Russian Engines

For those interested in Railway Engines, here are three of them. These maxi cards were given to me by my friend Ella.

Kouvola Railway Station, 1902.

Kouvola is a town and municipality in south-eastern Finland. It is located 134 kilometres (83 mi) northeast of the capital, Helsinki.

The city has a population of 86,943 (31 January 2014) and covers an area of 2,883.30 square kilometres (1,113.25 sq mi) of which 325.06 km²(125.51 sq mi) is water. The population density is 33.99 inhabitants per square kilometre (88.0 /sq mi).

Kouvola's central location within Finland's borders and as a border post between the European Union and Russian Federation makes it a quite lively town.^] The town originally grew up around the junction of the north-south and east-west rail tracks. It was also a major road transport junction.

The card sent to me by Reino shows the Kouvola Railway Station as it was in 1902.

Komsomolskaya Metro station in Moscow

Komsomolskaya is a Moscow Metro station in the Krasnoselsky District, Central Administrative Okrug, Moscow. It is on the Sokolnicheskaya Line, between Krasnye Vorota and Krasnoselskaya stations. It is located under Komsomolskaya Square, between the Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky, and Kazansky railway terminals. The station was named for the workers of the Komsomol youth league who helped to construct the first Metro line. It has a transfer at the-same-called-station on the Koltsevaya Line.

Komsomolskaya was built using the cut and cover method, with construction beginning on 3 May 1933. Temporary bridges were built over the construction site to avoid disrupting traffic, especially the numerous tram routes in the area. To counteract the high water table, the station was built on 636 piles which were driven into the saturated soil.

The station was designed by Dmitry Chechulin, and a model of it was displayed at the 1937 Paris World's fair.

This station, with its arched yellow ceiling, is known for being equally beautiful and busy. Though this station was built in the 1950s, it shows influence of the Baroque style, with intricate medallions decorating the ceiling. Mosaics depict scenes from Russian history and historic weaponry.

Thank you Zoya for this lovely card. I had the good fortune of visiting this extraordinary station. But that was a long long time ago.

Orenburg Children's Railway

This card shows a photo of The Orenburg Children's Railway in Russia was constructed at a record-breaking speed. Construction began on 19 May, 1953, and in 68 days, 26 July the same year, its formal opening was held! Five kilometers of track were laid (later another 0.8 km was added). Three stations and 2 intermediate stations on which there were wooden station buildings and high wooden platforms were constructed (in 1957 the platform at the "Plyazh" ("Beach") was closed).

The Children's Railway line passes along one bank of the river Ural from the city up to an area in which 33 Pioneer camps were located. The ChRW was one of the most convenient ways of getting from the city up to the "Pioneer campground". This provided the line with a constant volume of passenger traffic. On holidays the trains are overcrowded.

Orenburg is a transcontinental city and the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia, located on the Ural River 1,478 kilometers (918 mi) southeast of Moscow, very close to the border with Kazakhstan. Population: 548,331 (2010 Census); 549,361 (2002 Census); 546,501 (1989 Census). From 1938 to 1957, the city bore the name Chkalov (after the prominent test pilot Valery Chkalov). The city's distance from the German invasion during World War II led many Soviet enterprises to flee there, helping to spur the city's economic growth.

Mountain and river tourism is developed in the region. There are a number of fast mountain rivers and rocks in pleated spurs of the southern edge of the Urals range, popular with tourists. The city is famous for its down Orenburg shawls. The thinnest lacy design, knitted by hand shawls and cobweb-like kerchiefs (pautinkas), is not only warm, but also is used for decorative purposes.

Thank you Ludmila for this lovely card.

Vintage Train

A collectors delight! A vintage era locomotive in Germany. Early 20^th Century period possibly.

Centenary of the “Chemins de fer de provence”

The stamp on this maxi card and the card itself were issued to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the “Chemins de fer de provence” an old railway company located in the south of France which is now running a unique route between Nice and Digne-les-bains. This route, that opened in 1911, is locally referred as the “train des pignes” (the pine nuts train) as indicated on the stamp.

In 1861, Alphonse Beau de Rochas, an engineer from Digne who invented the four-stroke internal-combustion engine, wanted to link Nice, annexed to France the previous year, to Grenoble via the Var Valley, Digne-les-Bains and Gap. But, it was not until 1882 that the military authorities granted their approval for the project, which could then begin. To adapt to the very rugged relief, the engineers chose to build a narrow-gauge railway: a 1-metre gauge - instead of the standard 1.40 metres - provided for tighter curves (100 metres instead of 300 metres) and lower construction costs. In all, there are no less than twenty-five tunnels, sixteen viaducts and fifteen metal bridges on the line’s 150 kilometres.

The ‘Train des Pignes’ (pinecone railway) finally reached Nice in 1911 and was inaugurated on 3 July.
Despite many obstacles - climate, finances, the rising popularity of automobiles, war... - and thanks to close fruitful cooperation with local economic players (local communities, schools, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, travel agencies, associations), CFSF- Chemins de Fer de Provence was able to anchor the railway in the local economic fabric, thereby offering regular transport by train from the Mediterranean Sea to the Alps, also revealing the wealth of the cultural and tourist heritage of the 30 communes along the line. This pretty maximum card was given to me by my dear friend Maria.

Germany - Fastest train in Germany

The fastest train in Germany is the ICE or the Inter City Express. As the name indicates the train travels to bigger cities only. The train travels at 300 Kilometers per hour or 186 Miles per hour according to the Deutsche Bahn or the German train company. The ICE is the most comfortable form of travel in Germany, but it is also the most expensive form of travel. Alexander sent this exceptional card to me. I would have loved to travel by this train but it reaches its destination too quickly! What’s the use of being in such a great train if the journey is not at least three or more days ;-}}

Finland

This carriage is at present in the Hyvinkaa Railway Museam. It was manufactured in 1873 by M/s Pflugh. Tarja sent this nice card to me.

Poland – Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja

The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja near Żnin is an open air museum collecting and exhibiting steam locomotives, passenger and freight cars, trolleys, railwaymen's tools, signalling equipment, contents of an old waiting room, and old maps. The 600 mm Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja is a department of the Muzeum Ziemi Pałuckiej (the Żnin's Museum of Pałuki Land) and was established in 1972 at the suggestion of enthusiasts of the Pałuki region, of which Żnin is considered the capital. The Museum has collected many steam locomotives. One of the oldest is the German one, made by Orenstein & Koppel in Berlin in 1900. The Tx-1116 locomotive made by Henschel & Son (Kassel, 1918) and the Tx4-564 locomotive made by Hanomag (Hannover, 1923) are also very interesting. A real rarity is the Belgian locomotive made by Les Ateliers Metallurgiques Nivelles with the unique wheel arrangement 2-3-1 ("Pacific"), and the only one, which has steam brakes. There are also steam locomotives made in the first Polish plant in Chrzanów. The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja is situated at the foot of the ruins of the medieval castle (which can be seen in the picture) built in the 14th century by legendary Mikołaj Nałecz. Tourists can travel on the historic narrow gauge railway from Żnin via Wenecja to Biskupin which is famous for a reconstruction of the Lusatian culture settlement and the Archaeological Museum. This pretty card was sent to me jointly by my friends Kasia and Zbyszek.