With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, rail transport took on great strategic importance. It was assigned with the most important tasks: the delivery of military personnel, equipment, and weapons to the front; the evacuation of the population; the uninterrupted delivery of supplies for enterprises; the carrying of passengers.
From the first days of the war, a special train schedule was introduced under the designation “A”. Above all, it was developed for transporting military personnel and especially cargo, necessary for the deployment of the Soviet armed forces. The plan was built upon the maximum rail transit capacity and the coordinated work of the stations.
Following the new schedule, all military trains — both freight and passenger ones — had to travel at the same speed and have the same weight, which facilitated the formation and movement of trains and ensured minimal downtime at stops. Many passenger cars were converted into hospital ones for transporting the wounded.
A major amount of rail transport was allocated for carrying out the evacuation. The Soviet government established a special council that was responsible for the removal of civilians and enterprises. To speed up the advancement of passenger and cargo evacuation convoys, party officials and transport workers were given broad powers to supervise the major stations with the main rail traffic. The People’s Commissariat of Communication Routes developed the specific and detailed plan for the advancement of evacuation convoys. Feeding stations were organized at large junctions and stations.
The passenger traffic underwent some changes as well. In March 1942, the State Defense Committee issued a decree putting restrictions on traveling by train for citizens in wartime conditions. To make rail transport more efficient, the following measures were introduced: the travel was approved as long as a passenger had either a warrant for traveling or a special pass issued by the police.
A rail pass was provided, if a person was to return to their place of residence from a business trip or due to evacuation, go to work, or enroll in an educational institution. An illness or death of a close relative was also a valid reason for issuing the pass.
From the first days of the war, a special train schedule was introduced under the designation “A”. Above all, it was developed for transporting military personnel and especially cargo, necessary for the deployment of the Soviet armed forces. The plan was built upon the maximum rail transit capacity and the coordinated work of the stations.
Following the new schedule, all military trains — both freight and passenger ones — had to travel at the same speed and have the same weight, which facilitated the formation and movement of trains and ensured minimal downtime at stops. Many passenger cars were converted into hospital ones for transporting the wounded.
A major amount of rail transport was allocated for carrying out the evacuation. The Soviet government established a special council that was responsible for the removal of civilians and enterprises. To speed up the advancement of passenger and cargo evacuation convoys, party officials and transport workers were given broad powers to supervise the major stations with the main rail traffic. The People’s Commissariat of Communication Routes developed the specific and detailed plan for the advancement of evacuation convoys. Feeding stations were organized at large junctions and stations.
The passenger traffic underwent some changes as well. In March 1942, the State Defense Committee issued a decree putting restrictions on traveling by train for citizens in wartime conditions. To make rail transport more efficient, the following measures were introduced: the travel was approved as long as a passenger had either a warrant for traveling or a special pass issued by the police.
A rail pass was provided, if a person was to return to their place of residence from a business trip or due to evacuation, go to work, or enroll in an educational institution. An illness or death of a close relative was also a valid reason for issuing the pass.
