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U.S.S.R. Planning Its Future Transport

24th March 1944, Page 16
24th March 1944
Page 16
Page 16, 24th March 1944 — U.S.S.R. Planning Its Future Transport
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

BRITAIN is not the only country which is engaged in planning. Recently some most interesting extracts from an article in the "Transactions of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R.," by Professor N. Obraztsov, appeared in "Soviet War News."

The contribution dealt with the U.S.S.R. plans to restore its transport. Naturally, a considerable proportion concerned the reconstruction of the railways, the rebuilding of bridges, and the modi-. fication of rolling stock, so that it should more closely approach the gauge, width and height standards of other countries.

It is most significant, however, that much attention was paid to the development of road transport, both linked with the railway system and as a factor on its own. For example, it was pointed out that the increasing use of -motor vehicles will compel the construction of new railway goods stations on a different plan, so that greater use can be made of container bodies that can be loaded straight from railway wagons on to motor vehicles.

As the Red Army advances and more towns are rebuilt, there will be an ever-growing need for improved transport by road and for satisfactory highways. Naturally, the first efforts in this direction will have to be cobbled, macadamized or even of the dirt variety, but a task of the near future is to increase to the maximum the nation's central parks of road-building machinery.

The Professor goes on to state that for the next 15 years it will be necessary to build motor roads at the rate of over 62,500 miles per year, of which it is stipulated that at least 12,500 must be arterial highways.

He stresses that the motor industry of the U.S.S.R. will have to review all the new methods of employing plastics, laminated metal, artificial rubber and so forth, which have been developed during recent years in that country and abroad. It must also tackle the problem of producing cheap batteries in order to electrify part of its road transport.

One of the most important problems referred to as confronting transport engineers is what are known in the Soviet Union as "transport junctions," where roads, railways and waterways meet. If these be planned correctly during the reconstruction period they will mean a great saving in the future.

It must be borne in mind, he adds, that the development of all forms of transport shows certain general tendencies. Road transport and aircraft, which began with liquid fuel and i.c. engines, are seeking, and to some extent finding, methods of employing hard fuel, steam and electricity. Increased speeds of road transport have stepped up railway speeds, forcing the railways to employ electric and oil-engined traction in addition to their coal-burning locomotives.

Only by flexibly uniting all forms of transport and by providing for the cheap and rapid transfer of goods from one point to another will U.S.S.R. engineers be able to satisfy the demands which will be imposed upon them by the high technical level to which the country, as a whole, is rising..


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