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Moscow–Brest Railway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moscow–Brest Railway
Moscow–Brest railway at the Smolensk railway station.
Overview
Native nameМосковско-Брестская железная дорога
StatusOperational
LocaleEastern Europe
Termini
Service
Type
System
Operator(s)
History
Opened20 September 1870 (1870-09-20)
Completed16 November 1871 (1871-11-16)
Technical
Line length1,100 km (680 mi)
Track gauge1,520 mm (4 ft 11+2732 in)
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC–3 kV DC

The Moscow–Brest Railway (Russian: Московско-Брестская железная дорога) is about 1,100 km of Moscow Railway within Russian Railways and Belarusian Railway, that connects between Moscow in Russia and Brest near at the Polish border. It was built during the period of Imperial Russia.

History

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Railway map of the Moscow–Brest Railway in 1912

The construction of Moscow–Smolensk railway was approved by Alexander II On December 15, 1868. Construction began in the spring of 1869 with the construction of the Moscow Smolensk railway station at the Tverskaya Zastava Square. This railway was built simultaneously from Smolensk and from Moscow. On August 9, 1870, the first trains passed from Smolensk to Gzhatsk. On September 20, 1870, Moscow-Smolensk Railway was opened. In 1870–1871, the Smolensk-Brest railway was built, and this section was opened on November 16, 1871. Both railways merged into one and they were named the Moscow–Brest Railway. In 1877–1879, from Moscow to Kubinka, and from Smolensk to Brest became double-track sections. In 1891–1892, from Kubinka to Smolensk became a double-track section. Electrification began in 1941 and by 1973 between Moscow and Vyazma was electrified at 3,000 V direct current. In 1979 ahead of the Moscow Olympic Games the rest of the Vyazma–Brest was electrified at 50 Hz 25,000 V.

Major stations

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Moscow (Belorussky) - Vyazma - Smolensk - Orsha - Minsk - Stoŭbcy - Baranovichi - Brest

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The Moscow–Brest Railway plays a role in the novel Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Pasternak, Boris (2011). Doctor Zhivago. Translated by Richard Pevear; Larissa Volokhonsky (1st Vintage Classics ed.). New York: Vintage Classics. ISBN 978-0-307-39095-0.