Railways in the Baltics

[burgundy]

Looking through the overseas section of RMWeb and checking google, there does not seem to have been a thread about the Baltic states railways so far, so it is perhaps time to put that right. Our trip was not a dedicated railway trip, but travelling from Tallinn to Riga via Vilnius over the space of 10 days, there were a number of occasions when we encountered the railway network in the various states.

First a bit of history. When railways were being built, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania did not exist but were provinces of the Russian Empire. The attached map shows the network as it stood around 1900 and, since it comes from a German encyclopaedia, all the names are in German, which was the language of the Baltic nobility. I have added the colouring to the map, to identify the various Russian railway companies that operated the different routes: the days of a monolithic Russian system did not come until after the Revolution.

Needless to say, all the main lines were built (and still are) to 5’ gauge, reflecting the advice of the American engineer, George Washington Whistler, who was engaged on one of the first routes and copied the gauge of his own southern states of the US. What is immediately evident from the map is that the main routes were built using the Baltic states as a corridor, to get from Russian to somewhere else. The double red line running south west/north east from St Petersburg to Warsaw, connected Russia’s second and third biggest cities. The branch from Vilnius (Wilma) to Wirrballen, was the first link between Russian and the European railway network, connecting to the Prussian system from Königsberg (with the tragic irony that what was then Russian is now Lithuania and what was then Prussia is now Russian Kaliningrad). The Libau-Romny railway connected Ukraine to the Baltic ports, which had the attraction of being ice free for all, or a greater part, of the year than those in Russia itself. The Libau-Romny railway, Moscow, Vindavo, Rybinsk railway and the Riga-Orel railway all crossed the Baltic states and provided an export route for timber and grain from deep into Russia.

As the basis for national systems to service the present day Baltic states, this structure is deeply unhelpful – particularly as the borders with Russia and Belorus are closed. All three states are profoundly suspicious of their neighbour and acutely conscious of Russian minorities in each country.

The three operate independent networks, but with very little connection, so that it would probably not be feasible to make a visit without resort to other means of transport. The default option for travel among the capitals seems to be air.

Best wishes 

Eric 

To be continued 

 

[burgundy]

Estonia

There is a railway museum in Estonia but it is apparently at Haapsalu (Hapsal on the map) and, since that was not on our itinerary, we did not visit. There is also a preserved narrow gauge railway. The best that I could do was a wander over to Tallinn (Reval on the map) Baltic station one afternoon, where I photographed these multiple units. Perhaps someone can identify them? The network seemed to be fairly limited, linking the main towns, but then the country is thinly populated and quite large.

An unexpected bonus came during the visit to Palmse Manor, one of the great country houses belonging to the Baltic German nobility, in this case the von der Pahlen family.  Alexander von der Pahlen was responsible for obtaining a concession from the Tsar in 1868, to build the Baltic railway, linking Tallinn and St Petersburg. His study contained a number of photos of the railway and also this rather nice map. The company was subsequently grouped with the St Petersburg to Warsaw railway to become the North Western railway, which is how it is shown on the map at the beginning.

Best wishes 

Eric 

Edited September 22, 2023 by burgundy

[EddieB]

Thank you, Eric.

 

Needless to say those units at Tallinn are yet more examples of the Stadler "Flirt" - Estonia has several types, including 1400 EMUs and 2300 DMUs, as pictured.

[Bernard Lamb]

It looks as though you had an interesting trip. Thanks for posting.

It is a very much neglected area as far as railways go.

My knowledge is very limited, although I do have ethnic German friends who came from what they knew as Memel but is now Kleipeda. At the end of the war they decided that staying put , with the Russians in control, was not a good idea. The locals also were not exactly friendly. Going back to Germany, within the new boundaries, was the best option and even there they were viewed with suspicion. It was many years after the collapse of the Soviet Union before they had the courage to return and even then just for a visit.

You mention the railways being to the Russian gauge. I don't know to what extend the advancing Germans converted them to standard gauge, but they did operate German stock in the area, so some were converted. I have heard stories about the conflict between the local partisans and the Germans, which is where some of the problems between various familes and ethnic groups originated. Another phase of history that seems to have been hushed up. 

My apologies as I am straying into what some people consider a dodgy subject. 

Bernard

[Dava]

Look to the future rather than the past.

 

The 870 km Rail Baltica project, which is due for completion in 2030, will connect the capitals of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia with Warsaw and the rest of Europe, allowing trains from the continent to run uninterrupted.

The high-speed railway that's uncoupling the Baltic states from Russia and their Soviet past.

 

https://www.railbaltica.org/about-rail-baltica/

 

[burgundy]

21 minutes ago, Bernard Lamb said:

You mention the railways being to the Russian gauge. I don't know to what extend the advancing Germans converted them to standard gauge, but they did operate German stock in the area, so some were converted. I have heard stories about the conflict between the local partisans and the Germans, which is where some of the problems between various familes and ethnic groups originated. Another phase of history that seems to have been hushed up. 

My apologies as I am straying into what some people consider a dodgy subject. 

Bernard

Bernard 

Thank you. My knowledge was considerably expanded by the trip. I had not appreciated the involvement of the Royal Navy in the independence of the Baltic states at the end of WW1 - or the involvement of a British General responsible for a German army unit confronting the Red Army! Similarly, in WW2, the conflicting loyalties, created by being taken over again by Russia following the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement and then invaded by Germany, must have been horrific. 

Memel was, of course, Prussian, and therefore European gauge, but I understand that the gauge elsewhere was changed by the advancing German army and then changed back by the advancing Red Army. Quite a lot of narrow gauge field railways also seem to have been built. 

There are a couple of photos of  Memel/Klaipeda on the "Ships" thread. 

Best wishes 

Eric 

[burgundy]

Lithuania

Vilnius has a railway museum on the second floor of the station building. It is not huge, but the designer had a mirror fetish so it appears to be endless! It is designed to be educational and, for the most part, pitched at younger visitors, but it contained some interesting items.

Walking across the lines from the station building, to access the outdoor collection, there were some multiple units in the station, including one - rather older looking - which seemed to have collected a crowd with a band. What was going on remains one of life’s mysteries.

Best wishes 

Eric 

[burgundy]

The outdoor collection at Vilnius.

And another of life's mysteries! 

Best wishes 

Eric 

[Phil Bullock]

2 hours ago, EddieB said:

Thank you, Eric.

 

Needless to say those units at Tallinn are yet more examples of the Stadler "Flirt" - Estonia has several types, including 1400 EMUs and 2300 DMUs, as pictured.

And very comfy they are too! The bigger loading gauge makes all the difference…

[EddieB]

Well much has changed since my one and only visit to Vilnius (25 years ago)!

 

Yes, it is one of the older DR1A sets (or derivative) that has attracted the following - but no idea why.

 

You'll notice that the tracks serving the next platform are fenced off.  That was (presumably still is) for "corridor" trains running to and from Kaliningrad (Königsberg - of the bridge problem).  When I was there several Belarus TEP60 and TEP70 diesels  were noted at the station and nearby depot.  Are such "international" services still running?

 

   

[Clay Country]

The October issue of Today's Railways Europe, which is on sale on Monday, will have an article on railways around Klaipeda. 

[Johann Marsbar]

9 hours ago, burgundy said:

The outdoor collection at Vilnius.

And another of life's mysteries! 

Best wishes 

Eric 

 

That museum collection at Vilnius must have been established there since 2005 as I went on an ADL trip that covered Latvia & Lithuania that year and it's the sort of place that would have been on our itinerary had it existed.  We did visit the Museum in Riga though, which has expanded quite a bit since that time, having been back there again in 2016.

[Bernard Lamb]

18 hours ago, burgundy said:

Bernard 

Thank you. My knowledge was considerably expanded by the trip. I had not appreciated the involvement of the Royal Navy in the independence of the Baltic states at the end of WW1 - or the involvement of a British General responsible for a German army unit confronting the Red Army! Similarly, in WW2, the conflicting loyalties, created by being taken over again by Russia following the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement and then invaded by Germany, must have been horrific. 

Memel was, of course, Prussian, and therefore European gauge, but I understand that the gauge elsewhere was changed by the advancing German army and then changed back by the advancing Red Army. Quite a lot of narrow gauge field railways also seem to have been built. 

There are a couple of photos of  Memel/Klaipeda on the "Ships" thread. 

Best wishes 

Eric 

Good afternoon Eric,

An area with a complicated and sometimes violent history. The history of the partisans during WWll is worth reading about. If you can find a true (ish) account that is. For obvious reasons they kept quiet about what they did, being uncertain of who would be in charge after the war.

There are remains of field railway tracks and infrastructure all along the Baltic coast and these stretch right across Poland and into Germany. My brother in law lived near Malchin in Mecklenburgh and in the forest behind their house were various remains. They extracted gravel in the area that was used in the building of the U Boat pens. These lines tended to be feeder lines to a local full size line, but some stretched for a fair few kilometers.

I have heared stories from people of the previous generation who experienced the war in that part of the world. It must have been pretty grim. Having walked across a bay in the Baltic Sea several kilometers wide that was frozen solid and gradually feeling the cold creeping up my legs I have some idea of what the weather can be like. Add in being shot at and having very little food must have been close to hell.

Bernard  

[burgundy]

21 hours ago, EddieB said:

You'll notice that the tracks serving the next platform are fenced off.  That was (presumably still is) for "corridor" trains running to and from Kaliningrad (Königsberg - of the bridge problem).  When I was there several Belarus TEP60 and TEP70 diesels  were noted at the station and nearby depot.  Are such "international" services still running?  

Eddie 

Thank you. I had not made the connection with the rail link to Kaliningrad.

When we were in Estonia, I got the impression that all cross border services to Russia had been cut, but I don't know whether that would also be true in Lithuania, particularly with the link to Kaliningrad. 

Best wishes 

Eric  

[burgundy]

Latvia

From Vilnius, we travelled to the coast, first at Klaipeda (once upon a time, Prussian Memel), which gets a mention in the ships thread, and then Liepaja (Libau). True to form, there was a line of grain hoppers standing on the quayside there.

Finally, we ended up in Riga, which also has a railway museum, just across the river from the old town. Since we were getting distinctly foot sore by this stage, it was an excuse to buy a day tram ticket from which we got very good value!

The museum has indoor and outdoor sections on the same site. Indoors, there is quite a good historical display and also a very creditable model railway. It was switched on to run for about 10 minutes every hour and did so very creditably. Can anyone suggest who produces models of Russian prototypes?

However, one limitation was that the boundaries for the museum began with Latvian independence in 1920 and there was not much on the days of early development. On the other hand, this did emphasise the extent to which the local narrow gauge systems had developed between the wars as a major secondary network.

One item illustrated the shape of things to come – Rail Baltica, as @Dava has mentioned above . The grand design is to connect Warsaw with the three republics by high speed rail. Given that the terrain is rolling, open country, with miles and miles of not very much (forest and farmland), it should not be technically difficult. Just as long as it does not degenerate into a detached branchline, starting in the outer suburbs of Warsaw and expiring somewhere around Kaunus – but surely nobody would be that daft?

Best wishes 

Eric 

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by burgundy
Photo added

[burgundy]

A selection of the outdoor exhibits follows. As always, additional detail would be appreciated! 

I believe that Riga had a factory to supply multiple units within the Soviet Union, although with the collapse of communism, this had fallen on hard times. Can anyone add more please?

Best wishes 

Eric 

[EddieB]

You're right.  Riga was heavily industrialised during Soviet era, which included a factory (RVZ) making many of the diesel and electric units.  As a result it was difficult for westerners to get visas to visit Latvia during those times.  It also meant that when the Soviet Union broke up, there were many Russian workers and their families left behind, who found themselves unpopular and effectively disenfranchised.  Like many Soviet enterprises, the factory struggled in a free market.

 

Latvia was the first of the Baltic States I visited - in August 1997 when British Airways had started flights (and had offers) to Riga.  I can recognise many of the exhibits now preserved in Riga as being held in former strategic reserves from that time.  One such reserve was adjacent to Jelgava depot, which also seemed to be collecting and storing items for a future museum.  They included Kriegslok TE-036 (one of two there), TE3-7593 and several L class* (other L class were also stored at the depot - where the staff weren't bothered about my taking photos, they wanted me to buy one!).    The narrow gauge 0-6-2T MI-657 was mounted on a plinth at the entrance to the depot at Jelgava (others survive and have been active in preservation). 

 

Another strategic store was around Riga Skirotava Depot, where OHLE/battery electric VL26-005 was to be found.  Given that many of the Soviet classes were produced in large numbers, this was one of a class of just ten units - so quite a rare beast.

 

ER2-397 is an example of perhaps the most common EMU type of Soviet times, being built at Riga.  I found it in service during my 1997 visit, seen here at Ziemel Blazma (which I've had to look up - it's towards the north of Riga).  The loco to the right is TGM40-0298, which I think may have been in industrial ownership.

 

 

*I can't see the number of the L class in the first picture to identify where it came from.

[Johann Marsbar]

There were still some remnants of the "Strategic Reserve" to be found in Latvia in 2005, though it was obviously much depleted.

 

Jelgava shed......

 

 

...and some totally out of the way place called Subochas.....

 

 

Even the worksplates were still attached.....

 

 

I'll eventually get to that trip in my "Yet more random Foreign photos" thread......

[burgundy]

9 hours ago, EddieB said:

*I can't see the number of the L class in the first picture to identify where it came from.

@EddieB The number is 0312 and what immediately struck me was the vast amount of fresh air between the boiler and the frames!

Best wishes 

Eric 

[Bernard Lamb]

12 hours ago, burgundy said:

A selection of the outdoor exhibits follows. As always, additional detail would be appreciated! 

I believe that Riga had a factory to supply multiple units within the Soviet Union, although with the collapse of communism, this had fallen on hard times. Can anyone add more please?

Best wishes 

Eric 

The Kriegslok, originally 52 036 was built by Henschel in late 1942.

Bernard

[EddieB]

That gap between the boiler/running plate and bar frames was a feature of later Soviet (and Czech) designs, taking full use of the height of the loading gauge.  (Reminiscent of the first Hornby 9F with tender drive!)

 

L-0312 was in the strategic reserve compound at Jelgava in 1997.  Like many of the stored locos, its cabside number had been replaced with an 8-digit  one, according to the 1984 system (in this case 1012 3123).

 

As Bernard says, TE-036 was built by Henschel (26954/1942).  It was renumbered 1042 6120 under the 1984 system.

[Bernard Lamb]

I found a few odds and ends on Kreigsloks in the Baltic States.

52 036 was operating on the Brest - Litovsk Railway on 01 - 10 - 1944. Preumably it remained in the area after the war.

According to some quite old information Latvia also had 52 021 , TE 021 in preservation.

The Baltic States had a considerable number of Kreigsloks until the late 1960s early 1970s. However most were gone by independence in 1991. This included over 100 in either the strategic reserve or in use as stationary boilers.

TE 3368 was preserved in Estonia. This machine had been renumbered as 1042 238. Built 1943 by Krauss Maffei.

Latvia inherited 8 machines, but these were soon gone. Amongst these were :- TE 6747, TE 7528, TE 6761, TE 023. All noted in 1992. TE 023 is noted as being regauged to 1524mm on 27 - 04 - 1947 and was still working as a stationary boiler in 1992. Although reported as being in an extremely poor condition.

In Lithuania I have a note of TE 120, TE 4853, TE 7231 and part of TE 6955 in a scrap yard.

Bernard

[Johann Marsbar]

50 minutes ago, Bernard Lamb said:

I found a few odds and ends on Kreigsloks in the Baltic States.

52 036 was operating on the Brest - Litovsk Railway on 01 - 10 - 1944. Preumably it remained in the area after the war.

According to some quite old information Latvia also had 52 021 , TE 021 in preservation.

The Baltic States had a considerable number of Kreigsloks until the late 1960s early 1970s. However most were gone by independence in 1991. This included over 100 in either the strategic reserve or in use as stationary boilers.

TE 3368 was preserved in Estonia. This machine had been renumbered as 1042 238. Built 1943 by Krauss Maffei.

Latvia inherited 8 machines, but these were soon gone. Amongst these were :- TE 6747, TE 7528, TE 6761, TE 023. All noted in 1992. TE 023 is noted as being regauged to 1524mm on 27 - 04 - 1947 and was still working as a stationary boiler in 1992. Although reported as being in an extremely poor condition.

In Lithuania I have a note of TE 120, TE 4853, TE 7231 and part of TE 6955 in a scrap yard.

Bernard

 

T3-021 was looking a bit down at heel on Jelgava depot in April 2005.......

 

 

In Lithuania, we found T3-4567 plinthed outside Radviliskis station.....

 

 

Whilst T3-52-313 was plinthed at the loco depot there....

 

 

I can't recall seeing any others about anywhere on the trip, other than the one in the Museum in Riga, which looked like this back then.....

 

[burgundy]

As the final set of photos in this thread, I attach a couple for the tram enthusiasts. Several cities that we visited (Tartu, Daugavpils, Klaipeda and Liepaja as well as the capitals) had frequent tram and trolley bus services which might appeal to those so inclined. 

Liepaja 

Riga where there was some heavy reconstruction work being undertaken at a junction by the station. 

 

Best wishes 

Eric 

[pete_mcfarlane]

On 23/09/2023 at 16:00, Bernard Lamb said:

An area with a complicated and sometimes violent history. The history of the partisans during WWll is worth reading about. If you can find a true (ish) account that is. For obvious reasons they kept quiet about what they did, being uncertain of who would be in charge after the war.

 

It's also worth watching the 1980s Soviet film 'Come and See', which is set further south in Belarus, and deals with Partisans taking on the SS. Reckoned to be the best war film ever made. They also used live ammunition when filming, to make sure it sound right.....

 

On 23/09/2023 at 21:00, burgundy said:

Can anyone suggest who produces models of Russian prototypes?

RTM in the Ukraine do some nice looking static resin kits for Soviet diesels and electrics. 

 

https://rtmodels.com.ua/

https://www.facebook.com/rtmkits

 

There was also Russian a supplier selling resin steam loco kits on EBay, but they disappeared off it when we disconnected Russia from the World Economy. 

Edited September 25, 2023 by pete_mcfarlane