Efforts At Railway Improvement In Russia.

Russia has for long been the black spot upon the railway map of Europe, but at the present time a determined effort is being made to effect the rehabilitation of the railways of this unlucky land (writes our London correspondent). Prior to 1914 there were some 42,500 miles of track operated by the Russian railways, and the chief aim of the authorities is to bring up to an improved standard of maintenance the main lines running east and west throughout the country. Heavier locomotives, improved passenger carriages, and freight vehicles of higher capacity are being introduced, and bridges are being strengthened to meet the new conditions. At the Putilov locomotive works, near Leningrad, new locomotives are being turned out on a large scale, the majority of these being of American design.

Passenger trains in Russia are of three types. One consists of mixed passenger and goods trains, another of slow passenger trains, and the third type is of express passenger trains for main line working. On the latter trains it is usual to charge an excess fare of 25 per cent. The Russian railways are now making a determined bid for long-distance passenger business by advertising the cheapest and fastest route from Europe to the Orient, with a weekly train connecting Moscow with Vladivostock in 240 hours. This represents a reduction of 48 hours over the old timing, and is accomplished by the far-famed “Trans-Siberian Express.”