Rail enthusiasts fight to preserve steam locomotive graveyard
(28 Oct 2017) LEADIN:
A small area in Russia's Perm region has become a silent cemetery for abandoned steam locomotives, attracting tourists keen to photograph its old, rusting residents.
Rail enthusiasts are now attempting to preserve the forgotten location, perhaps even coax one of its engines back to life.
STORYLINE:
Near the village of Shumkovo, in Russia's central Perm region, lies a cemetery like no other.
Rather than weed-covered headstones, it's filled with ageing steam locomotives from the mid-20th century.
Sat upon rusty rails and gradually merging into the nearby forest, there are dozens of old locomotives - the oldest from 1936, the youngest from 1956.
During Russia's Soviet era, this stop served as a reserve railway base in the event of nuclear war.
But as electric gradually replaced steam power, these locomotives became history.
At first, around 140 remained docked here, the majority still capable of moving.
But as railway authorities slowed and eventually stopped their vital maintenance work, the base turned into this silent graveyard.
Manager Grigoriy Gordeyev has worked here for around 30 years.
He's resisted calls to have the locomotives broken down and turned into scrap metal, despite pressure from railway superiors.
You can see for yourself how they (the locomotives) are living out their lives, just standing there, he says.
People are interested, come (here), take photos, observe, it's our history after all.
Before we used to look after them, changed - dried boilers, put special granules so they would remain dry, and oiled them up, covered them in diesel. They would stand there all shiny and beautiful.
Dozens of locomotives have since been sold to Chinese owners and moved away.
Others now sit at memorial sites where railway machinery was once made, such as old stations or vehicle plants.
This graveyard steam engine has found a new lease of life here at the Museum of Military and Civil Technics (UGMK) in the Urals city of Verkhnyaya Pyshma.
An EM 716-66 steam engine, it was produced in 1931. During the Second World War, it was used to evacuate civilians and deliver ammunition.
When experts found it, it required major restoration work.
Now, the locomotive's exterior has been completely renovated, although museum technicians were unable to get it moving again.
It's now one the private museum's most valuable artefacts.
Many steam locomotives of the late 19th century, the early 20th (century), unfortunately were lost, says museum manager Alexander Yemelyanov.
That was quite mass-produced examples of technology and the attitude towards them was neither reverent or very serious.
They were sent to meltdown, to disposal. And unfortunately, many types of locomotives in the beginning of the 20th century were not preserved to our times.
Train enthusiast Sergei Zavyalov has a more ambitious project.
He plans to get a steam locomotive from the Shumkovo cemetery moving on its own again. It's currently being repaired at a depot in the Northern Caucasus.
Zavyalov hopes it will drive back here by itself this December.
He hopes to revive the region's steam railroad, perhaps giving children the opportunity to learn and explore its history.
These are exhibits, not locomotives anymore, says Zavyalov.
But, if one were to put in the work, knowledge, and quite a bit of money, you could make normal locomotives. But no one wants to invest the money, so...
Zavyalov regularly visits the locomotive graveyard, mainly to pick up spare parts for the project.
The sight of these decaying giants makes him sad - most of them are destined to decompose here.
Many find these ageing locomotives intriguing, photographers and filmmakers often use the graveyard as a setting for retro stories.
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