Elektrichka

Elektrichka (Russian: электричка, Ukrainian: електричка; officially elektropoezd) is a Soviet and post-Soviet version of a short-distance (mostly suburban) passenger electric train.

The first elektrichka ride occurred in August 1929 along the line Moscow-Mytishchi.

Technical aspects

Elektrichka is a multiple unit train consisting of self-electrically-propelled permanently-attached cars (usually 6 to 12), with a driver's cab at both ends. The crew of elektrichka consists of a driver and an assistant driver.

Previously, the trains were produced at Riga Wagon Plant, Latvia (known under the ER, elektropoezd rizhskiy (Cyrillic: ЭР, электропоезд рижский) models designation). The company had been holding the whole market since 1950s. The most popular elektrichkas are ER-2 (for DC lines) and ER-9 (for AC lines) and their modifications and successors.

ER-2 and ER-9 trains always contain an even number of cars; out of each two, one is equipped with motors, and the other carries pneumatic equipment. Cars with cabs carry pneumatic equipment. Motor cars are easily recognizable because of pantographs on their roofs. Not every car is equipped with toilets; in some trains there are as few as only two per train, near drivers' cabs. Each car has four automatic doors, with two on each side. When the train stops doors on the platform side open simultaneously. Doors may be equipped with stairs to allow use with low or no platforms. The doors are narrower than in metro trains.

With dissolution of the Soviet Union, some successor countries started production of the new models of elektrichka, but to limited success. Due to permanent lack of money in 1990s railways still continue using old trains, preferring to renovate them instead. Respectively, elektrichkas look mostly the same, differing only in livery (Soviet-time standard was dark-green with red stripes on the fronts and a yellow stripe alongside the train). Some newer models have wide doors. In Moscow area, Sputnik trains were introduced for express urban lines, having the technical background of an ER-2 but intended for other social niches.

Elektrichka is a low-comfort train with simple benches rowed adjoining the windows (3 seats in row).

Spans between stations are usually very long, therefore elektrichkas stop also at numerous specially-built stops, known as platforms (Russian: платформа). Sometimes these stops consist of nothing more than a simple platform, perhaps even shorter than the length of the entire train, and are located within unincorporated areas. Some cargo stations are very long, too, so it is not unusual when there are two platforms within the boundary of one station. Some platforms don't have a permanent personnel or even lighting. In some areas, elektrichkas stop at seasonal stops which have no structures at all (in forest areas these are colloquially known as mushroom stops because they are extensively used by mushroom gatherers).

Elektrichkas are maintained in special depots (Russian: моторвагонное депо, motorvagonnoye depo, Ukrainian: моторвагонне депо, motorvahonne depo), where the trains are repaired and the drivers employed. However, neither elektrichkas nor drivers return to depots every day, instead being assigned to the end stations of the routes.

Socio-economic aspects

Elektrichka is an enormously important method of transport in the societies of post-Soviet countries.

First of all, it is the cheapest and best-accessible connection between the cities and the countryside of ex-Soviet nations. The railway network in these countries is well-developed, while bus services to towns and villages are relatively unreliable. In addition, private car and truck ownership in rural areas is rare, while elektrichka is much more reliable and safe. This makes elektrichka a crucial life element for the dachniki and peasants trading their harvest on the city markets.

Elektrichka is a crucial method of suburban and commuter transport for megacities of the region, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kiev. However, traffic congestion in these areas leads to frequent delays or even cancellations of elektrichkas. In working days, several hours in afternoon are reserved for track repairing works with no traffic on railroads. For these reasons solvent passengers in these areas often prefer buses or marshrutkas to elektrichkas.

The governments and railway companies of the respective countries pay much attention to elektrichka service. Although ticket prices are being raised, operational costs are still generously subsidized. Even with this subsidy, many passengers bribe controllers to avoid paying full fares. In addition, large luggage and pets are often carried unpaid on elektrichka.

The reverse side of such freedom is a low level of comfort, the lack of hygiene and crime on elektrichka trains.

The relsovyi avtobus (literally, railbus; Russian: рельсовый автобус), or dizelnyi poezd (literally, diesel train; Russian: дизельный поезд; colloquially dizel, Russian: дизель, or motovoz, Russian: мотовоз) is a type of Soviet/post-Soviet commuter train socially similar to elektrichka. Technically, it is a diesel railcar, or multiple unit train of 2 to 4 cars, or a single passenger car hauled by a small diesel locomotive. Such train is less widespread because of high percentage of electrified track on Soviet railroads.

Regional details

Russia

The production of elektrichka trains for Russian Railways was deployed in Demikhovo, Moscow Oblast.

Ukraine

Ukraine, possessing a dense network of electrified railways, is supporting and developing its elektrichka system. As of November 2005, the easternmost Luhansk Oblast was the only region of the country not covered by elektrichka communication. A typical elektrichka route is around 100km in length and has stops every 5-10 km, which adds up to about 3.5 hours in total each way. It is possible to travel across the country by changing elektrichka trains two to three times. Tickets are cheap, while on the other hand travel is uncomfortable. Most trains collect money on absence of ticket and accept as little as 10 kopikas (2 cents USD). It is possible to travel for free when on the stop one exits the cart, that is being collected and goes to collected one.

At the same time, many Ukrainian elektrichkas are gradually turning to inter-city services. There are new direct lines such as the Kiev-Rivne route, which is around 300 km long. Such rail services resemble a hybrid between elektrichka and a traditional train of sleeping cars. Such new trains have a dramatically increased level of comfort, with fewer stops.

Ukrainian railways is looking forward to produce its own models of elektrichka (possessing all technical capabilities for it), but such efforts are limited by the unprofitability of the service. The only success for now is a deep modernization of the Riga trains conducted by local companies. However, the recently-opened elektrichka line in Debaltseve area is reported to be served by Ukrainian-made trains.

New electrichkas feature premium services like bar-cart and childrens-cart, but are hard to catch and only operate on major routes. Older, Soviet trains are poorly maintained and can have reliability issues. The only entertainment one would expect here are homeless and gypsy singers, who do it for tips.

The largest elektrichka depot of Ukraine, serving Kiev and surrounding oblasts, is situated in Fastiv.

Slovakia

Električka (elektrichka) is the slovakian term for tram.

The name is also used for the light electric railway Tatranská elektrická železnica (TEŽ, Tatra Electric Railway) in the Tatra Mountains, from the towns of Poprad and Starý Smokovec.

Cultural resemblance

Being a social symbol, elektrichka is used in some pieces of art and literature. There was a very popular song The Last Elektrichka ("Poslednyaya elektrichka�", music: David Tukhmanov, lyrics: M.Nozhkin).

"As usual you and me have been standing till late night. As usual, it was not enough. As usual, your mother called you home, and I went to the railway station."

Refrain: "The last elektrichka ran away from me again, and again, along the railtracks, I am treading home by the shortest route."

Of more recent examples is the Elektrichka song.

Important scenes of some popular Soviet movies happen inside elektrichka. E.g., the main heroine of the Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears meets her love of life in an elektrichka when she returns to Moscow from a dacha.

Venedikt Erofeev's novel Moskva-Petushki is based around a travel using elektrichka.

Riddle about elektrichka: "long, green, smells like sausage".

External links

Template:En icon Ever Take an Elektrichka? (a travel report)
Template:En icon Types of trains operated by Latvian Railways (including pictures and short info on the two ER models of elektrichka)
Template:Ru icon Massive photogallery of elektrichkas in post-Soviet countries (sorted by model; all models, angles and liveries available with descriptions; also pictures of dizelpoyezds)
Template:Ru icon An amateur guide for elektrichka travellers&fans in the post-Soviet countries (including schedules for all national railways, travel tips, history section etc.)