Rail transport was one of the most important sectors of the USSR economy. During the entire period of the Soviet Union’s existence, significant progress was made in various areas of rail transport: an increase in the length of railways, increased train speeds, improved transportation quality, and increased safety.
The creation of the railway in the USSR began in the 1920s, when the Soviet Union was formed. The main direction of development of the Soviet railway system was the creation of modern railways using advanced technologies and materials.
Between the 1930s and 1950s, the USSR’s railway system underwent a major overhaul. A new fleet of railway cars was created, new passenger trains were put into operation, and new locomotives were created.
In the 1960s, large-scale repairs were carried out on railway tracks and railway station infrastructure, which made it possible to significantly increase train speeds.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the development of the USSR railway system served a huge part of the country’s population and economy. The accessibility and convenience of travel on the railway system was high, and in Soviet times, trains were often recognized as the safest and most comfortable.
However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the reform of the Russian economy, the railway economy faced a crisis, which affected the quality of service and passenger safety.
Perhaps one of the USSR’s achievements related to the railway system was the experimental magnetic train TP-01, developed at the turn of the 1960s and 1970s, which was able to reach a speed of 300 km/h.