From the history of railways:

200 Years of progress

Millions of people all over the world spend their time travelling either for pleasure or on business. Some choose automobiles for comfort and mobility; others prefer air travel especially if the distance is long and time is short. Anyway, railway is by far the most popular means of travel. In combining speed, comfort, safety and perfect service railways have no superior. But their most important function is to carry freight. Railways account for a major part of freight transportation, being, in fact, the backbone¹ of the national economy.

The world is now a very different place from when railways were developed. In May 2004 Britain’s National Railway Museum in York organized festivities to commemorate² the birth of the world’s first steam locomotive 200 years ago. The idea behind Railfest 2004 was to track the progress of rail transport from Richard Trevithick’s locomotive of 1804 to Britain’s new flagship³ Pendolino train. To better realize the challenges for modern railways, let us also look back at their start.

The first trains were drawn by horses and transported such products as coal, ore and timber in mines and factories. Later on, the horse railways were used as passenger transport in large cities. However, the boom years of early railways began with the invention of the steam engine at the end of the 18^th century. One of the first attempts to use the steam engine for trains was made in 1808 by Richard Trevithick, an English engineer, who demonstrated his working model in London. This locomotive was looked at with great interest when it ran on a circular track of iron rails. For a shilling the public could travel in a carriage drawn by the steam engine. The locomotive was called ‘Catch-me-who-can’, and people could really catch it because it developed only 12 miles per hour (mph). The locomotive was too heavy and finally broke the rail, thus ending Trevithick’s career as an inventor. Yet, he can be rightly credited⁴ as the father of steam locomotive.

At about the same time, George Stephenson, an engineer of the coalmine of Killingworth, England, constructed the engine called Locomotion. This locomotive was much smaller and lighter than the steam locos developed later on, and it was much slower. However, it could draw a small train of loaded cars on the railway and developed an unheard-of speed of 13mph (21km/h). Stephenson was also the builder of the world’s first public railway – the Stockton & Darlington Railroad (1825) using both steam and horses as tractive power. It began regular service with the only locomotive every day except Sunday.

Y

Rocket as preserved in the

Science Museum, London

et, Stephenson’s really big triumph came in 1829 when he was asked to build another railway, now steam-powered, between Liverpool and Manchester. It was the first truly successful passenger railway in the world. The company offered a prize of 500 pounds for the best steam train. The prize was won by George Stephenson with his famous train The Rocket, which is now in London’s Science museum. It could travel at 29mph, which was very fast at that time. Soon the steam-powered railways were already in wide use. By 1854 every town of any size in England was connected by rail.

The invention of steam locomotives made the railway the first and the most important means of mass transportation. In fact, until the invention of the motorcar in the early 20^th century, railway had a monopoly on land transport.

The first two steam locomotives built in Russia were made by the Cherepanovs, father and son, who were skilled mechanics in the Urals (1835). Many people had doubts about the possibility of using steam engines in the Russian winter. In 1837 the first public railway – a 15-mile line between St Petersburg and Tsarskoe Selo was built. In 1891 Trans-Siberian railway construction began which in terms of construction speed (12 years), length (7500km), and volume of work completed was the largest in the world. Europe got an access to the Pacific Ocean via Asia.

Since that time many changes have taken place on railways. At present, the total length of the Ukrainian railway system is 22,800 km ranking fourth in the world after Russia, the United States and Canada.

Sometimes one can hear that the ‘golden age’ of railways is over because we live in the age of high technologies and super-high speeds. Modern railways are ready to meet these challenges. They compete effectively in the transportation market of the new global economy. Due to computer technologies high-speed trains become more and more ‘intelligent’. They resemble aircraft in design, fully automated operation and speed (the world speed record now is 581 km/h). Advances in rail transportation will make the trains still more powerful, and our travel more comfortable with each coming decade.

¹ backbone – основа, стержень

² festivities to commemorate – свята на честь чого-небудь

³ flagship – флагман

⁴ he can be rightly credited – його можна по праву назвати

Exercise 48 Complete the sentences according to the text.

1. Railways are of great importance to a country because ... . 2. The very first railways used ... and transported ... . 3. People could catch Trevithick’s locomotive because ... . 4. ... built a successful steam locomotive ‘The Rocket’. 5. The boom years of early railways began with the invention of ... . 6. Stephenson constructed his ‘Rocket’ for the railway between .... 7. Stephenson’s locomotive won ... . 8. Thanks to .... Russia was one of the first countries to use steam as ... . 9. Nowadays railways ... effectively in the transportation market. 10. Modern railways are ready to meet ... of the age of super-high speeds. 11. By now ... is 581km/h. 12. The Ukrainian railway system ranks ... in the world. 13. ... technologies will make our trains still more powerful. 14. High-speed trains resemble … in design, fully automated operation and speed.

Exercise 49 Scan the text for the numbers and names mentioned below. Be ready to comment on them.

Railfest 2004; Pendolino; ‘Catch-me-who-can’; coalmine of Killingworth; Stockton & Darlington; ‘Rocket’; Richard Trevithick; 500 pounds; 29mph; George Stephenson; the Cherepanovs; a 15-mile line; the length of 7500 km; 22,800 km; 581km/h, 12 years.

Exercise 50 Answer the questions.

1. What is the most important function of railways? 2. What part do railways play in the national economy of a country and why? 3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of railways? 4. What was the idea behind the Railfest 2004 in York? 5. What were the early railways like? What were they used for? 6. What invention caused the boom years of railway development? 7. Was Trevithick’s attempt to use steam engine for a train a success and why? 8. When was the first successful steam locomotive built? What did it look like? 9. Where was the first truly successful passenger railway built? 10. Who built the first public railway? Where did it take place? 11. Who invented the first steam locomotive in Russia? 12. What was the most challenging railway project of the end of the 19^th century? 13. Is the ‘golden age’ of railways over? Prove your point of view. 14. What are the main challenges for modern railways? 15. What changes will take place on railways in future? 16. What is the total length of Ukrainian railway system? 17. What is the speed record for modern high-speed trains?

Exercise 51 Make up a short story on one of the suggested topics using word combinations in brackets.

1. The importance of railways (play an important part; carry people; transport freight; economic and political development; the most popular means of travel; combine speed, comfort and safety; the backbone of a country’s economy).

2. The first steam locomotives (the first attempt to use steam engine; invent a successful steam locomotive; be small and light; not so fast as; draw trains; develop a speed).

3. The future of railways (compete; great changes; take place; run powerful locomotives; comfortable cars; develop super-high speeds; intelligent trains operated by electronic computers; introduce advanced technologies; resemble aircraft).

Exercise 52 Read the following text and put the linking words on the right in the correct place in each paragraph. The linking words are in the right order.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Travelling by Train

1. Travelling by train has many advantages. There are no stressful traffic jams, and trains are fast and comfortable. You can use the time in different ways. You can just sit and read, or relax and watch the world go by. You can work, or you can have a meal or a snack in the buffet car. And, what is most important, you don’t depend on the weather.	First of all Also For example Besides
2. Travelling by train also has some disadvantages. It is expensive and the trains are sometimes crowded and delayed. You have to travel at certain times and trains cannot take you from door to door. You need a bus or a taxi to take you to the railway station.	However For one thing What is more For example
3. I prefer travelling by train to either flying or driving. I feel more relaxed when I reach my destination.	Despite the disadvantages Because