The Trans-Siberian Railway

Image Name:  Trans-Siberian Railway metal truss bridge on stone piers, over the Kama River near Perm, Ural Mountains Region

This photograph was taken by Prokudin-Gorskii in the 1910’s.  Prokudin-Gorskii was a chemist turned photographer who ended up traveling around the Russian Empire, in a railroad car that the Tsar provided to him, photographing the Empire’s people and territory.  This particular picture was taken over the Kama River near the Russian city of Perm.

Starting in the late 19^th century, in order to attempt reaching economic parity with Western Europe, the Russian Empire began a process of industrialization within the country.  The government faced many obstacles in this approach; one of the primary issues being the recently emancipated surfs, the influx of people to cities, and the retribution payments that former surfs were forced to pay.  The Russian government faced the paradox of trying to industrialize and modernize economically, essentially liberalizing their economy, while simultaneously subduing political freedoms of the people, and suppressing any political opposition.  These issues were exacerbated with the Russian defeat in the Russo-Japanese War.

Due to the Russian government’s desire to populate the Empire’s Far East, as well as produce an avenue for troops and military personnel to mobilize to Eastern Russia quickly, the idea of a railroad spanning the country was nothing new.  In fact, the proposal for a Trans-Siberian railway line had been around since the mid-19^th century.  However, due to a long planning period, and the Russian government’s reluctance to take financial risk, the construction for the railway did not materialize until the 1890’s.  There was much debate about the route of the railroad, with some advocating for a route that would connect many of the major cities in Siberia, while others were proponents of constructing the most direct line possible.  After a lengthy construction period, Moscow was finally connected to Vladivostok, via a line partially running through Manchuria, in 1904.  A direct railway line running entirely through Russia was finally completed in 1916.

The completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway was an incredibly significant event for the Russian Empire.  The railroad stretched over 9,000 kilometers and connected Moscow with the critically important Pacific port city of Vladivostok.  This allowed for the settlement of the Far East as well as the rapid movement of goods, raw materials, and military personnel.  In many ways, the completion of this rail line signified the progress that the Russian Empire had made in its attempt to industrialize, as well as modernize its economy; helping to close the metaphorical gap between “backwards” Russia and “advanced” Western Europe.

This particular image symbolizes the progress that Russia made in its industrialization attempts.  In many ways Prokudin-Gorskii’s image of this bridge across the Kama acts as a metaphor for the Trans-Siberian rail line “bridging” the western, populated areas of the Empire, from the Far East; an area that was largely unsettled and considered to be frontier country.  In many ways, the completion of this new transportation avenue can be compared to the United States’ trans-continental railroad; albeit the Russian rail line is over three times the length.

Sources:

• Prokudin-Gorskii, “Trans-Siberian Railway metal truss bridge on stone piers, over the Kama River near Perm, Ural Mountains Region”, Library of Congress.
• Freeze’s Russia A History Book
• History Today “The Trans-Siberian Railway”  https://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/trans-siberian-railway