Soviet Transportation Railroads and Waterways Part 3
Description
The original agency catalog description reads: Audience: Officers; captains through colonels primary audience. All Army personnel secondary audience. Combat arms. Synopsis: This film points out the capabilities and vulnerabilities of railway and inland waterway modes of transportation within the vast area of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). This country of over eight million square miles has massive natural barriers, heavy climate variations, and extremes of terrain which result in the following transportation disadvantages: 1)single railroad track lines, 2) the need for trans-loading which causes delays, 3) severe climate and difficult terrain problems, 4) waterways lack east-west routes, 5) excessive shoals and silting conditions. The railroad networks provide a high density of existing rail lines with a low degree of breakdowns and an inventory of large, sturdy rolling stock. Future plans call for expanding dual track systems, increasing electric lines and acquiring new equipment. Waterway systems are well developed and have access to major seas, although they lack east-west water routes. The Soviets utilize sophisticated equipment for day and night operations and are capable of moving large tonnage, but seasonal ice and water level fluctuations and excessive shoals and silting conditions cause problems and delays. The Soviets are working at expanding and mechanizing port facilities, modernizing river fleets, widening and deepening shipping lanes, making increased use of containers for shipment, and installing dams and locks to control water levels. Purpose: Show capabilities and vulnerabilities of the Soviet transportation system, combined arms, combat arms.
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Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense