More than 100 years ago, construction began on the oldest highway passing through Ryazan

On April 25, 1867, construction began on one of the oldest Russian highways, the Kozlovsko-Voronezh Railway. This was reported by Brands of Russia.

More than 100 years ago, the state recognized the special importance of railways for the national economy, and this type of transport had a serious impact on the country’s defense capability and the possibilities for the development of entire industries. Therefore, Russian railway policy supported the construction of private railways under special conditions.

The highway passes through the territories of several regions, including the Ryazan region. The first line was the Ryazan-Kozlovskaya railway. In July 1867, the path was already laid at 30 miles. The embankment was made under 2 tracks, and the rails were laid under one. The excavation work averaged 3,500 cubic fathoms per mile.

The initial plans for the construction of the Kozlovsko-Voronezh line underwent some changes during the work. At first it was assumed that there would be seven stations on the road. Nine were actually built. All the buildings on the line, including water towers and locomotive sheds, were described by eyewitnesses as beautiful and elegant.

The grand opening of the road took place on January 29, 1868. To deliver guests to Voronezh, a special train from St. Petersburg was organized, which received the “emergency” category and consisted of first-class carriages. Three years later, the railway’s rolling stock consisted of 21 steam locomotives, 47 passenger cars, 4 mail and luggage cars, and 404 freight cars.

Then there was a need to extend the road to the south, to the Donetsk coal deposits. In 1893, as a result of the merger of two large railway companies, JSC South-Eastern Railways was organized.

More details about the history of the Kozlovsko-Voronezh railway can be found on the “Brands of Russia” website.