tomatic blocking is employed over approximately 20 percent of the railway length. Many sections (nearly 2 thousand km) are equipped with the centralized traffic control.

The railway line possesses a multi-computer organization, thus making the basic production and management computercontrolled.

Vocabulary Notes

to be originated – впервые появиться cart – повозка, тележка

self-taught serfs – крепостные самоучки to extend – тянуться, простираться

to constitute – составлять semiautomatic – полуавтоматический management – управление

Text 3

Electrification of the Russian Railways

Russian Railways are the most extensive and heavy-used electrified network in the world.

The reliability of electric traction is a function of the combined reliability of the locomotives and the power supply, especially the over-contact wire. It must not be forgotten that the overhead contact system must operate in exceptionally severe climatic conditions in Russia. Remote control of substations is introduced too.

On lines with very heavy freight traffic autotransformers are being introduced. The autotransformer feeding has certain advantages. With these transformers it is not necessary to design new substation equipment for a line voltage of 50 kV and very tight regulation of the voltage along length of the overhead wire is possible.

The autotransformer feeding system gives the possibility almost to double the distance between substations for the same cur-

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