Trans-Mongolian Railway
Encyclopedia
The Trans-Mongolian Railway connects Ulan-Ude
, on the Trans-Baikal
(Trans-Siberian
) railway in Russia
, with the Chinese
city of Jining, by way of Ulaanbaatar
in Mongolia
.
Other important stops are Sükhbaatar
, Darkhan, Choir, and Zamyn-Üüd
/Erenhot
(border crossing
and gauge-changing
station). The line was built between 1949 and 1961. In most of Mongolia, it is single track
, and in China double track
. The gauge
is in Russia and Mongolia and in China. There are important branches leading to Erdenet
and Baganuur
.
to the capital and a Soviet-built 236 km (146.6 mi) freight-only branch (completed in 1939) from Borzya
on the Trans-Siberian Railway to Bayantümen, Dornod
near Choibalsan in north-eastern Mongolia.
Russian Irkutsk State University of Railway Engineering opened its Ulaanbaatar
branch in June 2009.
freight traffic was reduced by about half, but by 2005 had almost returned to previous levels. Passenger numbers had already reached the old levels again by 2001, with 4.1 million passengers. Most trains are headed by at least two locomotives.
While Mongolian trains run on (Russian gauge
), China uses (standard gauge
). For this reason through carriages between the two countries must have their bogie
s changed at the border. Each carriage has to be lifted in turn to have its bogies changed
and the whole operation, combined with passport and customs control, can take several hours. Freight wagons likewise have their bogies exchanged at this break-of-gauge
.
Ulan-Ude
Ulan-Ude is the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia, Russia, located about southeast of Lake Baikal on the Uda River at its confluence with the Selenga...
, on the Trans-Baikal
Trans-Baikal Railway
The Trans-Baikal Railway is a subsidiary of the Russian Railways headquartered in Chita and serving Zabaykalsky Krai and Amur Oblast. The mainline was built between 1895 and 1905 as part of the Trans-Siberian Railway. It bordered the Circum-Baikal Railway on the west and the Chinese Eastern...
(Trans-Siberian
Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East and the Sea of Japan. It is the longest railway in the world...
) railway in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, with the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
city of Jining, by way of Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar
Ulan Bator or Ulaanbaatar is the capital and largest city of Mongolia. An independent municipality, the city is not part of any province, and its population as of 2008 is over one million....
in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
.
Other important stops are Sükhbaatar
Sükhbaatar (city)
Sükhbaatar is the capital of Selenge Province in northern Mongolia, on the Orkhon river.City population is 19.224 -History:The city was founded in 1940 and named after the Mongolian revolutionary leader Damdin Sükhbaatar.-Transport:...
, Darkhan, Choir, and Zamyn-Üüd
Zamyn-Üüd
Zamyn-Üüd is a sum of Dornogovi Province in southeastern Mongolia.The population of Zamyn-Üüd was 11,527 in 2008.Zamyn-Üüd actual name comes from the former Dzamiin Üüde settlement located 101 km NW from the modern town ....
/Erenhot
Erenhot
Erenhot is a city located in the Gobi Desert, in the Xilin Gol league of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China . It has 16,330 inhabitants and the elevation is...
(border crossing
Border Crossing
Border Crossing may refer to:* Border Crossing , an album by saxophonist Mike Osborne.* Border Crossing , a UK hip hop collective musical group.* Border Crossing , a 2001 novel by English author Pat Barker....
and gauge-changing
Bogie exchange
Bogie exchange is a system for operating railway wagons on two or more gauges to overcome difference in the track gauge. To perform a bogie exchange, a car is converted from one gauge to another by removing the chassis containing the wheels and axles of the car, and installing a new chassis with...
station). The line was built between 1949 and 1961. In most of Mongolia, it is single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
, and in China double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
. The gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
is in Russia and Mongolia and in China. There are important branches leading to Erdenet
Erdenet
Erdenet is the third-largest city in Mongolia and the capital of the aimag of Orkhon.Located in the northern part of the country, it lies in a valley between the Selenge and Orkhon rivers about 150 miles northwest of Ulan Bator, the capital...
and Baganuur
Baganuur
Baganuur is one of nine düüregs of the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. It is subdivided into four khoroos .Baganuur is actually a separate city, located as an exclave of 620 km² at the border between the Töv and Khentii aimags. It was created as a Soviet military base.Later Soviet Union...
.
History
Railway development came late to Mongolia. Construction of the Trans-Mongolian line began in 1947, reaching Ulan Bator from the north in 1950 and the Chinese border in 1955. Before that the only railways in Mongolia had been a 43 km (26.7 mi) line (opened in 1938) connecting the coal mines at NalaikhNalaikh
Nalaikh is one of nine Düüregs of the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. It is subdivided into 6 Khoroos .Other than most other düüregs, Nalaikh is technically a separate city, but still under the common administration of the capital....
to the capital and a Soviet-built 236 km (146.6 mi) freight-only branch (completed in 1939) from Borzya
Borzya
Borzya is a town and the administrative center of Borzinsky District of Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia. Population: -Geography:The town is located on the Borzya River, a right-hand tributary of the Onon, southeast of Chita about from the border of Mongolia to the south, and from the border of China...
on the Trans-Siberian Railway to Bayantümen, Dornod
Bayantümen, Dornod
Bayantu'men , also Tsagaanders is a sum of Dornod Province in eastern Mongolia. Name "Bayantu'men" was in use for Choibalsan city , the railway station and mine in the NE outskirts of Choibalsan city have name of Bayantu'men also....
near Choibalsan in north-eastern Mongolia.
Russian Irkutsk State University of Railway Engineering opened its Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar
Ulan Bator or Ulaanbaatar is the capital and largest city of Mongolia. An independent municipality, the city is not part of any province, and its population as of 2008 is over one million....
branch in June 2009.
Operation
The Mongolian Railway company Mongolyn Tömör Zam carries 80% of all freight and 30% of all passenger transport within Mongolia. In the aftermath of the 1990 Democratic revolution1990 Democratic Revolution in Mongolia
The 1990 Peaceful Democratic Revolution in Mongolia was a democratic revolution that started with hunger strikes to overthrow the Mongolian People's Republic and eventually moved towards the democratic present day Mongolia and the writing of the new constitution. It was spearheaded by mostly...
freight traffic was reduced by about half, but by 2005 had almost returned to previous levels. Passenger numbers had already reached the old levels again by 2001, with 4.1 million passengers. Most trains are headed by at least two locomotives.
While Mongolian trains run on (Russian gauge
Russian gauge
In railway terminology, Russian gauge refers to railway track with a gauge between 1,520 mm and . In a narrow sense as defined by Russian Railways it refers to gauge....
), China uses (standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
). For this reason through carriages between the two countries must have their bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
s changed at the border. Each carriage has to be lifted in turn to have its bogies changed
Bogie exchange
Bogie exchange is a system for operating railway wagons on two or more gauges to overcome difference in the track gauge. To perform a bogie exchange, a car is converted from one gauge to another by removing the chassis containing the wheels and axles of the car, and installing a new chassis with...
and the whole operation, combined with passport and customs control, can take several hours. Freight wagons likewise have their bogies exchanged at this break-of-gauge
Break-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
.