European Railroad Discussion > Russia Completes Bridge Link to Crimea

Russia has solidified its hold on Crimea seized from Ukraine in 2014.  A 12 mile bridge(separate four lane highway
and double track railway bridges) linking Russia proper and the Crimean peninsula over the Kerch Strait opened to
rail traffic Monday--the vehicular bridge had opened earlier.  From the BBC:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50894282



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/19 19:29 by milepost20.

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The Russian line to the east of the bridge is not electrified with the nearest electrification(25kv AC)
just over 100 miles away.  Reference map 06-03 at the following site:
https://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/~yopopov/rrt/railroadmaps/

milepost20 Wrote:
> The Russian line to the east of the bridge is not
> electrified with the nearest electrification(25kv
> AC)
> just over 100 miles away.  Reference map 06-03 at
> the following site:
> https://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/~yopopov/rrt/railroadmaps

The Google overheads show electrification masts / cross spans extending as far west as Yurovka, the junction for Anapa;  since the relevant photos do not show the railway bridge, even under construction, it seemed reasonable they extended farther west by now.  On the other hand, there is or was a shortage of electrical generating capacity in Crimea, so perhaps that is a factor;  still, I would have thought that a solvable problem, especially with a little more help from those nice folks at Siemens....

Nice maps.

SZ

 

Steinzeit2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> milepost20 Wrote:
> > The Russian line to the east of the bridge is
> not
> > electrified with the nearest
> electrification(25kv
> > AC)
> > just over 100 miles away.  Reference map 06-03
> at
> > the following site:
> >
> https://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/~yopopov/rrt/railroadmaps
>
>
> The Google overheads show electrification masts /
> cross spans extending as far west as Yurovka, the
> junction for Anapa;  since the relevant photos do
> not show the railway bridge, even under
> construction, it seemed reasonable they extended
> farther west by now.  On the other hand, there is
> or was a shortage of electrical generating
> capacity in Crimea, so perhaps that is a factor; 
> still, I would have thought that a solvable
> problem, especially with a little more help from
> those nice folks at Siemens....
>
> Nice maps.
>
> SZ
>
>  

The Wall Street Journal has an article on the completion of the bridge, with two photographs of interest.  The first is of a train on the new bridge, with no pantographs or visible overhead / third rail. The second is of "the first train arriving after a 33 hour journey from Moscow". That locomotive clearly has pantographs with overhead wire visible.  Perhaps the trains switch motive power once into Crimea.

On a happy note, an exchange of prisoners is contemplated within the next few days. That should get people back home in time for Orthodox Christmas.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-rail-bridge-to-crimea-strengthens-russias-hand-against-ukraine-11577379297?mod=hp_listb_pos2

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
.... The second is of "the first train
> arriving after a 33 hour journey from Moscow".
> That locomotive clearly has pantographs with
> overhead wire visible.  Perhaps the trains switch
> motive power once into Crimea.
>
> On a happy note, an exchange of prisoners is
> contemplated within the next few days.

The trunk line north from Sevastopol has long been electrified at 3000 vdc, so I imagine power was changed from diesel at the junction with the branch to the east.

It might be more correct to say that Russia is exchanging their hostages for Ukraine's prisoners.....

SZ