RAIL TRIPS IN THE USSR (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005300480010-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 26, 2007
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: November 1, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/06/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005300480010-3
.CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
CONFIDENTIAL
SUI*CT Rail Trips in the USSR
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1.
the Volga
west of Kazan. The railroad bridge was single-tracked,although the rail
line was double-tracked. About 15 meters upstream from the bridge., con-
struction of a second railroad bridge had begun. An abutment and a pier
on the western bank of the river were under construction.
2. Shlaliskaya was located at about the center of a railroad line which ex-
tended 100 kilometers north from the Potma railroad junction in the P:-azan
(N 54-40, E 39-40) - Syzran (N 53-11, E 48.27) railroad line. About 25
forced-labor camps were located in the area. The line led through thick
woods, was single-tracked., and had passing sidings at railroad stations
and stops. The main line from Fbtma to the west was double-tracked.
3. The Brest-Moscow-Omsk-Novosibirsk.Krasnoyarsk?-Kansk railroad line was
double-tracked, A new single-track line extended from Kansk (N 56--13,
E 95-~0) 'o Novia Poma (sic)tend about 40 trains operated daily on this
line.' Passenger and freight cars were in good condition,and freight
STATE X ARMY X[ NAVY AIR
(NOTE& Weebieyfea didribvlio'n indicated by "X" I Field di. rlbvtion by "#"?)
This material contains information aseetioi the We.
tional Defense of the United States within the mean.
ing of the 'splonare taws. Title 1$, U.S.C. Sees. TO
and 794. the tranemisdon at revelation at whbh in
any manner to an unauthorised person N peahtMted
by law. 25X1
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
24 November 1954
NO. OF PAGES 3
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
25X1
Approved For Release 2007/06/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005300480010-3
 Approved For Release 2007/06/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005300480010-3
cars were fitted with modern automatic couplings. Between Kansk and For. ,
the locomotives were fired by logs one meter long.
4? trip in fall 1953 took 62 hours on the line from 25X1
ovaya-Poltava-Kiev-Korosten-
Stalino freight station-Artemovsk-Slaavyans k-Loz
Kovel-Brest. The Stalin freight station had a paved loading ramp, about
500 by 40 meters. Soviet rolling stock appeared to be in very good con-
dition. At each stop, maintenance work was d^no or the locomotive and cars.
The train proceeded at an average speed of 6. 1/h (sic). The Stalino-
Ar-temovsk-Slavyansk Lozovaya and the Brest-Frankfurt/Odor sections were
double-tracked. the remaining sections observed were, 25X1
single-tracked.* Extensive passing sidings were repeatedly seen. Freight
stations were lighted at night by searchlights on high masts.
green, red, and white electric signals of an unusual, modern type in the 25X1
Poltava area. Lefore the train reached the I:orosten railroad station, in-
formant saw large stocks of coal for locomotives.
5. On a trip on the narrow-gauge railroad line between Norilsk (? 69-20, E 83-06)
and Dudinka (1 69-25, E 86-10), a broad-gauge line under con- 25X1
struction parallel to the line. Soviet workers stated that the line was
designed to improve traffic conditions in the Norilsk area where new industries
were being built. '.'hey also said that the Soviet broad-gauge track had first
been laid without a firm foundation in early 1952 and that the line had been
put into operation in fall 1952 when the frost period set in. In fall 1953,
construction of a firm foundation started. Forced laborers employed in this
work were quartered in four or five temporary camps along the line. The
stretch between ITorilsk and Kaerkan, about 25 kilometers west of Norilsk, was
put into operation in late 1953.5 Work on the IKaerkan-Dudinka section would
probably lass. through summer 1954. After completion of the broad-gauge line,
the narrow-gauge track was to be replaced by another broad-gauge track.
the narrow-gauge stretch was to be replaced by a broad-gauge
ne. Accoraing to Soviet forced laborers, work on the line started in
fall 1952. The foundation was being reinforced and a broad-gauge track was 25X1
being laid on the north side of the narrow-gauge track. After completion
of the broad-gauge track, the narrow-gauge track was to be replaced by
another broad-gauge track.
travelled by train from Sverdlovsk to Kazan in
three days,and from Kazan to Moscow in four days. The train went via
Krasnoufimsk-Yanaul-Sarapul-Kazan-Murom. Most of the Sverdlovsk-Moscow line
was single-trackE.d..but a second track was being constructed; an estimated
one-tenth of the line had been completely double-tracked, including a
stretch starting about 125 kilometers east of Iloscow. Aside from this,
sections five to ten kilometers long were double-tracked. Construction work
was concentrated in the mountainous area between Sverdlovsk and Yanaul where
five tunnels and at least 20 bridges were being built by about 20 work
details of up to 200 laborers each. On the Sverdlovsk-I~oscow line, four to
six passing sidings, each 200 to 300 meters long, were seen at 25 to 30
points. Coaling and watering facilities were available only at railroad
stations.
1.
Comment: Potma is probably the railroad junction at IT 54-07,
- . hlaliskaya is not shown on available maps. Possibly Shaly
(I 54-23, E 43-00), which is 12 kilometers east of the midpoint on the
line north from Potma,has given its name to the PW camp and to a rail-
road stop.
2.
Comment: Novia Poma is possibly Novaya, Poyma (N 56-11,
E 96-35 )which is approximately 70 kilometers east of Kansk along the
Trans-Siberian Railroad.
Approved For Release 2007/06/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005300480010-3
 Approved For Release 2007/06/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005300480010-3
3.
4.
-3-
Convent: Poma, which is mentioned here
northeast .
is possibly Poyma (N 56-53, E 97-474 150 kilometers
~t1 The Kiev-Korosten line is believed to be double-tracked.
Cotes Kaerkan is not shown on available maps.
Approved For Release 2007/06/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005300480010-3