1. Complete the following sentences, choosing the right answer:

1. The first public railroad was opened from:

a) Tsarskoye Selo to St.Petersburg.

b) Pavlovsk to Tsarskoye Selo.

c) Lower Tagil to Pavlovsk.

2. The Moscow – St.Petersburg line was begun in:

a) 1837

b) 1851

c) 1843.

3. Reconstruction of Russian Railroads has made it possible:

a) to raise the speed of passenger and freight traffic.

b) to create conditions for longer and heavier trains.

c) to mechanize loading and unloading operations.

4. Modern cars have been replaced by:

a) wooden ones

b) all-metal ones

3. plastic ones.

2. Translate the following word-combinations into Russian:

steam traction, the first public railroad, horse traction, were introduced, the most outstanding railroad in the world, public traffic, the greatest increase in railroad construction, freight and passenger carrier, the standard of technical equipment, on a broad scale, dispatcher controlled signals, the average speed of trains, compartments for 2-4 passengers, remote control, automatic interlocking.

3. Answer the following questions:

1. When was the first Russian railroad built?

2. How long was the line from Moscow to St.Petersburg under construc-tion?

3. When were Russian railroads nationalized?

4. What has the reconstruction of railroads made it possible to raise?

5. What operations on railroads have been mechanized?

6. Has the speed of freight trains gone up?

7. What railroad is the most efficient freight carrier in the East?

IV. Text 2c. Advantages of transportation by railroad

Read the text:

a) Translate § 2 in writing (20 min.)

b) Give a summary of the text in Russian

1. Over the years, railroads have faced ever-increasing competition from other forms of transportation. In most countries the central government supports the railroads. Given the condition of an adequate volume of business, no means of transportation except certain waterways and pipe-lines* can handle traffic* so economically as the railroad; and no method of land transportation is potentially so fast for long distances.

2. The railroad has four marked advantages:

First, it can be constructed to practically any point, usually at far less cost than a waterway, though at a greater cost than an ordinary highway. Second, the railroad is less hampered* by variations in the weather than any other means of transportation except the pipe line. Neither highways nor airways are so dependable and safe. Third, the railroad requires comparatively little tractive power at high speed, because it utilizes the principle of the smooth rail. Fourth, the railroad is well adapted to handling traffic in large volume. Long trains of heavily loaded cars can be operated with safety.

These advantages of the railroad tend to be neutralized by the time and cost of terminal operations. Cars must be loaded and assembled at origin, reassembled at intermediate points, disassembled and unloaded at destination.

3. As regards cost, it was indicated that although carload shipment* was generally cheaper by rail except for distances less than about 20 miles, less-than-carload transportation* was inherently more economical by truck for distances under 75 miles and possibly under 150 miles. Actual charges for less-than-carload traffic, as contrasted with potential costs, were generally less by highway for all distances. Moreover, the railroad lacks the flexibility* of the motor vehicle, as well as its capacity to extend service from door-to-door. In moving bulk freight at low speed from port to port, railroads are also at a disadvantage in competing with carriers operating on natural waterways.

Notes:

* pipe-line – трубопровод

* to handle traffic – осуществлять перевозки

* to hamper – тормозить, мешать, затруднять

* carload shipment – повагонный груз

* less-than-carload transportation – мелкие грузовые отправки

* to lack the flexibility – не хватать, не доставать гибкости