The museum of locomotives in Pereslavl-Zalessky collected vehicle samples from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. On the museum’s grounds you can see various modifications of locomotives and wagons of that time, both industrial and passenger-type, as well as a large collection of cars that were the pride of the first drivers. The collection is presented in the railway museum of Pereslavl-Zalessky.
A few words about cuckoos
The first railway lines were called narrow gauge because of the small distance between the rails. The first steam locomotives with a wide wheel arrangement, moving trains along a narrow gauge railway, were called "cuckoos." It is in order to see them with my own eyes that people go to the Pereslavl-Zalessky railway museum.
For the nineteenth century, it was an ultramodern technique that began to be used in the mining industry. In Russia, the first steam locomotives found their application in mines operating in the Altai Territory, and played an important role in the history of domestic industry. Wealthy industrialists became innovators who applied modern technology. And later, due to high efficiency, joint-stock companies began to invest in narrow gauge railways.
Quite quickly, the new technology was widely used, and the first narrow gauge railway turned into a state communications system. In the beginning, railroads served as a link between individual enterprises, and over time, narrow-gauge railway lines reached remote settlements, providing communication with remote regions.
History of the museum
The museum of locomotives Pereslavl-Zalessky is located not in the city, but in the suburban village of Talitsy, located nearby. This is the most famous museum in the city, it dates back to 1989, although the official opening date is 1991. The idea of founding the museum was born by Vadim Mironov, who joined forces with the head of the Decor cooperative from Yaroslavl and bought a narrow gauge railway to create a museum.
In 1991, the acquired territory acquired an independent status, having separated from the cooperative, and turned into a Museum of steam locomotives. At first it was a closed territory with limited access, representing a private collection. However, after seven years, by 1998, the organization turned into a public museum, open to public access, which gained great popularity.
Today, the institution serves as one of the main attractions of Pereslavl-Zalessky. It does not cease to amaze its visitors with the number and variety of collections collected from samples of antique equipment. Both children and adults will remember the visit to the Museum of Locomotives in Pereslavl-Zalessky (photos of exhibits are presented in the article).
Industrial value line
The Steam Locomotive Museum was formed from a reorganized depot, which in the past was located on this spot. Although the narrow-gauge railway itself had already been dismantled by this time, they still left a small branch with a length of about two kilometers. It serves to test refurbished machines.
At the time of construction of this railway line, its length was about 150 kilometers. Used these communications, by and large, for transporting peat within the region. Local lands were famous for their wealth, at one time half of the country used this fuel. In the beginning, in a narrow-gauge railway carriages delivered peat to a broad-gauge line station, and then in all directions.
When the mass demand for peat fell away, they tried to use a narrow gauge railway for passenger trains, but the idea was not profitable. And in the early 2000s, an order was received to abolish the line. All local communications fell on the highway, the need for a narrow gauge railway disappeared.
Museum tour
The museum of steam locomotives is located within the former narrow gauge line and has no connection with the common railway. Among the exhibits you can find real “dinosaurs” of the locomotive movement, but, unfortunately, some of them need restoration and do not look very presentable, but the old forms of the locomotives look incredible.
If you had to be in the locomotive museum for the first time, it will not be out of place to order the services of a guide, because there will be many questions, and the staff will gladly tell a lot of fascinating stories. The facade of the depot is decorated with a mouthpiece of pre-revolutionary production, from which old music sounds, which is the same age as the exhibits, it seems to lead visitors through the prism of time.
Most of the exhibits are maintained in working condition, but in the presence of visitors they are not launched for safety reasons. All the presented equipment is located behind the fences and the inside is not shown. Cars of the past are poorly equipped with safety equipment, so you can inspect them only from the outside. Of particular interest are the so-called auto transporters, they are similar to cars of the past, but they are not on rubber wheels, but on locomotives.
Museum exhibits
On one of the ways of the Locomotive Museum there is the “youngest” diesel locomotive from the entire collection, a passenger car is attached to it. This is all that remains of the attempt to launch the transport line. Today, a shop was arranged here where you can buy a souvenir with historical overtones. However, it should be noted that there is only one similar machine, the main collection is the equipment released no later than the 1960s. We will get acquainted with each of the exhibits in more detail.
Steam engine 157-469
This car was designed at the Kolomensky Zavod, in 1928 the first samples of this class were released, one of which is now in the collection of the Pereslavl Museum of Steam Locomotives. It has been preserved in fair condition and is an excellent representative of the technology of its time.
This steam locomotive continued to serve until 1978, being on the balance sheet of the Chernoramen transport management. Then it was written off, mounted on a pedestal and served as a monument in Balakhna. He entered the Museum of Locomotives only in 1998.
Steam Engine FT4-028
He is a representative of foreign equipment, it was manufactured in Finland at the Tampella factory in the autumn of 1945. The engine was successfully restored, and today it is in working condition. It is noteworthy that this is the only surviving instance of this modification in the world.
Steam locomotive GR-269
Also from among imported samples, it was made in Germany at a factory named after Karl Marx, a well-known nineteenth-century politician. This steam locomotive was released in 1950, its purpose was to transport heavy freight trains. This exhibit came to the Locomotive Museum at the end of 1991, with the efforts of Pereslavl-Zalessky craftsmen, it was completely restored and today it is in working condition.
Steam locomotive KP4-300
Today, this exhibit is under reconstruction, was released at the Polish factory in the city of Khrzhanovo by specialists of the Dzerzhinsky factory in 1955. The museum also has a second sample of this engine, it was released a year later at the same factory. Its modification received the marking KP4-469, this model spared more time and today it is in working condition.
Steam engine VP4-2120
It was created at the Votkinsk Locomotive Construction Plant in 1958 on the basis of a triaxial tender. This engine was less fortunate than the others. For a long time he lay on his side, having received damage to the booth, which is very difficult to repair. To date, the car is in poor condition.
Fragments of steam locomotives
Not all exhibits managed to survive entirely to our time, many of them got only fragments that give an idea about the device of the technology of that time and about manufacturing companies. The museum exhibited fragments:
- The steam locomotive 0-3-0, manufactured by Krauss, produced in 1880, is not subject to restoration.
- Tank engine E 0-3-0 of the Kolomna Locomotive Plant in 1921, cannot be restored.
- Steam boiler O 0-4-0 Kolomensky Zavod 1918 production, can not be restored.
- A biaxial tender designed for a steam locomotive having a 159 series, manufactured in 1930, is currently under restoration.
The exhibition also presents a number of less valuable exhibits of later production, among which you can see diesel locomotives, mobile power plants, motor vehicles and self-propelled mechanisms.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of personnel and the required conditions, the possibility of inspecting the inside of the locomotives is excluded. Many tourists are very upset not having received the desired inspection. But, unfortunately, such a demonstration is impossible today. It should occur subject to safety regulations, and this implies the installation of additional devices for which the museum has no money.
Museum Location
As mentioned above, the exposition is not located in Pereslavl-Zalessky. Address of the Locomotive Museum: Pereslavl district of the Yaroslavl region, Talitsy village, Leskhoznaya street, house 1.
It can be reached by personal transport. The museum is located fifteen kilometers from Pereslavl-Zalessky. It will take at least half an hour to get there - the road leading to the museum is in a sad state, which negatively affects the speed of movement.
If you enter Pereslavl from the Moscow direction, you need to make a left turn, reaching the nearest major intersection, following the road leading to the boat of Peter. Then you need to continue straight ahead without turning to the village of Kupansky, where there is a sign directing to the museum. The sign will indicate a left turn; there is a country road that leads to the museum.
After driving 3 kilometers, you can reach Talitsa, where right at the entrance there is free parking. But the path from the parking lot is not yet close, it is intended for summer use during the influx of tourists. And the rest of the time you can use the parking lot located near the museum, which can accommodate enough transport, but still has limits.
Museum operating procedure
What is the operating mode of the Locomotive Museum? You need to travel about 20 kilometers from Pereslavl-Zalessky, so check out the schedule in advance so as not to waste time. The weekend in the museum falls on Monday and Tuesday, the rest of the days the organization accepts tourists from 10 am to 6 pm. For the winter period, the Museum of Locomotives in Pereslavl reduces opening hours, in the evening the exhibition closes at 17 hours.
The cost of a ticket for an adult is 150 rubles, for a student - 50 rubles, and children of preschool age are free of charge. The cost of the tour is 500 rubles for five, and if there are more people, then you need to pay 100 rubles per person. If you had to come to the museum for the first time, it is better to use the services of a guide, otherwise a lot will be incomprehensible.
Museum State Today
Reviews about the Museum of steam locomotives (Pereslavl-Zalessky) are quite contradictory. Someone is impressed by the visual examples of the technology of the century before last, and someone is upset because he expected something more. Arriving here, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to overcome not a small path, part of which is on a bad road. Some complain that they spent a lot of effort just to see the antediluvian equipment, some of which are in a deplorable state. Here, the whole situation corresponds to the beginning of the last century and there is absolutely no reason to expect modern conditions.
On the other hand, the Pereslavl Museum of Railway Transport is privately owned and is not going through its best period, so there is not enough money even for the timely restoration of existing exhibits, not to mention the organization of campsites or other amenities required by suburban institutions. There is no way to organize a viewing of the inside of the locomotives, which, of course, would add interest to visitors, even to install elementary awnings so far has not turned out wherever they are needed.
Despite the fact that the museum operates year-round, the director does not have the ability to support the necessary staff. Therefore, all activities are served by a total of eight enthusiasts who carry out all repairs, household and organizational work. Even the owner of the museum can always be found at the workplace; he himself sells souvenirs in an improvised souvenir shop arranged in a passenger carriage.