Russian Railways: News

Sakhalin got rid of the traces of the Japanese occupation. Russia did what the USSR could not
December 10, 2021
251k read

Sakhalin, even in the 21st century, was cut by the "legacy" of the Japanese occupation like scars on the body. These scars could be seen on any map. These were the railways with which the Japanese entangled Sakhalin, while the southern part of the island was under their control.
Damn bridge. Author of the photo: Sergey Dolya.

Actually, of course, railroads are good. And for their construction, the Japanese could be thanked, especially since they really built them in good conscience, and a number of objects - bridges and tunnels, still amaze with their beauty.

If not for one "but". All railways were built with the Japanese standard gauge - 1067 mm.

When South Sakhalin, as a result of the successful military operation of the Soviet troops, carried out on August 11-25, 1945, returned to the control of the USSR, it turned out that something had to be done with the railways. Of course, almost immediately it became obvious that the railways would have to be completely redone, under the Soviet gauge of 1524 mm (later 1520 mm).

I have alreadyhe wrote in great detail and fascinatingly about how Russia since 2003 has done what the USSR was even afraid to touch. We completely changed all the tracks on the island to the Russian standard 1520 mm. It was a gigantic job, it was necessary to essentially rebuild 800 km of railways, and without stopping the movement of trains on the island. It was truly a titanic work. Be sure to read myarticle , it's worth it.

But at that time, although all the main railways were rebuilt, there remained a small, only 7 km long section, which the locals called "dacha", from Chekhov through Kholmsk to the Nikolaychuk station. A diesel train went there - drove summer residents. And then we decided to first wait until the end of the summer season, then finish this section. On September 30, 2020, the last trip was made by a “narrow-gauge” suburban train, the locomotive of which will become an exhibit of the Museum of Railway Engineering.

I am amazed at the modesty of RZD. I have to do their work, because last year, before the spring of this year, this section was changed to 1520 mm gauge, and the traces of the Japanese occupation were completely finished. And about this epoch-making event in the Russian Railways, they took water in their mouths.

Moreover, the work was done not only on laying the tracks to the Nikolaychuk station - the route was extended by one stopping point - closer to the Devil's Bridge.
Photo by IA "Citysakh.ru" with reference to the press service of the Far Eastern Railway

The Devil's Bridge is a very popular tourist attraction. It is located on the half-dismantled Nikolaychuk-Kamyshevo-Sakhalinskoye railway line and was built by the Japanese in 1928. The most beautiful object. Two tunnels and two high bridges, located in picturesque mountain valleys, are popular tourist sites.
Photo: press service of the Far Eastern Railway - a branch of JSC "Russian Railways"

In 1994, traffic on the bridge was closed due to the closure of the stage. In the 1990s, the Sakhalin railways experienced, to put it mildly, not the best of times, and many sections were closed and dismantled. Fortunately, the Devil's Bridge is currently maintained in good condition.

By the way, now summer residents will get to their plots on the handsome train RA3 "Orlan" produced by the Mytishchi plant "Metrovagonmash".
Photo: sovsakh.ru

Compare with what you had to ride before. Japanese train D2, manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries LTD. But this is no longer a fragment of the occupation, the USSR continued to buy diesel trains in Japan, instead of altering the railway. This train D2-007 was bought in 1986.
Author of the photo: Sergey msv1974, https://trainpix.org

In general, it turned out symbolically - Russia replaced the Japanese gauge, while the last site of work was the station directly in front of the most famous and most beautiful bridge built by the Japanese. As a reminder of the past, and that it was Russia that managed to put an end to it.