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Issues of 2008
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«Cars moved one by one…»
On February 1, 1842 Emperor Nikolay I published the decree of the construction of the railway between St. Petersburg and Moscow: “The railway donated to our fatherland is connected with impressive depends but it is expected to provide profits for the country and connection of both Russian capitals. Financed by the State, the railway will be controlled by the government as it is important for both industrial and social spheres of Russia’s development”. Professor P. Melnikov suggested to construct the line in the shortest direction. To his mind, the capital railway had the purpose of establishing of the fast connecting In July 1842, American engineer J. Wistler came to Petersburg. His basic duties were connected with consultations on the construction of the railway and the rolling stock. Building of artificial constructions, stations, the device of water supply, technical and residential buildings, stations and stacking of the top structure of the way were carried out simultaneously with excavations. 34 stations constructed under the projects of architect R. Zhelyazevich and two large stations (in Petersburg and Moscow) under projects of architect K.Ton were built. At all stations, except for the final ones, gardens and fountains were constructed. It was entrusted to well-known Petersburg gardener Alvart. In 1844 under P.Melnikov’s initiative the Alexandrovsky mechanical factory in Petersburg was transferred to the Means of Communication Department and got the name “Alexandrovsky mechanical factory of the St. Petersburg and Moscow railway”. Americans Harrison and Wines with whom contract for six years was signed supervised it. The contract featured the reorganisation and the equipment of the factory with necessary machines and tools as well as professional training for service of trains, manufacturing of 162 steam locomotives and 2,720 cars. On March 4, 1847 the Emperor took the train from Petersburg to the Alexandrovsky factory and considered “the road in the desirable condition, and the factory absolutely transformed, adapted to the purpose of its usage and delivering in the present business in full independence of foreign drafts as well as the production by the factory including 108 completed locomotives in excellent condition”. On May 5, 1847 at 10 o’clock a.m. “the steam locomotive of the Petersburg-Moscow railway consisting of a few cars moved to village Kolpino. The payment for the open places made 25 copecks, covered places on benches were for 50 copecks”.
Stacking of rails between Vyshny Volochek and Tver during 112 versts was completed in 1848. Four locomotives, some commodity cars and platforms were delivered disassembled by the water round way across Rybinsk. While the rolling stock was constructed at the Vyshny Volochek station under the supervision of mechanical engineer Thomson, engineers moved by the railway in section cars and small workers’ cars to which horses were harnessed. At windy weather the horse was replaced by a sail or even a larger umbrella, and the car sometimes went with the speed of 20 versts per hour. In June 1849 trains connected Kolpino and Chudovo, and in the beginning of August from Vyshny Volochek to Tver. On September 7 and 8, 1850 the Emperor travelled from Petersburg to Chudovo and from Vyshny Volochek to village Koltsovo. He came to the station of Vyshny Volochek from the city in a carriage together with count A. Orlov. On August 18, 1851 the Emperor visited the departure to Moscow of the first battalions of life-guards of Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments. The Emperor expressed his sincere gratitude to the head of means of communication and public buildings count Kleinmikhel and special monarchical goodwill to general-major Romanov (the first chief of the road) and to colonel Erakov. At last “on August 19 at 4 o’clock a.m. the Emperor desired to leave Petersburg by the Petersburg-Moscow railway and arrived in Moscow at 11 o’clock p.m. The distance of 607 versts was overcome for 19,5 hours”. In front of big bridges the imperial train stopped, the Emperor left the train, went down to the river and observed the passage of a train over the bridge. On the Verebinsky ravine, in spite of the impressive height of descent, the sovereign reached the small river and therefrom he waved with his handkerchief giving a command to a train to follow over the bridge on an abrupt slope. For greater beauty, the bridge master painted rails with oil paint which had no time to dry out by time of pass of the train, and the locomotive, having entered on the bridge, began to revolve all wheels. The disturbed travellers were surprised with the powerlessness of the locomotive, and meanwhile the Emperor continued to wave his handkerchief impatiently at the bottom of the ravine. American Wines and machinist Bartner jumped off from the locomotive on way and, having found out the reason of slipping, disposed to strew rails with ash and sand. The train has moved and, having passed safely the bridge, stopped to accept the Emperor who had risen from the ravine by footpaths and ladders. The Verebinsky bridge was a grandiose construction abolished in 1881, at opening of a roundabout road. The bas-relief with its image is placed in one of the sides of the monument to emperor Nikolay I in the Isaakievsky square in Petersburg. At the Spirovsky station the Emperor was shown a round locomotive building. Having entered inside, he long admired the grandiose construction covered by an enormous dome. At one of stations the emperor, having approached to locomotive and addressing to public, told: “That’s a horsy I’ve got!” In spite of late time, Moscow enthusiastically welcomed the arrival of the imperial train. In rescript that was announced:“ I saw with admiration the huge and really amazing constructions uniting all the condition of fine taste with most perfect decoration”. On August 25 at a station of the St. Petersburg-Moscow railway a white flag with a green cross (the flag of the Means of Communication Department) was lifted. On August 30 “for perfectly assiduous service and the works rendered in the construction of the road, and also for the device of the way of the highest travel” N. Kraft and P. Melnykov got the decorations of St. Anna of the first degree with an imperial crown, and the American Wines was awarded a golden medal with an inscription “For diligence” for wearing on the neck on ribbon of order of St. Vladimir. In all, 35 engineers and two architects were awarded. The train servants got money awards.
Among the first passengers there was an artist, the academician of architecture August Petsolt. The result of his travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow became ten perfectly executed water-colours: views of the Moscow station in St. Petersburg and travel landscapes. Having joined the drawings into an unusual folder and a beautiful case, the author donated them to Emperor Nikolay I. The water-colours feature the depictions of initial view of creations of domestic engineering and architecture: wooden bridges (among them there is the well-known Verebinsky bridge), the water house of the Petersburg station, a yard, gallery, and other constructions. The picturesque image of a complex lay of land, a natural landscape, wild flowers in the foreground, presence in water-colours of public of different social layers, “fire-spitting monsters” — locomotives — give vivacity to the image. To the 150 anniversary of the railway St.Petersburg — Moscow a facsimile issue of the album was realised due to joined efforts of the Russian State Library, Russian Ministry of Railways of the Oktyabrsky railway. A Publishing house of the Russian State Library “Pashkov Dom” not only reproduced the unique water-colours with perfect accuracy, but also featured the author’s plan of a folder and a case. Issued in the circulation of only 1,000 copies, the album became a rare book. On November, 1 from Petersburg to Moscow the first all people’s train moved by the new railway . Since morning a lot of people crowded near the station. In one branch they wrote down those who left the city , in another they sold tickets for travel, in the third accepted luggage of passengers. The accepted luggage was loaded in a baggage car costing under the roof that the belongings could not be spoiled by rain or snow. Having received the ticket, the passenger entered in spacious “porch” of the station and expected the departure of the train. At 11 o’clock a.m. the first call of a hand¬bell sounded, in five minutes one more time, and at 11 o’clock 15 minutes a sign by a whistle was given and a train conducted by the locomotive ¹ 154 moved at joyful exclamations of the public and their good wishes to have a happy journey. The train arrived in Moscow at 9 o’clock 30 minutes of the next day. According to the the order of October, 14, 1851 passengers were recommended to demonstrate at departure the documents of their rank as well as a police certificate of “no obstacles for departure”. The demonstration of the certificate was cancelled in December, 1851. As for the rank documents, they were demonstrated to buy a ticket for many years. In Petersburg that was count Kleinmikhel who supervised the departure of trains. He had a special cabinet in the station building. Post trains were considered as the most important. Between stations gendarme posts were placed; at passage of the post train the gendarme on a horse accompanied a train to the distance of one or two versts. Count Kleinmikhel every day assisted at the departure of a post train, and sometimes and at the departure of passenger trains. According to his demand, all people in the station building including himself were without headdresses. Since September 8, 1855, after the death of Emperor Nikolay I, the railway was named Nikolaevsky.
The author used materials of the Central Museum of the Railway Transportation and the Central Museum of the Oktyabrsky Railway.
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