06-14-2011, 03:27 AM
I have just been re-reading a book of mine about the Seige of Leningrad and came across some information which might be of interest to all you fellow train buffs.
The Siege lasted a total of 900 days.
Following the disasterous winter of 1941-1942 where many in Leningrad perished due to starvation and cold the Soviet authorites had to ensure that Leningrad was better prepared for the next winter.
In the first winter they had used trucks to transport supplies over the ice road [the original ice road truckers?], and this was repeated in the second winter.
In the second winter they even began to lay a rail line on the ice [ice railroaders??] by laying track from both directions, however it was decided to then lay the track on land.
On the 6th of February 1943 the Soviets opened a 33 km long rail line in the narrow land corridor to Leningrad not occupied by the Germans. This line was under constant artillery fire which caused frequent casualties and interruptions, but inspite of the problems, the Soviets also managed on the 18th of March to open a bridge over the Neva River enabling through traffic to get through to Leningrad.
In May 1943 the Soviets opened a second shorter rail line of 18 km which was closer to the lake and not as exposed to German fire.
In the period 6 February 1943 to 6 March 1944 [an odd period of 394 days I know] the Soviets managed to run 5,334 cargo trains with a total of 225,859 railcars. These railcars would have been of the four wheel kind as seen in WW11 docos of Europe.
I have calculated that the average train was 42 railcars long and that there were an average of 14 trains per day, so 7 trains per rail line in a 24 hour period.
Now obviously averages count for little when you have two rail lines and one is nearly twice as long as the other and subjected to artillery fire and you have a Russian winter and then spring thaw to contend with, but it gives some idea as to just how busy the two lines were.
Mark
The Siege lasted a total of 900 days.
Following the disasterous winter of 1941-1942 where many in Leningrad perished due to starvation and cold the Soviet authorites had to ensure that Leningrad was better prepared for the next winter.
In the first winter they had used trucks to transport supplies over the ice road [the original ice road truckers?], and this was repeated in the second winter.
In the second winter they even began to lay a rail line on the ice [ice railroaders??] by laying track from both directions, however it was decided to then lay the track on land.
On the 6th of February 1943 the Soviets opened a 33 km long rail line in the narrow land corridor to Leningrad not occupied by the Germans. This line was under constant artillery fire which caused frequent casualties and interruptions, but inspite of the problems, the Soviets also managed on the 18th of March to open a bridge over the Neva River enabling through traffic to get through to Leningrad.
In May 1943 the Soviets opened a second shorter rail line of 18 km which was closer to the lake and not as exposed to German fire.
In the period 6 February 1943 to 6 March 1944 [an odd period of 394 days I know] the Soviets managed to run 5,334 cargo trains with a total of 225,859 railcars. These railcars would have been of the four wheel kind as seen in WW11 docos of Europe.
I have calculated that the average train was 42 railcars long and that there were an average of 14 trains per day, so 7 trains per rail line in a 24 hour period.
Now obviously averages count for little when you have two rail lines and one is nearly twice as long as the other and subjected to artillery fire and you have a Russian winter and then spring thaw to contend with, but it gives some idea as to just how busy the two lines were.
Mark
Fake It till you Make It, then Fake It some More