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ISSN 2409-630X (Print), ISSN 2618-916X (Online)

DOI: 10.24412/2409-630X.067.020.202404.337-349

Ivan D. Letyukhin

St. Petersburg State University of Economics; St. Petersburg branch of S. I. Vavilov Institute for the History

of Science and Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Saint Petersburg, Russia),

e-mail: iletukhin@yandex.ru

 

Introduction of Energy-Saving Technologies in the Locomotive Fleet of the USSR Railways in the 1950s

 

Abstract

Introduction. The article reviews the problem of introducing of energy conservation technologies for the traction on the railroads of the USSR in the 1950s. The state of the Soviet railways after the Great Patriotic War is described, and measures taken to reduce energy consumption for train traction are considered. The purpose of the article is to highlight the task of energy conservation among other tasks of the reconstruction of traction on the Soviet railways and to determine its role and place in the technopolitics of the specified period.

Materials and Methods. Due to the poor coverage of the topic of traction modernization on the railways of the USSR in general and the economic effect of modernization in particular in modern historical literature, the main research method was the analysis of publications in specialized technical journals of the 1950s, as well as technical literature and archival documents, which allowed us to determine the importance of the issue of energy saving for the USSR railways.

Results. The article describes the state of the railway traction industry in the post-war years. . The directions of development of the locomotive fleet are shown both through the supply of new models of steam locomotives, and through the electrification of some areas, the introduction of diesel locomotives/ Measures taken to reduce fuel consumption both by improving the operation of steam locomotives and by introducing new types of traction are considered. The article highlights the political factors that influenced the technopolitics of the Ministry of Railways of the USSR in the 1940–1950s, as well as the problems that existed on the railway network due to the exhaustion of capacity in a number of areas. The decisions taken at the 20th Congress of the CPSU with the aim of modernizing the traction system on the railways and their role in reducing fuel consumption for train traction are described.

Discussion and Conclusion. The main directions of work on the reconstruction of traction are singled out in the article, namely, the electrification of main lines, the introduction of diesel traction, the launch of the production of shunting diesel locomotives, the organization of insular electrification sites for organizing the movement of suburban trains near large cities. The task of energy saving is singled out among other tasks of transition to more progressive types of traction, and its role and place in the technopolitics of the specified period are determined.

Keywords: traction reconstruction, energy saving, USSR railways, USSR economy, railway electrification.

For citation: Letyukhin I. D. Introduction f Energy-Saving Technologies in the Locomotive Fleet of the USSR Railways in the 1950s. Economicheskaya istoriya = Russian Journal of Economic History. 2024; 20(4): 337-349. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24412/2409-630X.067.020.202404.337-349.

Acknowledgements: The research was carried out at the expense of a grant from the Russian Science Foundation № 23-28-00700.

 

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