TRAFFIC EMERGENCY ON THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01003A000900360001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 12, 2002
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 20, 1960
• Content Type: BRIEF

CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 2002/05/07 : CIA-RDP79TO1003A000900360001-2
.CIA/RR CB 60-36
Copy No.
20 June 1960
CURRENT SUPPORT BRIEF
TRAFFIC EMERGENCY ON THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This report represents the immediate views of the
originating intelligence components of the Office
of Research and Reports. Comments are solicited.
This document contains information affecting the national defense of
the United States, within the meaning of the espionage laws, Title 18
USC, Sections 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which
in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
TRAFFIC EMERGENCY ON THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD
In recent months a traffic emergency has plagued the Krasnoyarsk
Railroad, a heavily-transited segment of the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
The 1,222 kilometer line between.Mariinsk and Zima is presently being
converted to alternating current electric traction. Soviet authorities
originally intended that electric locomotives would be direct replace-
ments for the existing steam equipment. However, on one stretch of the
line, between. Chernorechenskaya and Klyukvennaya traffic reached the
limit which could be handled by steam traction just prior to electri-
fication, and traffic delays and disruptions required the authorities
hastily to introduce diesel traction as a temporary measure. Because
of a shortage of alternating current locomotives, it has been necessary
to retain the diesel locomotives long after electrification. Similar
action will be required this year on adjoining sections of the line.
The traffic volume on this line--the sole rail route to the Far East--
was indicated early this year by a Soviet press dispatch which reported
that the Chernorechenskaya-Klyukvennaya stretch was being crossed by
more than 100 trains per day since the introduction of electric and
diesel traction. I/ (See Chart page 4)
Difficulties of the type encountered by the Krasnoyarsk Railroad
are normally only temporary. They illustrate, however, the problems
that can arise from the Soviet policy of, operating many railroad lines
at nearly peak capacity with available equipment and facilities and of
not installing any more capacity than is absolutely necessary. This
policy, although economical from the standpoint of transportation in-
vestment, engenders weaknesses in the railroad system in that reserve
capacity is not maintained on.certain important lines to meet unexpected
growth in traffic requirements.
Last December, with the onset of cold weather, traffic on the diffi-
cult Chernorechenskaya-Klyukvennaya stretch became too much for the steam
locomotives and diesel locomotives and crews had to be rushed in quickly,
without prior planning or preparation. 2/ This fulfilled ahead of time
a prophecy by the head of the Irkutsk OFlast Communist Party in July 1958
that capacity with steam traction would be reached about mid-19600 3/
There were no servicing and repair facilities for diesel locomotive
crews who were sent to help out in the emergency. 4/ In January it was
stated that diesel locomotive crews and repairmen were working for twenty
hours or more without a break and did not even have time for rest between
trains. Living accommodations consisted of poorly equipped rail cars. 5/
In contrast to previously electrified stretches of the Trans-
Siberian, which use direct current in the catenary wire, the Chernore-
chenskaya-Klyukvennaya stretch was being electrified with alternating
current, the first such use of alternating current in the USSR for a
heavily traveled trunk rail line. Electrification of the 275 kilometer
stretch was reported completed on 31 December 1959, 6/ but since only
a few AC locomotives were available and because of problems with their
operation, diesel locomotives continued to be used there. It was not
until March 1960 that the electric locomotives exceeded the diesel loco-
motives in number on this new AC stretch. 7/ Steam locomotives were
eliminated entirely, 8/. not, only because; they were. less.'.efficient, but
also because their vapor promoted the formation of ice on the overhead
wire used by the electric locomotives. 9/ As more AC'.locomotives are
received on the Chernorechenskaya-Klyukvennaya stretch the diesel loco-
motives are being shifted to the adjoining stretch to the east. 10/
20 June 1960 CIA/RR CB 60-36
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CONFIDENTIAL
A large number of the breakdowns of AC locomotives on the Chernore-
chenskaya-Klyukvennaya stretch involving lengthy disruptions of traffic
were caused by damage to the pantographs. There were about a hundred
such cases in a three-month period, according to an article in the Soviet
press., 11/ The pantographs got out of order because the contact network
was set up hurriedly, and not properly adjusted. Delays were much longer
than when similar accidents occurred on rail lines electrified with di-
rect current. When a pantograph breaks down on a direct current loco-
motive, it is only necessary to tie the damaged part so that they do
not touch the contact wire and then raise the second undamaged pantograph
and move on. On the new AC stretch, however, the rule has been that the
engineer has to wait until the catenary workers come and ground the wire,
so that train traffic is sometimes held up for several hours because of
trifling damage.. Such long delays could be avoided, the article points
out, by adopting the practice of French engineers who, after getting
assuranced by telephone or radio that the current has been cut off,
ground the catenary themselves and then tie up the broken pantographs. 12/
Another reason for difficulties on the new AC stretch was that
personnel were poorly trained to operate the AC locomotives, During
the first month the locomotives were in operation there were more than
300 cases of damage to the locomotives by the crews. There were even
some cases in which the engineer did not know which button to push to
start the locomotive, 13/
There have also been serious traffic tie-ups elsewhere on the
Krasnoyarsk line where electrification is not yet complete. The steam
locomotives which were taken off the Chernorechenskaya-Klyukvennaya
stretch were put into operation on the adjoining stretch to the west,
where dozens of them broke down, as a result of poor maintenance. 14/
Besides bringing in diesel traction, authorities have taken other
steps to accelerate the flow of traffic on the Krasnoyarsk and adjoin-
ing rail systems. Pledges of cooperation by these railroads have been
published in the railway newspaper, and a competition for more effective
use of the new locomotives has been started. Publicity is being given
to outstanding performance by various Krasnoyarsk Railroad workers; for
example, individual locomotive engineers are lauded for conducting extra-
heavy trains and making faster runs with fewer stops, and various dis-
patchers are praised for new methods of expediting traffic. Many such
individuals have been presented with awards, both honorary and monetary.
Half the March issues of the Soviet railway newspaper, Gudok, carry
articles on this segment of Trans-Siberian Railroad,
Domestic production of AC locomotives and deliveries from France
are behind schedule. Of the 50 French locomotives on order, 35 were
supposed to have been delivered in 1959 and 15 in the first quarter
of 1960, 15/ but as of 13 February only about 24 had been delivered.
Twenty of the French locomotives were then in operation on the Kras-
noyarsk Railroad and four more were en route there following tests on
the experimental Ozherelya-Pavelets line in Moscow and Ryazan Oblasts,
according to the Soviet presfg.16/ The USSR is also reported to have
placed an order for 20 AC locomotives with the West German firms Krupp
and Siemens 17/, but apparently no deliveries have been made as yet.
The schedule for production of AC locomotives in the USSR called for
production of five in 1958, 60 in 1959, and 185 in 1960 at the Novocher-
kassk Plant, 18/ until 1960 the only producer. Actually, only one was
produced in l-a8 19/ and the goal for 1959 (upped to 64) 20/ was not
achieved. 21/ The exact degree of underfulfillment is not known, but
it is believed that it was substantial, since serial production was
20 June 1960 CIA/RR CB 60-36
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CONFIDENTIAL
late in getting under way. The. experimental models had important
defects in design, some,of which are still present. 22/ At the 'rifles
Electric Locomotive Works construction of the f'irst..W locomotive was
reported under way in,March.1960. 23/
The entire 1,222 kilometer from.Mariinsk to Z.ima is now.scheduled
to be electrified with alternating current by November of this year 24/
but because of the mounting traffic and theshortage.of motives it.un-
doubtedly will be necessary to bring in additional numbers of diesel
locomotives.. However, there are indications that the authorities are
not facing the unwelcome facts squarely, just :as they did not admit
that diesel traction would be required on Chernorechenskaya-Klyu]k.venn.aya
until the emergency was actually upon. them.
Electrification of the Moscow-Irkutsk Sector of the Trans-Siberian Railroad
sSections already electrified
1960 Sections to be electrified in 1960
1961 Sections to be electrified in 1961
20 June 1960 CIA/RR CB 60-36
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