The Moscow Ring Railway (MKZhD) is a railway ring laid along the outskirts of Moscow. In the diagram, the small ring of the MKZD railway looks like a closed line. The construction of the ring was completed in 1908. Until 1934, the railway was used for freight and passenger traffic, and after 1934 - only for freight. It is a connecting link between ten federal railway lines leaving the city in all directions. Since September 2016, it has also been used for passenger intracity transportation related to the functioning of the Moscow Metro, which was reflected in the scheme of stations of the Moscow Ring Road.
Modern reconstruction of Moscow Ring Road
From 2012 to 2016, the Moscow Ring Railway was adapted for domestic passenger traffic, which led to a significant change in the MKZD scheme. The work was carried out at federal funds, as well as at the expense of Russian Railways, private companies and the Moscow government. In the process of reconstruction, the railway tracks were replaced with new ones, and a major overhaul was carried out.bridges, stopping points for electric trains were built, and another track was laid for freight traffic. At the end of 2016, the work was almost completed.
In total, 31 stopping stations were reconstructed (the scheme of the Moscow Ring Road with stations under construction is presented above). For each station, an individual project was developed, platforms were built.
Launch of the first electric trains
The first launch of an electric train in order to check the readiness of the railway was carried out in May 2016 on one of the sections of the Moscow Ring Road, and in July 2016, after construction was completed, throughout the entire length of the railway. The main electric train running along the route was the ES2G Lastochka. Ordinary Russian-made electric trains were also involved. With their use, there were some problems associated with the discrepancy between the width of the wagons and the electric locomotive of classical models with the distance between the tracks and the platform on the Moscow Ring Road. As a result, the platform at Streshneva station even had to be shifted a little to the side.
The first passenger electric train ran along the line on September 10, 2016, after which passenger trains began to run regularly. The movement of freight trains was reduced, especially during the daytime, when electric trains are actively running. The line is also used for the movement of individual long-distance trains that bypass Moscow. The movement of excursion trains on locomotive traction was stopped.
Infrastructure and scheme of Moscow Ring Road
Railroad ringMKZHD includes 2 main railway lines belonging to the category of electrified. Another third railway line runs along the north of the ring, which is used for freight traffic. The total length of the railway ring is 54 km. Some sections of other tracks are still not electrified.
The MKZD scheme is designed in such a way that it has connecting branches that allow trains to move between the ring railway and the radial branches of the federal railway lines. They consist of either one or two tracks (see the MKZD transfer map). Not all of them are equipped with feeding power lines. From the freight tracks of the railway ring there are branches to industrial production facilities. There is also one branch to connect with the tram depot.
In total, there are 31 operating platforms for domestic passenger traffic and 12 freight stations on the MKZD scheme. There is 1 tunnel 900 m long.
Stations and platforms on the Moscow Ring Road scheme
The stations were founded in 1908 and were originally used for freight traffic. Separate substations were located between them.
In the inner part of the railway ring there are classical stations that are not used now with station-type buildings built at the beginning of the 20th century. Previously, the railway track running along them was used for passenger transportation. Modern stations can be seen on the diagram of the Moscow Ring Road with stations under construction.
From the outside of the MKZD, entrances for parking of freight trains and intended for railway work were builtbuildings. All this is used to form freight trains.
In 2017, the total number of stations in use (see the scheme of stations of the Moscow Ring Road) amounted to 12 units. Of these, 4 are located on sections of branches from the Moscow Ring Railway. These include: Novoproletarskaya, Moscow-South Port, Northern Post.
There are 31 stopping points for urban electric trains on the railway ring. These stations are passenger platforms that were built between 2012 and 2016 during the modern reconstruction of the Moscow Ring Railway. Unlike stops belonging to the radial main lines of the railway, these have the status of intracity and are equipped accordingly. They operate as public transport stops with the same tickets.
Bridges on Moscow Ring Road
In total there are 6 active bridges, 4 of which cross the Moscow River. The Moscow Ring Road also crosses 32 highways and railways.
Movement along Moscow Ring Road
Currently, traffic along the Moscow Ring Road is carried out by electric trains ES2G "Lastochka". It consists of 5 passenger cars of a modern design, and with a coupled version - of 10 cars. In the future, the use of other locomotives (domestic production) is not excluded.
Diesel locomotives are still mainly used for freight transportation. However, the main railway lines are now electrified and allow the use of electric locomotives for transit traffic. Thanks to this, it is possible to move passenger and freight trains from one transit radial line of railways to another.
