Moscow Small Ring: history and current state

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

The Small Ring of the Moscow Railway is a ring line connecting all 10 radial branches of Moscow railways. Until recently, it was used only for freight traffic. Includes 12 freight train stations.

General information

The foundation date of this infrastructure is July 19, 1908. The countdown of the mileage on the Moscow Railway starts from the intersection of the tracks with the Nikolaev railway.

The length of the ring is 54 km, and the total length of this railway system is 145 km. This difference is due to the large number of branches from the main highway.

The Moscow Small Ring is a convenient way to exchange between the main railway lines that radiate from the center of the capital in all major directions.

Although the main task of the MOR is the transportation of goods, recently the ring has also been used for passenger traffic. This was facilitated by the modernization of lines carried out in 2012-2016. Opening of passenger trafficcame in 2016.

History of MMK

The decision to create the Moscow Railway was made in 1897 under Emperor Nicholas II. Work on the project was carried out from 1898 to 1902. Of the 13 different options, the one that involved the creation of 4 tracks (2 passenger and 2 freight) was adopted. Construction work began in 1902. They continued until 1908. Of the four paths, two were laid. This was due to financial difficulties.

The distance from the railway to the center of the capital turned out to be different in different sections. So, in the north-western direction, the railway is 12 km from the center, and in the south - only five. In 1917, the border of the city roughly coincided with the railway. along the Moscow Ring line.

Construction of the Small Moscow Ring

14 stations and 2 stops were built on the Moscow Small Ring. Technical buildings were built along the railway. At first, passenger trains were also allowed to run along the ring, but later only freight trains began to go. During the period of active electrification of railways, the Moscow Ring remained not electrified, which was explained by technical problems. Only diesel locomotives went through it. However, the situation is currently changing.

The state of the Moscow ring before the last reconstruction

In 2012, the ring consisted of two railway tracks designed for freight traffic. The length of the ring is 178 km. Tot altechnical structures amounted to 110, of which 6 were bridges. There is also 1 tunnel, 900 m long (under Gagarin Square). The number of cargo stations is 12. All of them are located on the outer side of the ring. Branches from the Small Ring served to ensure the flow of goods during the work of 159 enterprises. By 2013, their number had dropped to 49.

60-70 freight trains passed along the railway lines of the Small Ring per day. Two-thirds of the volume of transportation was the products of the construction complex. Transit traffic was stopped by the decision of Russian Railways and transferred to the Big Ring (BMO). Until 2016, only retro-style sightseeing trains based on steam locomotive traction ran among the passenger trains.

Traffic on the small ring has been temporarily disconnected since the autumn of 2010, which was caused by the construction of an overpass. Full-fledged movement resumed only in February 2013.

Modern reconstruction of the Moscow Small Ring

The reason for the reconstruction of the Small Moscow Ring was economic reasons. In the face of a decrease in cargo traffic, it turned out to be less profitable to operate such a bulky structure. Therefore, it was decided from 2012 to 2016. adapt railways for passenger transportation. More than 210 billion rubles were allocated for these purposes.

Completely abolishing cargo flows is not expected. Initially, they were planned to be carried out at night, however, later this option was considered ineffective. Therefore, changes were made to the project, whichsuggest the construction of another (third) railway line, but only on a section 37 km long.

31 stopping points will be created on the MKZD under the reconstruction project. According to Mikhail Gromov, General Director of Moscow Railways OJSC, all of them will be designed in the original style and will serve as transport hubs.

In the process of reconstruction, work was carried out to replace bridges and other technical facilities, reconstructed railway tracks, power transmission line supports. All this led to temporary disruptions in the movement of trains around the ring.

On May 3, 2014, the stations were closed: Lefortovo, Cherkizovo, Likhobory, Presnya, Novoproletarskaya. At the remaining freight stations, only a partial amount of work will remain.

Thus, the small ring of the Moscow Railway is a developing and changing infrastructure that is being adapted (albeit slowly) to the needs of the current time. With the gradual electrification of railways and the replacement of trains, the small ring is losing its traditional appearance, which it had until recently.