A train is a type of transport that is most often used by residents of the CIS if they need to travel outside their community. However, few people know that before the advent of railways, the word “train” was used to refer to another type of transport. Let's find out which one, and also get a little acquainted with the history of trains, their types.
The train is ...
Today, this word refers to a train of several wagons attached to a locomotive, which sets the whole train in motion. Typically, trains have a “head” (beginning) and a “tail” (end), on both sides of which are attached to the locomotive. Depending on which locomotive is pulling the wagons, the location of the head and tail of the train may vary.
By the way, not everyone knows, but even a locomotive without wagons attached to it also belongs to the concept of “train”.
In the CIS countries, trains are numbered so that there is no confusion. Wagons also receive numbers, while they are unchanged even in the event of a change in the "head" of the train.
What was called the "train" in the past
In Russia, the word "train" appeared much earlier than humanity in general invented rail transport. In the old days this was the name of a wagon train, consisting of a string of carts following each other (in winter - a sled). Such trains were used to transport provisions and weapons by the military, as well as traders, in order to deliver their goods from one place to another.
With the advent of railways, the word familiar to the people of the Russian Empire began to be used as a name both for the engine itself and for it in combination with wagons. By the way, the cars themselves initially continued to be called crews.
Interestingly, in this sense, the term "train" is used today only during wedding festivities. This is the name of the solemn procession of the groom, following to the bride’s house to take her to church or registry office.
Origin of the term
The noun “train” is the original Russian word, which was formed from the noun “trip”, and before that, from the verb “ride” (move using a vehicle).
The verb itself still existed in the Pre-Slavic language. For this reason, it is preserved in modern Ukrainian (“izdit”), Belarusian (“izdizi”), Bulgarian (“izdizi”), Czech ( jezdit ), Polish ( jeździć ) and other Slavic languages.
The first railway in the Russian Empire
The first passenger train was launched in Europe for the first time in September 1830. Practical Europeans soon realized how convenient and practical, and most importantly, the new mode of transport was cheap, and soon the territory of the most advanced countries was covered with a grid of railways.
A few years after the first train was launched, the inhabitants of the Russian Empire became interested in it, and work began on creating their own locomotive.
Already in 1836 there was the first attempt to start the train by rail, however, then instead of a steam locomotive, the wagons pulled a drawn train of horses. After successful trials in 1837, the St. Petersburg - Tsarskoye Selo train was established, which ran along a specially constructed railway for it. It is noteworthy that the steam locomotive was used to move this train only on weekends, and on weekdays instead of it, the train carriage was pulled by rails drawn by horses.
It is worth noting that the successful demonstration of the first railway and its capabilities contributed to the development of this infrastructure throughout the empire, and by the beginning of the new century there was a whole network of railways in Russia.
What are the types of trains in the CIS
Classification of trains is carried out according to various criteria. To understand which train belongs to which type, you need to clearly know its speed, length, mass, range and type of cargo.
- The speed of the train can be: fast (more than 50 km / h), high-speed (140 km / h), high-speed (200-250 km / h) and accelerated (there is no exact speed, but it moves faster than fast and high-speed, does not carry passengers) .
- In length - ordinary ones without a name, long compound ones, of increased length and connected from several trains.
- By weight - super heavy and increased mass (more than 6000 tons).
- By distance - suburban, distant (more than 150 km), direct (follow more than two roads), local (within one road follow less than 700 km), through, precinct (go from one station to another), combined ( cars deliver to different stations).
- By the type of cargo, trains are passenger, freight (freight), passenger-and-freight, cargo-luggage, postal-luggage and military.
- By regularity: summer, one-time, year-round.
The terms "train", "station": what is the relationship between them?
Considering the topic of trains, one can not help but recall such a thing as a “station”. Although there are bus, river, sea, aviation (airports) stations, most often in the minds of citizens this concept is firmly connected with the railway. The fact is that travel by train to this day remains the cheapest and most affordable for residents of almost any country where there is a railway.
A station is a complex of one or several buildings built to serve passengers and sort luggage. They are located in particularly important points of transport (in the case of the railway - in the largest settlements).
By tradition, at the stations, you can not only get on or off any transport, but also find out the train schedule, buy a ticket at the ticket office, leave your luggage in a luggage room, go to the toilet or have a meal in a local cafe. Also, many stations are equipped with waiting rooms, lounges (or hotels), where each passenger can wait for his train or relax and put himself in order.