COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES IN RUBEZHNOYE

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
C
Document Page Count: 
6
Document Creation Date: 
December 23, 2016
Document Release Date: 
November 4, 2013
Sequence Number: 
3
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
April 2, 1954
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9.pdf225.56 KB
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 ? CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY INFORMATION REPORT CONFIDEPITIKL. 50X1-HUM This Document contains information affecting the Na- tional Defense of the United States, within the mean- Mg of Title 18. Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as amended. Its transmission or revelatIma of its contents to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited by law. The reproduction of this form le prohibited. 50X1-HUM COUNTRY USSR (Ukrainian M)_ SUBJECT DATE OF INFO. MACE ACQUIRED Communications and -Transportation Facilities in Rubezhnoye REPORT DATE DISTR. NO. OF PAGES 2 April 1954 6 50X1-HUM THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN TAN WORT ARE DEFINITIVE. THE APPRAISAL Of CONTENT IS TENTATIVE. (FOR KEY SEE REVERSE) 50X1-HUM 2. RUbeehnoye is located at N 49-01, E 3843. On page 51 paragraph 191 Moskviton should read MOskvioh, CONFIDENTIAL 50X1-HUM STATE Aix ARMY NAVY AIR I he FBI AEC ? (Neel Washington Distribution Indicated Sy "X"; Floiel Distribution ? Sy ; Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 ....????????? Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 ?? " . . ? .. OSIFISSNIIAL : ?! A Ole Cent s WOR VDrstimiagii8S10 NWT 's Ocommixicatiens and transportation legilities in lubeshaoys Tia 4 urensmas. 50X1-HUI SPINA 50X1-HUP DATE DISTIL /0 Ptt gy NO. OF,EAGES 5 NO. a INCI.S. IMMO Sow) ? ? 1141PIUMENT TO DEPOT MO. 50X1-HUM ? ? . cosparomesi 1. the telephone and telegraph cuter lasted la the poet office building There Tore se okay brangages of the telephone one ago ' Si illy. Whether there were rash **changes outside of the lebeshneye ii Wawa to le. 50X1-HUN 50X1-HUM wn of Rubeshioye was ton of ? 2. there was so. Small switekboari locatel in the Isuilding ? which beetled all leis' *mg tangibly long distance calls. 50X1-HUM 3; .thers, was a local telephone system in Rubeshnops which was chime 211444 Soh. the *montage mentioned above. The systole sag an 50X1-HUM amtignatet one with no antesegtio dial systems, but an old type of flank arrangemetA. If a phone call was to be eau the exchange - 47 wain& be centagVel. the desired number reached through it, ?here wire no public toss- 50X1 HUM phase booths in Wilboshnoyet and anyone dimities to make tkphone CONPIDSITIAL ....?????????????????????all????? Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 OONFIDZITIAL -2- call had to go to the telephone exohange and use one of their phOnes. Generally speaking the only places where telephone installations were made were in offioial agencies, offioas of key personnel, and in private hones of VII0s. whether it was possible for private persons to make long die- tanos phone calls. 4. it was possible to reach a long distance op- ' tor by using any local telephone instrument. \ several- Si414t chiefs had done this in canheotion with official business. According to these Soviets, the procedure was first to contact the local operator, who would route the call through the city of Liskhinstroy, about 10 kne southeast of Rubezhnoye and then to Noscow. / 5. The Connection with the above named neighboring town was so- ooaplishod in a very few minutes, but certainly not as rapidly as would be accomplished with an automatic system. ]what the monetary rates were for any type of call. Al- though the German specialists were allowed to use the telegraph facilities, do: not know what the rates were. 6. The telegraph and telephone lines were all overhead lines, and no lines which were installed underground. ; ? 1010S AND RADIO STATIONS 7. the exact location, but about 14 kms south- east of(Rubezhnoye.was a small barbed wire enclosed area, which was rumored to be a small ammunition dump. The area was about 1002 x 40., in the middle of which stood two steel mete on the top of which a plain wire antenna was stretched. The masts resembling ship masts stood about 90 - 100m apart. no more information on this subject. S. Just before ley 1951, four types of radio sets of Soviet manufacture were available to the public in prices ranging .between 300 - 1500 rubles. All sets except 41e least expensive bad a short wave lead. The "Record", which cost about 500 rubles, had three multiple purpose tubes (pentodes), and one rectifier for 110/220 V. The meet expensive sets had an auto- Static volume centre'. 9. The hobby of radio building was quite popular &song the younger people of the tows of Suleshnoye? and the leek stores which had technieal literature on radio building available were &WO? ' filled with youngsters interested in this holly. There was a law however, that made it imperative for all radios te be regis- tered when home built. The registration took plass ales at the telephone sot telegraph exchange. 0 ONTISSITIAL 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM g0X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 10. 11. 12. lj. CONPIDNNTIAT. 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM -3- The purchase of spare parts and tubes was possible in the various state owned stores and the bazaar. There never seemed to b? any shortages of this commodity, how wide spread the use of radios was among the populatiolobut the price of 500 rubles for the *Records radio was very reasonable for the wage standard of the Soviet workers in Rubezhnoye. en official announcement or law which specifi- cally prohibited listening to foreign broadcasts, ant anyone being apprehended for this practice. it was safe to assume that thoirwho had radios were exposed to foreign broadcasts. As a matter of fact, many Soviet co- workers listened to as was discovered from casual conversations with them. This of course was kept strictly secret, and no mention was ever made when it was thought that willing ears could overhear their conversations. There was one central public address system in the town of Rubezhnoye (location unknowa) which was apparently controlled from the telephone and telegraph exchange. There were several loudspeakers in open public places, and also a possibility of a connection in homes., any jamming on any wave length in the radios in Rubezhnoye, and if there was such a procedure in force, it never became obvious. Radio reception was poor before 2200 hours because of the general widespread use of the electrical system, but never such that it was not possible to hear long or short wave broadcasts. TRANSPORTATION Railroads 14./ from Gement \route of travel was from Wolf en in Germany to Rubezhnoye, through Brest, Smolensk and Moscow. In Brest the Soviet rail gauge tracks began anC transferred from one train onto a Soviet type. There were no other gauge changes between Brest and Rubezhnoye. From Brest ?to Moscow the line was double tracked? and not electri- fied, as was the line from Moscow to Rubezhaoye. Throughout the trip to and from Rubezhnoye very little of the train system itself, 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM There were numerous stops along the way because of many broken sections of lines, and it seemed that every 50-60 kms. stopped for as long as three 50X1-HUM hours. Construction gangs were a common sight and most of them were probably prisoners ofwar or slave laborers. 50X1-HUM one thing in Rubezhnoye, however, i The road bed was not covered 50X1-HUM with crushed rook, but the ties were laid on hard packed dirt. , CONFIDENTIAL Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 CONFIDENTIAL -4- 50X1-HUM The ties themselves looked as if they were of pine or some other light oolorsd woods and were not treated with tar. nen a track vas laid, the rails were fastened onto the ties upon a flat oar, and the whole completed section was laid onto the road bed, not individually, as tine in Germany. The rails them- 50X1-HUM Selves were fastened to the ties with lar seise type bolts. never saws diee'il (online in the OSSits and ?o no ?ow where they spirited. . in May 1951, elan 50X1-HU along anftherproute i M via Xharkovs.the southern route. From Rubeshiloye all the way to Driest, the line was double tracked and in soot 'condition. ' There were few. stops, and thsee.wire of a Short dukation. ' 13. \another item which may be of intertit. 50X1-HUM Urban teak oars which arrived from the interior of Germany were not trensioadeds but Atter some adjustment in the under. Carriage, sontinued on their way on Soviet rail gauge tracks. /adjustments were made, but when these oars cod. 1 tinned on their way on the Soviet rail gauge traolIt_they. rode 50X1-HUM on only &Inuit half of the Soviet rail gauge rails Over no- 50X1-HUM tiosd'iny building of what would sees like electrical lines any- wbere.along our route into the USSR. 16. All thil000motives seen in the USSR were in good 50X1-HUM operating order and were clean and almost' new looking. The rest of the telling stock was in battered and dirty condition as evidenobt-by.the type of oars on ay trip in and out of the-lISSR.. I 50X1-HUM It seemed that all freight trains were always full of free riders, giving one the impression that there were no passenger trains available. This practice resulted in .nony fatal accidents to these riders. After 1949? . tht government took strict measures against riding the rail and anyone caughtwould-be immediately arrested. 50X1-HUM ? The passenger oars to add frOp the 'USSR, were of the pre-WorldTar I vintage, and we're ins.bad'stete of repair. There was no central heating antheativen,qhtained fron'a coal or wood buiner placed in the middlflf,the:oar. Most of the oars were without runnintwater, necessitating the extraction of hot water from tite lecenotive for welshing end cooking purposes. The only luxury oars\ were of German make which were being routed from Bisset, th went fres there, lot water was Also made available at stations for a nominal fee. CONFIDENTIAL Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 50X1-HUM Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 'we 17. CONFIDENTIAL -5- there were diners and all modern facilities aboard express trains travelling between large cities. All roads rt roads, inn &VIM art , I " The eel, surfacing was in the town itself, and this was a rough type of Cobblestone. Most roads were level not built up, with no about 5n wide. fully loaded three and five ton trucks used them i[*kittfficulty. There was no new road construction going on anywhere in or near Rubeshnoye, but repair crews worked diligently in the lite spring repairing the winter ant early spring damage. Generally the roads were full of deep holes which sometime . reached a depth of one meter. , 19. The state of vehicles in Rubeshnoye was as bad as the roads; they were badly worn and in a poor state of repair. The only trucks\ litere of the two and one half - three ton class. The majority were three ten. They were either old Studebakercor ancient So- viet models. These vehicle.s were all *rank started and were held together literally with string and bailing wire. Rubsshnoye was else the happy owner of two very old model busses. One was a Soviet model for 14 passengers and the other a German maks for 25 passengers. These two busses ran a shuttle between Rubeshnoyi and i small town north east for workers employed at the Khisken- binat. Is addition to the truck vehicles, there were also two or three ?M0skwiloheo in this town for the use of the Direotor of the plait and key personnel.. These were hand started oars. bow may trucks and passenger oars there were all in all, the system of licence plate numbering. Motor- 'voles were almost-unheard of here, the only one or two which did exist ware very old ant noisy models. Dioycles were becoming mere nuisrous in thw teirh of dubeshnoye in 1951, and these were the pride of:h11.4ke were fortunate dnoughtoown elle. Theis the bicycles were purchased, The only repair shop and !Jilin station An or around Rubezhnoye was in the ihiakoubinat. grounds and was owahd and operated by this plant. indeed the most common neanttof.transportation was the common wagon or oart. These were seen im-great numbers-far outnumbering the motor vehiolei. 20. Most of the traffic in this -area was freight, and practically all was neterised. The Soviets used motor vehicles to transport everything, for some :reason not relying on rail transportation at all, or at least net noticeably so. ! ??? ??? ? ?? ? ?? 0 ONIPISENTI.A Xe Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440003-9 50X1-HUN 50X1-HUN 50X1-HUN 50X1-HUN 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-H UM