Narrow gauge lines of CIS Steam engine IS TopList

The narrow-gauge railway
in the cave of New Athos

O. Prut

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The travel to the cave of New Athos was undertaken in the beginning of February, 2001, when "object" did not work de facto. The train stood on the first (starting) station. The contact rail was powered-off, but guide has asked us to went only by side-path, which goes along all track. We have reached up to the second station, then have passed by the cave, then went out onto the third station and have returned back by walking along all line. All tunnel is lighted by a duty illumination sufficiently, so only occasionally it was necessary to highlight around itself in places, which, apparently, have fused lamps. The gauge of a track is still unknown (possibly, 750 mm or 914 mm). Complete length of a line about 1300 m.

This is an entrance into a tunnel from 3-rd station. The contact rail shielded by a cover at input into a tunnel is seen. The contact rail on 2-nd and 3-rd stations is present, on 1-st one - it is not known. Probably, parts of the contact rail on stations are of directing purpose and are powered-off. The 3-rd station itself is branch. The second track is separated opposite to a platform already. Both tracks are terminated at out-of-the-way wall, where would be entrance into the opposite tunnel.

It is switch between 2-nd and 1-st stations on a course to 1-st one. (From 3-rd station till there any interesting sights are not present. The 2-nd station is simple platform like ones at suburban railways.) It may seen, this is just the branch, but not a shunt. The beginning of an contact rail is founded obviously.

This carriage-platform stands after the switch. Heap of boards and other stuff are on the carriage-platform. In the sideway tunnel at the branch, there are whether blockage, whether any shapeless gates. The carriage-platform is not chained with anything.

It is branch near 1-st station on course to 2-nd one, just in 20 meters from edge of a platform of the 1-st station. The end of the right branch is not adjoin back into the main track, but terminates by a wall. The pit for repair of rolling-stock is available under main track, not under branch.

One more "sight" is present between these two snapshots: the main track at a direction from 1-st to 2-nd station turns to the right abruptly. The left branch at the place of turning continues an initial direction and disappears in another tunnel behind a shutted gates. The backing shunt is not present.

This is a front of the train standing at the 1-st station. The letters RVR are visible. A silhouette inside is man who passes from right to left platforms, where the side-path is placed. All doors of the train are open.

No any mobile units, except of train and carriage-platform described above, are observed in the cave. The pair of carriages equalent to ones in the train are stands in depot.

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Design by Dmitry Zinoviev

Хостинг от uCoz