Bullet train hits Russia's rails
Published 16 May, 2009, 10:21
The fastest train in Russia is almost ready to welcome its first passengers. The high tech monster can travel at up to 300 km/h and will cut more than an hour off journey times between Moscow and St. Petersburg.
A peregrine falcon, known as a Sapsan in Russian is the fastest bird and the fastest animal in the world, capable of reaching up to 350 kilometers per hour, and it has given its name to Russia’s first ever high-speed train. If all goes to plan the Sapsan will travel at 300 kilometers per hour, and hopefully give the country’s image a boost.
“It’ll be a breakthrough in terms of the further development of the Russian railways, rocketing the whole industry to a new level. This train will be able to compete with aircraft and has a chance to beat them: it’s as comfortable as an airplane, but much safer and less dangerous, and also it has no baggage restrictions,” says Dmitry Pegov, acting deputy chief engineer at Oktyabrksoe department of Russian Railways.
Sapsan driver Aleksey Maksimov says he feels like a test pilot for this speeding train. He is one of just ten drivers across Russia who are licensed to drive the high tech locomotive.
“When we started, in the mid-1990s, that was difficult, that was new and unusual. Our railways were not good enough. But so many people have been working hard for a long time. Now I can say for sure that this is the most comfortable transport in Russia today,” says Aleksey Maksimov.
The journey was indeed a long one. The project was left to mature for years before becoming a reality. One of the leading engineers on Russia’s railways, Dmitry Pegov, says it took so much time mostly because of the huge amount of financing required.
“We’ve been forced to modernize a huge part of our railways as they were not able to take such speed. We also had to adapt a German-produced train to Russia’s climate,” says Dmitry Pegov.
The half-a-billion Euro project is a joint Russian-German venture. Moscow plans to purchase eight trains over the next 15 months, while the German side has pledged to provide maintenance.
Aleksandr Babak was born in the USSR, but moved to Germany after the collapse of the Soviet Union. 16 years later he returned to his motherland, but this time as a foreign specialist. Siemens sent him to monitor the train’s trials.
“Germans were rather skeptical about Russia and Russians. They imagined a country with bears on the streets, drunk people with guns, a country of criminals and idlers. It won my heart. Now, I am so proud of Russia, that it proved itself as a reliable, and serious partner, and also a very hospitable place,” says Aleksnadr Babak from Siemens AG.
It’s expected to cover the 650 kilometer distance between Moscow and Saint Petersburg in three and a half hours, versus today’s five hours.
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