Why the USSR preserved hundreds of steam engines - USSR Backup Engines

In today's video, we take a look at why Russia and other former Soviet States have so many train graveyards.

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[TrainFactGuy]

Давай, товарищ, мы должны сохранить паровой двигатель, чтобы обеспечить победу над капиталистическими свиньями Запада.

[nicholasscott]

Sometime in the 1970''s, after two tours in the American Embassy in Moscow, my retired parents took the Trans Siberian railroad across Russia. During a brief stop somewhere in Siberia, my father, former Air Force intelligence, got off the train and decided to look around the train station. A building with steam locomotives caught his eye. The steam engines were all running just enough to keep the engines from freezing. Upon closer examination he saw that they were American Union Pacific steam engines given to Russia during the second world war.

[Daan_]

Other countries like Finland and Sweden also did this and it was very useful for presentation. Here in the Netherlands a new heritage Railway opened in the south east in the 90s and they ended up taking 4 locomotives from the Swedish reserve to run the line. There is also a myth that a British reserve exists but so far there is no proof of that being the case.

[erikziak]

This was also one of the reasons why the trolleybus system was abandoned in Prague. In case of war, a trolleybus is useless, but a diesel bus can be very well utilized by any army during evacuation of citizens or as troop transport.

[PennsyPappas]

And what's funny is that the U.S. kept training Military personnel on how to run Steam locomotives because so many allied countries were still using steam engines or had in reserve. So in theory we could've gone in and been able to run the Russians steam engines if the need arose. Not so much now if course but it's funny to think that could've been a very real possibility.

[Alex-cwrz]

One of the other thing compared to early electric and diesel Locomotives, steam locos were actually easier to maintain as they could run even when quite a lot of stuff is broken or damaged. It was why industrial Locomotives in the UK were often Steam even after steam Locomotives had been got rid of on the main line (plus cheaper to rent and run).

[trainliker]

Some steam engines in reserve can be valuable for other situations. Not only power outages, but even in diesel territory such as during flooding. In April 1965 long after the CB&Q railroad had dieselized, they had some flooding deep enough in an area that diesel electrics couldn't go through due to their low truck mounted traction motors. They had a couple of steam engines they used for fan trips and pressed No. 4960, a 2-8-2, into service to haul trains through the flooded area.

[hnorrstrom]

The two last steamtrains from the strategic reserve here in sweden was decommissioned in 2016.

Stored in remote stations with overgrown tracks in old sheds but sealed in perfect condition in plastic bags and all.
These where made in 1908 and havent seen daylight since the 1970's.
At one point 150 tranis was kept.

[zeppelinkiddy]

Actually if NATO and the USSR went to war in Europe, the U.S. Army had a plan to use those steam engines!

In September 1969 when I signed up for the U.S. Army, I almost became an engineer for these steam locomotives. I was 18 and decided to joint the Army for a three-year enlistment which entitled me to pick my primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). Sitting with the recruiter I asked him what was the most unusual job he knew of in the Army. He flipped through the Army MOS listings book and finally said "Steam Locomotive Engineer". As a train lover I thought this was great but I asked why the Army even needed this specialty. He noted that if we went to war with the USSR in Europe, as NATO hopefully advanced into Eastern Europe they would need engineers to run the abandoned steam locomotives to move supplies. I said "Sign me up" but it was not to be. In 1969 the U.S. Army had a limit of training only three new steam locomotive engineers and those slots were already filled. Disappointed, I then chose the second strangest job in the Army. I became a MOS 61D20 Amphibious Operation and for two tours in Vietnam I commanded a cargo boat out of Danang as part of the Army's "navy", which at that time actually had more boats than the U.S. Navy, but only moved cargo.

A post script to this story occurred in 1984 when my wife and I took the train from West German to West Berlin. As the modern electrified train passed through East Germany, to my surprise I saw working steam engines switching cars in East German rail yards!

[stacycentral]

In the mid-80s, I was a senior intelligence analyst and acting chief of our Soviet Eastern Theatre of Operations. I and other train enthusiasts would marvel at the marshalling yards near Komsomolsk and Khabarovsk that contained hundreds of mainline, short line, and shunting steam engines. In addition there were scores of early generation diesel engines, including the Soviet copies of lend-lease ALCOs.

[piccalillipit]

*I NOW LIVE IN THE FORMER USSR* Everything in communist times was thought of with a backup in mind. My electric sewing machine has a hand crank handle, just in case...

My 1929 tailors iron the electrical connector broke, I bought a new one 400m from my apartment at the old hardware store for $2. We used to laugh at them for being backward, no they just had a different philosophy. they wanted things to keep working for ever and be easily repaired - iPhone owners may be sympathetic to this desire. ANd my apartment has a nuclear bunker in the basement and EMP shielding in the walls...!!!

[HouseholdDog]

In 1995 was on a train from Belarus to Poland. There must have been 20 of these trains on the sidings.
I always wondered why they had steam locos.
Today I know. Thanks so much.

[SotonyaAcckaya]

Few years ago various companies started to repair some of those units and put them to use as tourist trains. Especially in Karelia region, there is a Ruskeala Express Between local town of Soravala and Ruskeala marble mine. They operate at least 5 steam engines and maintain daily service.

[peterjones]

Went through Russia in 1975; plenty of locos in vast sidings with the cabs boarded up and funnels capped.

[zakszazso]

Thank you for showing photos from Istvántelek! Greetings from Hungary! 🇭🇺

[mrnorthernspitfire]

Tom Slemen wrote about something similar in Liverpool, I can’t remember the exact details but some scrap merchants found a hidden area of a scrapyard which led to an underground siding.
In the siding were various steam locomotives (A4s, Black 5s, tank engines, saddle tanks) which were part of the UK’s “Strategic Reserve” which was to preserve steam engines for the same reason as the USSR.
If I remember right there was mention of various articles about it in train magazines after this discovery came to light, it might be something to look into.

[Slakpranker]

keep the high quality videos coming, but avoid a burnout

[drunkenpumpkins]

During Russia's attempted terrorwinter when they tried to destroy the electrical grid we actually used this plan. Apparently our former president ordered to restore a lot of these steam engines. And during the winter steam engines with the help of diesel engines where used to carry both military hardware and regular trains. There where some issues with water refilling but it did work out. Some of them had their star repainted in yellow-blue.

[hummel]

Steam engines are actually really smart, I've been wanting to build one myself, cause all you need it some water and preferably dry wood to start harnessing mechanical energy. Tbf I don't mean steam engines as in trains, I just mean the engine itself.

[Inetman]

A number of these engines were restored to be fully operational and serving as tourist trains or even backup service locomotives. I live next to train tracks and it's always a pleasure to hear a real steam whistle.