kirov, Sverdlovsk,
Omsk, Bara::indt, Novosibirsk, KraonoyarSk, Irkutsk, Chita, O~tjjor/i'aanchouli?
Kharbin, I,`ukden and Ticntsin,
The Trans- Siberian railroad line is doubletrack and has an additx.o:ial third
track in so .e places bet~?reen Sverdlovsk and Novosibirsk. A phctcgra~h made 25X1
from the rennin,; train showed two other tracks. The third track wa not
ce%nfused with sidings at railroad stations or with spur tracks..
Between Sverdlovsk and Otpor, t':e entire line was egipped Faith a blocking
;yszei;? which was operated br light signals during daytime. Cn Chinese 25X1
territory from P'anchouii, operations were conducted according to normal
ro edt res., Between 'verdlcvsk and Novosibi rs'., trtff is was particularly
dense and trains proceeded at block distances. Cecasicnallj the train had
o sto, on the open line because the block ahead vras not clear. Between
:lnd Irkutsk, the train de.isity decreased and it decreased further
c,.it f Irkutsk, The Ir!cuts:.??Ctper line section lo-Ads throe,-h mountainous
i:e i +.1n :-ri two locor,?,tives were em,)loyed to pull t:~c tr.iin up to altitudes
or' l OC Lieters..
The Barabinsk Novosibirsk line section was electrified. There was an
overhead line and the trains were pulled by electric locomotives,
This >ias, allegedly, the only section of the Trans-Siberian railroad line
,.:iich was electrified..
1tn Ci poor, the Soviet ;;;cor.aer ot: tion, the cars were changed to Chinese
stc,ndrrc~; au;e o.ithcut chtrgtng cars. Passport and custoi;;s control and the
change of the rail gouge lasted 5 hours.
t omment,, According to the present re_>orts the construction -,f the
second track between A+tocoow and :;verulcvs't, vi L.. Kirov wsl co..pletat: : nd the 25X1
third track
line .put into oper_ Lion. This information is not ccnf irmed , .t
ni, se ticr.s with heavy traffic betv.een `Sverdlovsk and. i1. vcs ioirsk. was
orted previously. The information on the automatic blocking system with
i..;ht .;ig ial i:; notev orthy and ap, ears credible. Accordin,- to Soviet press
CiASS1FIC,TION CC::lc'lD., ';' i:.L
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 Approved For Release 2007/10/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007600360006-6
t?f! cYl'-C: ththis volume Of tr~iliic C rr Or,-;,f be i :Gi It `::]th t11". C.1
to 3OVi:?t r?s:. I' t'rt: , i:ilk e'lectr ion
of Vic tr 1b" 3:1 :V z Ufa hel { 1?1#;.C = (.J,:l ... U`?i :): i ~1TSrC = ';r v(, is is IlE:t:i:;
yt~lin 1.) line t bein uccelerat_d The cci:,ulet2,ra of the .~rojL,:t .dill
wever,
fro:'. :'Viet to stars arU ,,au e in Jt:':or .... effected Is ir) :Sres't
Li Lov: k, b,,r the p:.lttin1, of the car :;u;;erstruct;.ires on heel sets of tnc
ot.i:.cr
Approved For Release 2007/10/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007600360006-6
 Approved For Release 2007/10/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007600360006-6
V LJlVJ 11 IVl11 IV9Is V-V-1Y-l-1-L-L' -1Y-1-1-A-11
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY ussR
SUBJECT Traffic Density and Electrification
of the Trans-Siberian Railroad
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
THIS DOCUNENT CONTAIN! INFORMATION AFFICTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED $TAT!!. WITHIN THE *RARING OF TITLE 19. SECTIONS 753
AND 754. OF THE U. S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRA$!NI/SIOR OR REYHL-
ATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT NY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON
IS PROHIBITED SY LAW THE REPRODUCTION Of THIS FORM IS PROW VITRO.
Attached is a copy
REPORT
CD NO.
DATE DISTR.
17 August 1955
NO. OF PAGES
3
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
ihich is being forwarded as received.
STATE I X I NAVY I X I NSRB
ARMY AIR FBI
Approved For Release 2007/10/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007600360006-6
 Approved For Release 2007/10/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007600360006-6
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
COUNTRY USSR / Red China REPORT
TOPIC
Information on the Trans-Siberian Railroad Line
EVALUATION LACE OBTAINED,
DATE OF CONTENT
DATE OBTAINED DATE PREPARED,
REFERENCES
2
ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE)
PAGES
REMARKS
12 July 1955
The following observations were made during a trip from Berlin to Peipings
in August 1954:
A twin-engine Soviet commercial aircraft was used from Berlin-Schoenefeld
to Moscow with an intermediate landing in Minsk.
The trip to Peiping was continued by rail from Moscow via Kirov, Sverdlovsk,
Omsk, Barabindc, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarkk, Irkutsk, Chita, Otpor/Manchouli,
Kharbin, Mukden and Tientsin.
The Trans-Siberian railroad line is doubletrack and has an additional third
track in some places between Sverdlovsk and Novosibirsk. A photograph made
from the running train showed two other tracks. The third track was not
confused with sidings at railroad stations or with spur tracks.
Between Sverdlovsk and Otpor, the entire line was eqipped with a blocking
system which was operated by light signals during daytime. On Chinese
territory from Manchouli, operations were conducted according to normal
procedures. Between Sverdlovsk and Novosibirsk traffic was particularly
dense and trains proceeded at block distances. Occasionally the train had
to stop on the open line because the block ahead was not clear. Between
Novosibirsk and Irkutsk, the train density decreased and it decreased further
east of Irkutsk. The Irkutsk-Otpor line section leads through mountainous
terrain and two locomotives were employed to pull the train up &to altitudes
of 1,000 meters.
The Barabinsk - Novosibirsk line section was electrified. There was an
overhead line and the trains were pulled by electric locomotives.
This was, allegedly, the only section of the Trans-Siberian railroad line
which was electrified.
An Otpor, the Soviet border station, the cars were changed to Chinese
standard-gauge without chax.ng cars. Passport and customs control and the
change of the rail gauge lasted 5 hours.
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDEJTIAL ..
reports, 120 trains proceed daily in each direction of this line. It is
Comment. According to the present report, the construction of the
se n track between Moscow and Sverdlovsk via Kirov was completed and the
line put into operation. This information is not confirmed. A third track
on sections with heavy traffic between Sverdlovsk and Novosibirsk was
reported previously. The information on the automatic blocking system with
light signal is noteworthy and appears credible. According to Soviet press
Approved For Release 2007/10/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007600360006-6
 Approved For Release 2007/10/26: CIA-RDP80-00810A007600360006-6
CONFIDENTI,L ..
believed that this volume of traffic can only be handled with the help
of a block system. According to Soviet press reports, the electrification
of the Kuibyshev - Ufa - Chelyabinsk - Omsk - Noviisibirsk - Novo Kusnetsk
(Stalinak) line is being accelerated. The complet of the project will take
years, however.
The change from Soviet to standard gauge in Otpor is effected as in Brest
Litovsk by the putting of the car superstructures on wheel sets of the
other gauge.
Approved For Release 2007/10/26: CIA-RDP80-00810A007600360006-6