Melnikov Pavel Petrovich

To the 210th anniversary of the birth

(03.08. 1804 - 03.08. 1880)

"Be proud of the glory of your ancestors

not only possible, but must.
A. S. Pushkin

“…Railways are more necessary for Russia than for any other country. The climate of Russia and its space make them especially precious for our fatherland.”

P. P. Melnikov

Melnikov Pavel Petrovich- engineer-general, professor applied mathematics, honorary member RAS, member of the State Council, head of communications and public buildings since 1862, minister of communications from 1866 to 1869. P. P. Melnikov is an iconic figure in the history of Russian railways, a person without whom it is difficult to imagine the formation and development of the industry, outstanding personality Russia.

P. P. Melnikov was born on July 22 (Aug. 3), 1804. It is believed that his birthplace is Moscow, and his father was a collegiate assessor Pyotr Petrovich Melnikov. In 1818, he entered Vasily Kryazhev's Moscow noble boarding school. Similar educational establishments that time gave a good education. Two years later, “with excellent diligence,” Pavel graduated from it and at the beginning of 1821 he entered the Military Construction School at the Institute of the Corps of Railway Engineers in St. Petersburg. “The purpose of this school,” stated in the regulation on it, “is to educate construction officers capable of the practical production of all kinds of work, both on the water and on the land side, of exactly all buildings, the construction of which is entrusted to the Main Directorate of Communications ". Archival documents testify that P. P. Melnikov graduated from school "first in terms of success in the final exams." Among six other pupils, he was enrolled in the third year of the institute.

The old building of the Institute of the Corps of Railway Engineers

AT
Having perfectly mastered the knowledge in the field of engineering, on July 14, 1825, he was again the first to graduate from the institute. It is no coincidence that Corresponding Member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences P. P. Bazin, who was appointed director of the institute at that time, wrote in a report on graduates: “Melnikov is the first among them, an officer so excellent in behavior, as much in his talents.”

That is why the young railway engineer was left at the institute to teach a course in applied mechanics.

O
in the fall of 1831, he was appointed assistant professor (now this corresponds to the title of associate professor), and in November 1833, at the age of 29, he was appointed professor of the course of applied mechanics, that is, head of the department. The beginning of P. P. Melnikov’s professorship coincided with the construction of the first steam-powered railways in some countries. The scientist was one of the first to realize the economic feasibility and technical feasibility of their construction in Russia. In his memoirs, he writes that already in 1831 "he was called to teach lectures at the institute on practical mechanics in general and steam engines, especially with their application to railways."

On the day of the 50th anniversary of the Institute of the Corps of Railway Engineers, in 1859, a leaflet was published where four portraits of luminaries of science were placed on the spread - eminent figures IKIPS: P. Melnikov, N. Kraft, S. Kerbedz and D. Zhuravsky.

AT mid 1830s. Melnikov wrote a number of works on new modes of transport, including including the book "On Railways", in which he considered all the types of traction that existed then: horse, self-carriage, stationary steam engines and locomotives; substantiated the advantage of iron rails over cast iron ones; performed a number of calculations that served as the basis for further research. By the mid 1830s. the works of P. P. Melnikov, M. S. Volkov, and others in Russia laid the foundations of domestic railway science.

In 1839, a special "Course on Railways" began to be read at the Institute of Engineers of the Communications Corps.

In March 1841, a Special Committee was created "for preliminary drafting and consideration of the railway project from St. Petersburg to Moscow. It included the largest specialists in the railway business A. V. Abaza, P. P. Melnikov and N. O. Kraft, who were engaged in all the engineering and economic justification for future construction. At the same time, many calculations were performed almost for the first time and made in such a way that they could be used in the construction of other railways.

February 1, 1842 was marked important event. Emperor Nicholas 1 according to the report of P.P. Melnikov and N.O. Krafta signed the Imperial Decree on the construction of the railway St. Petersburg - Moscow.

The Russian government decided to build the St. Petersburg-Moscow road at the expense of the treasury. The management of the engineering and technical side of the work was entrusted to P.P. Melnikov and

N. O. Kraft. Construction lasted almost 8 years. During this time, both its leaders and workers had to overcome many difficulties. The road directly connected St. Petersburg and Moscow, in places passing through swamps, crossing rivers. In world practice, there was no experience of conducting work in such northern latitudes.
Verebinsky bypass. Construction of a pipe under an embankment

railroad.

The earthen bed was erected immediately under two tracks. For the first time, wide-soled iron rails began to be laid. At Melnikov's insistence, the gauge was set to 5 feet or 1524 millimeters. It has become standard for all roads in Russia. Builders had to build 8 large and 182 medium and small bridges to overcome water barriers.

Work on the construction of the railway began on May 27, 1843, simultaneously from two sides - from St. Petersburg and from Moscow. The construction employed up to 63 thousand people annually. The main tools of labor are a pickaxe, a shovel and a wheelbarrow. Construction was completed in November 1851. The railway was named Nikolaevskaya.
Nikolaev railway



34 stations were built on the road. Two large railway stations were built in Moscow and St. Petersburg according to the designs of the famous architect K. A. Ton. They still delight the eye with the perfection of their forms.

Nikolaevsky stations in St. Petersburg and in Moscow, 1848

After 1851, Melnikov organized a number of expeditions for survey work on the construction of new railways, in accordance with the project to create a network of railways in the European part of Russia. For this work Melnikov was awarded the order Saint Vladimir of the second degree.

On June 15, 1865, Emperor Alexander II issues a Decree on the establishment of the Ministry of Railways of Russia. Pavel Petrovich Melnikov is appointed as the first Minister of Communications.

The Ministry of Railways becomes one of the most authoritative departments in Russia, and the service in railway transport was considered one of the most prestigious. As a professor

P. P. Melnikov brought up a remarkable galaxy of great engineers who did a good job for the good of the fatherland.

Despite being very busy, Melnikov continued his scientific research and prepared new project development of the railway network in Russia, which was approved by Alexander II in 1866 and received the force of law.

In 1868, the St. Petersburg - Moscow highway was sold to the main company of Russian railways (only in 1894 it was bought out by the treasury). Pavel Petrovich was very keenly worried about the sale allowed by the government. Melnikov was categorically against this decision, which caused disgrace of the royal court, and in 1869 (at the age of 65) resigned.

V. A. Panaev wrote: “ Melnikov brilliantly completed the course of science, was one of the most educated people with a clear and quick mind, he was the first to initiate the construction of railways, trained many people for this, and, being a minister, gave a strong impetus to the construction of roads. Russia can be proud of this man.”

V. A. Panaev - engineer-traveler
Pavel Petrovich Melnikov is the first engineer in Russia who decided to perpetuate the titanic work of the builders of the St. Petersburg-Moscow railway through the monument church in honor of the holy apostles Peter and Paul in the city of Lyuban.

By order of the Ministry of Railways, seven boxes with icons, crystal candlesticks and a chandelier, as well as church books, were sent to Luban. The consecration of the church took place in 1867 in the presence of Melnikov. At the entrance to the church, a memorial plaque was installed, on which the dates of the beginning and end of the construction of the church and the names of the engineers who took part in the construction of the road were engraved.

Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Luban

(project by K. A. Ton)

P.P. Melnikov became the initiator of the fact that it was at Russian factories that steam locomotives, wagons and rails began to be produced, and not at foreign ones, as the tsarist authorities demanded then.

was a prominent hydraulic engineer of his time. His course "Foundations of Practical Hydraulics" even in the 50s was regarded as "the only manual on this subject in Russian." Melnikov also gained fame as a civil engineer.

In the field of applied mechanics, Pavel Petrovich was a great authority. Before him, the entire course in this discipline consisted of only 16 lithographed sheets on French. Melnikov restructured this course, developed sections in it concerning railway transport, and wrote a special tutorial dedicated to railroads.

P. P. Melnikov was the author of the project of a 6-kilometer safety dam in Dinaburg (now Daugavpils) on the right bank of the Western Dvina River to protect the city from floods during spring floods.

1857-1858 Pavel Petrovich worked on the restructuring of the spire on cathedral Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg - wooden structures were replaced with metal ones.

Z The remarkable Russian engineer and scientist P. P. Melnikov was buried at the Lyuban station on the Moscow-St. Petersburg road, where he lived in recent years.

At Lubansky railway station in 1955 a bronze monument was erected - a bust
P. P. Melnikov works of the sculptor

B. I. Epifanova.

With it so happened that the family ties of the Melnikovs intersected with the name of the great Russian poet A. S. Pushkin. The fact is that the niece of Pavel Petrovich Melnikov (daughter of his brother Alexei) Varvara Alekseevna married younger son poet - Grigory Alexandrovich Pushkin. This is how the Melnikovs and Pushkins became related. This married couple had many Pushkin relics, which were carefully kept in their house for many years. After his marriage, in 1899, Grigory Alexandrovich sold the estate of the Mikhailovsky state that he previously owned, and he himself moved to live in the estate of his wife's father Alexei Petrovich (later the estate of the Melnikov brothers).

This estate was located in Markuchai near Vilnius. Subsequently, the museum of A. S. Pushkin was created here, where Pushkin's relics were transferred, which were preserved by Grigory Alexandrovich and Varvara Alekseevna Pushkin.

Among the relics special place occupied the poet's poems about roads. Pushkin traveled a lot and, of course, traveled several thousand kilometers in his life.

He wrote: "Traveling was my favorite dream."

Pavel Petrovich Melnikov, man high culture, of course, he was well acquainted with the work of A. S. Pushkin, he was especially impressed by the poet's poems from the 7th chapter of the novel “Eugene Onegin”.

When good enlightenment

Let's move more boundaries

With time…

roads, right

We will change immeasurably:

Highway Russia here and here,

Connecting, cross.
Cast iron bridges across the water

Stepping in a wide arc

Let's move the mountains, under water

Let's dig bold vaults.

And lead the baptized world

At every station there is a tavern…

Documents about life and activity

Pavel Petrovich Melnikov

(from the stock of the IrGUPS library)

“Melnikov, although he was not the only

the head of the whole road, but no less

he positively was the soul of the whole thing and

teacher of everything and everyone in technical

questions and a great teacher.
V. A. Panaev

625.1(091)

Melnikov P.P. - engineer, scientist, statesman / M. I. Voronin, M. M. Voronina, I. P. Kiselev; ed. G. M. Fadeev. - St. Petersburg. : Humanistics, 2003. - 471 p.

The book is dedicated to the life and many-sided activity of P. P. Melnikov. The original materials are published scientific heritage. A review of the development of railways in the post-Melnikov period is given.

There are copies in departments : SPW (1), ANL (2)

625.1(091)

Voronin, M. I. Pavel Petrovich Melnikov. 1804-1880 / M. I. Voronin; Academy of Sciences of the USSR. - L .: Nauka, 1977. - 149 p.

About the life and work of P. P. Melnikov, the founder of the national transport science, railway line Moscow-Petersburg.

The book is intended for engineering and technical workers, teachers and students of higher and secondary educational institutions.

There are copies in the departments: ANL (1), OCHZ (1)

And Communication Engineers: railway track. Bridges. Construction / ed.: V. G. Ryaskin, S. V. Lyubimov. - M. : Way Art, 2003. - 453 p.

Collection of essays on labor, scientific and social activities outstanding railway engineers and transport builders, about the history of the construction of some railway lines.

There are copies in the departments: ANL (2), OCHZ (3), AUCHL (8)

656(092)

ZenzinovON THE. Outstanding engineers and scientists of railway transport / N. A. Zenzinov. - 2nd ed., revised. and additional - M. : Transport, 1990. - 480 p.

It tells about the labor and scientific activities of engineers and scientists of railway transport, the founders of scientific schools; consecrate them scientific views, practical contribution in the development of rail transport.

There are copies in the departments: ANL (2), OCHZ (1)

656.2(09)

Scientists and inventors rail transport: Sat. Art. / comp. A. P. Tretyakov; ed. N. S. Ryshchuk. - M. : Transzheldorizdat, 1956. - 228 p.

The collection contains articles about the life and work of Russian scientists and inventors who have made a great contribution to the development of railway transport.

Copies available in departments: PRK (1)

656.2(09)

History of the organization and management of railway transport in Russia. Facts, events, people / ed. A. A. Timoshin; ed. foreword G. P. Petrakov. - M .: UMC for education on the railway. transp., 2010. - 467 p.

On the history of the creation of the Department of Railways and the organization of railway transport Russian Empire.

There are copies in the departments: NBO (1), ANL (5), OCHZ (1)
***

Astashin V. An iconic figure: a minister with an unlimited range of interests / V. Astashin // Transport of Russia. - 2008. - January 21-27. – P. 8.

Vypov I. G. Melnikov Pavel Petrovich (1804-1880) /
I. G. Vypov // Railway transport. - 2001. - No. 7. – P. 63–65.
Zenzinov N. A. First Ministers of Railways /
N. A. Zenzinov // Railway transport. - 1995. - No. 3. - P. 65–69.
Korenev L.I. Melnikov Pavel Petrovich - the builder of the St. Petersburg-Moscow highway, the first Minister of Railways / L.I. Korenev // Electrification and development of railway transport in Russia. Traditions, Modernity, Prospects: Proceedings of the Intern. Symp., 23–26 Oct. 2001, PGUPS / Ministry of Railways of the Russian Federation, October. railroad, St. Petersburg. state un-t ways of communication. ; ed. V. V. Sapozhnikova, A. T. Burkova, A. V. Plaksa. - St. Petersburg, 2002. - S. 57-61.
Korneev A. V. "Railways are necessary for Russia": to the 130th anniversary of the Ministry of Railways / A. V. Korneev // Lokomotiv. - 1994. - No. 10. - P. 45–46.
Melnikov P. P. "He was called to the development of railways!" P. P. Melnikov // World of Transport. - 2003. - No. 3. – P. 130–135.
Melnikov P.P. On railways / P.P. Melnikov // World of transport. - 2003. - No. 3. - S. 136-139.
Pavlov V. E. The contribution of Russian engineers from the Urals to Pacific Ocean/ V. E. Pavlov, V. P. Voronin // Railway transport. - 1991. - No. 5. - S. 17–20.

On the square of three stations in Moscow, people with suitcases and bundles hurriedly run past the monument to a lush mustachioed man in a general's uniform. Few people know that this is a monument to the First Minister of Railways Pavel Melnikov, but few of them know what exactly this man did for Russia.

Pavel Petrovich Melnikov (1804-1880) - builder of the St. Petersburg-Moscow (Nikolaev) railway

Thanks to the classic Nekrasov poem, everyone knows that the railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow was built by Count Petr Andreevich Kleinmikhel. Indeed, he, like the emperor Nicholas I, did a lot to build the largest steel line in the world at that time, but still leading role another person played in this “terribly huge work” - an engineer Pavel Petrovich Melnikov. Modest, like a true Russian intellectual, he never stuck out his merits and generally did not like to talk about himself. He did not write memoirs, did not speak frankly with his colleagues, and refused the celebrations planned in honor of his 60th birthday with the words:

"Don't praise me for what has been done by the efforts of the whole country."

"An engineer must be able to build absolutely everything"

Pavel Melnikov was born in July 1804 ... and here the ambiguities begin. We do not know the exact date, place of birth, or even the name of his father. There were rumors that a peasant mother gave birth to Pavel and his younger brother Alexei from his master - chief of the ringmaster Petr Nikiforovich Beklemishev. He, as was customary in those days, gave his mistress for an accommodating groom, namely for a poor official Petra Melnikova, and occasionally helped her with money. Apparently, he arranged the children in a Moscow boarding school for boys. Vasily Kryazhev, which Pavel graduated at the age of 16. The rank of "adoptive" father gave him the right to hereditary nobility, which made his career easier. AT track records Pavel Melnikov wrote that he was "from the nobility, he has no peasants." I might add that families too: who did not know his real father and left his mother early, the young man was not used to family life and did not aspire to it, completely surrendering to study, as later to work.

At the boarding school, Pavel Melnikov was one of the best students, and in 1820 he was admitted to a school at the Institute of the Corps of Railway Engineers. This institute had recently been founded Augustine de Betancourt- a Spaniard-emigrant, a talented mechanical engineer who aspired first in his homeland, and then in Russia to build such roads and bridges that would meet the requirements of the time. And not only: among many of his projects are the Moscow Manege, the complex of buildings of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair, the arrangement of the embankments of St. Petersburg. “An engineer must be able to build absolutely everything,” he repeated, instilling this principle in his students. Education at his institute, including school, lasted eight whole years; taught there not only exact sciences but also architecture, painting, drawing. And of course, foreign languages, after all, many, having already left the walls of the institute, traveled to Europe to gain experience. At the reception of school graduates, Pavel Melnikov attracted the attention of Betancourt precisely because he spoke excellent French. Avgustin Avgustinovich ordered to take the young man immediately to the third year - and he was not mistaken. In 1825 (Betancourt was no longer alive by that time), Melnikov, having graduated from the institute with the best in his graduation, was promoted to lieutenant and enlisted in the staff of the Corps of Railway Engineers.

In those years, there was a discussion among specialists about what should be developed in the first place - water or land routes of communication. Since ancient times in spring and autumn Russian roads covered with impassable mud, and in winter swept with snow. It was easier to travel along the rivers: in the summer on ships on the water, and in the winter in a sleigh on the ice. But throughout the winter, which lasted six months in the northern latitudes, the delivery of goods was impossible. The situation was to be corrected by new roads - highways (with artificial turf) or railways, the first of which (public) appeared in England in the same 1825. The innovators in this matter were Betancourt and his students, but the old school engineers argued that different kind"overseas things" are not suitable for harsh Russian conditions. In addition, many in Russia, as well as in Europe, feared that steam locomotives, with their noise and burning, would poison the air, disperse the game and scare the cows so that they would stop giving milk.

Melnikov was a staunch supporter of the railways, but then no one was interested in his opinion. A young capable engineer was left at the institute to prepare for the defense of his dissertation. Already at the age of 29, he received the title of professor and began to teach applied mechanics. Soon he was assigned the first big project- construction of a six-kilometer dam in Dinaburg (now Daugavpils), which since then has been regularly protecting the city from spring floods. Another creation of Melnikov also existed for many years - the huge wooden dome of the Trinity Cathedral in St. Petersburg, made in 1834 to replace the metal one that could not withstand the storm. According to innovative technology, parts of the dome were raised up and already assembled there. The blue dome of the temple with golden stars northern capital admired until 2006, until it was destroyed by a terrible fire. Then, however, the dome was restored to its original form.

"About Railways"

View of the Nikolaev railway. Bridge over the river Tvertsa

Over time, the railways became Melnikov's main hobby. This passion was shared by his colleague, a talented engineer Nikolai Kraft, and the best students – Nikolay Lipin and Stanislav Kerbedz. Thanks to their efforts, a group of specialists well versed in the railway business appeared at the Institute of the Corps of Railway Engineers. Meanwhile, a second railway was launched in England, linking Manchester and Liverpool; similar to it began to build in other countries. In the book "On Railways", published in 1835, Melnikov argued that without such roads modern country cannot be considered civilized. This work, which was published for those years in a circulation of 600 copies, was read by many, and perhaps among them was Nicholas I, who always loved technical innovations. In any case, it was then that the emperor invited a famous Czech and Austrian engineer to Russia Franz von Gerstner with experience in railroad construction. Having studied the question, he wrote to Nikolai:

“There is no country in the world where railways would be more profitable and even necessary than in Russia…”

Gerstner proposed first of all to connect the expensive St. Petersburg and Moscow, but the tsarist ministers decided that this was too expensive. Czech was allowed to build a road from the capital to Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk: dignitaries could use it to get to their dachas, having the opportunity to independently evaluate the merits of the new means of transportation. True, construction immediately ran into difficulties: not only steam locomotives, but also rails, fasteners and even coal for boilers had to be transported from abroad. In addition, steam locomotives and wagons had to change the wheels, since Gerstner decided to increase the track width from 1435 mm, adopted in Europe, to 1829 mm for the stability of the trains. Because of this, the opening of the road was delayed, and only on October 30 (November 11), 1837, a train with eight cars solemnly departed from the metropolitan station. The Agile steam locomotive was driven by Gerstner himself, who offered Nicholas I and his family to take pride of place in the first carriage. And in vain: since most of the smoke and soot from the steam locomotive got there, by the end of the journey, the highest persons slightly resembled Africans. However, this did not overshadow the general joy: exactly 35 minutes later, the train that arrived in Tsarskoye Selo was greeted with a thunderous cheer.

Melnikov, too, would have gladly taken the first train in Russia, but he was not in the country: the authorities sent him and Kerbedz on a long trip abroad. For more than a year they traveled around England, France and Germany, inspected roads, tunnels and bridges, communicated with many specialists, including the patriarch of the railway business himself. George Stephenson. As a result of the trip, Melnikov compiled a huge report in five volumes with drawings and drawings: it would seem that now he had to finally convince the incredulous dignitaries of the need for railways. But he did not convince, and soon after returning from a European tour, he, this time with Kraft, was sent to America, where road construction developed the most rapidly. During the 15 months spent overseas, they not only gained valuable experience, but also established contacts with American engineers, many of whom later worked on the construction of the St. Petersburg - Moscow road.

Brief information about the development of domestic railways from 1838 to 2000. Reference book / Comp. G.M. Afonina. M., 2002
History of railway transport in Russia, XIX–XXI centuries. / Ed. E.I. brewer. M., 2012

St. Petersburg–Moscow

This road has become main goal Melnikov, who bombarded the leadership with notes and plans. Finally, in February 1842, the emperor issued a decree on its construction. Melnikov was appointed head of the northern section of construction (to Bologoy), Kraft - the southern one. General Kleinmichel became the general leader, from whom the engineers suffered a lot.

In order to reduce dependence on England, with which relations were rapidly deteriorating, Nicholas I ordered that his own specialists be trained in the Corps of Railway Engineers at an accelerated pace. Also, Russian factories placed orders for the production of steam locomotives and other railway equipment. Although the first Russian steam locomotive was built in Nizhny Tagil in 1834 by the father and son of the Cherepanovs, it was not until 1845 that the production of D-series locomotives was started at the Aleksandrovsky plant in the capital. Oddly enough, it was most difficult to do without imported rails, and even without coal: steam locomotives were heated with firewood until the development of the mines of Donbass began.

"Raise it at the expense of the treasury"

“Recognizing it as a blessing to give our fatherland a message, which, although it entails significant costs, promises the state many different benefits and will connect the two capitals, as it were, together, we decided to build a railway from St. Petersburg to Moscow and, following the example of other powers, build it at the expense of the treasury, in order to keep it constantly in the hands of the government and for the benefit of the general message, which is so important for the entire industrial and active life of the state.

From the decree of Nicholas I of February 1, 1842 on the construction of the railway St. Petersburg - Moscow

According to the project of Melnikov and Kraft, approved by the tsar, the length of the St. Petersburg-Moscow road reached 604 versts (645 km). The Nikolaev railway (as it will be called in honor of the emperor after his death) was perfectly straight, except for one section: according to a common bike, Nicholas I, drawing a line of the future route on the map, circled his finger in this place, resting on a ruler.

The construction lasted for eight whole years, up to 60 thousand workers participated in it at the same time. Working conditions were terrible: they had to work 16-18 hours a day, often knee-deep in water (half of the road passed through swamps). Everything was done by hand: although Melnikov bought four mechanical excavators from England, the contractors found their use unprofitable. Hard labor, malnutrition, epidemics caused mass mortality. The dead were buried here, along the road: “And on the sides, all the bones are Russian…”

In addition to the railway itself, bridges and tunnels were built, 34 stations and two identical stations were built - in St. Petersburg and Moscow - according to the project of the chief architect of the construction, Konstantin Ton, an old friend of Melnikov. To another friend of his, an academician Boris Jacobi, was instructed to conduct a telegraph line along the road. Melnikov's students became the heads of the sections: M.S. Volkov, A.G. Dobronravov, D.I. Zhuravsky, S.V. Kerbedz, N.I. Miklukha (father of the traveler N.N. Miklukho-Maclay). At the initiative of the talented Miklukha, who died early, spruce trees were planted along the railway track - to protect against snow drifts. But Melnikov himself contributed the most know-how to construction: for example, in the face of a shortage of cast iron, he learned to make railway bridges out of wood.

Map of the northern section of the Nikolaev railway with the Verebinsky bypass

emperor's finger

According to legend, Nicholas I, when drawing on the map a line of a direct route between Moscow and St. Petersburg, ran a pencil on his finger, which caused a bend in the line, which, fearing to disobey the highest will, was exactly repeated during construction.

Allegedly, because of this, the Verebinsky bypass was formed.

In fact, the detour arose due to the fact that initially the movement of trains in a direct direction to high point Valdai Upland through the Verebinsky ravine along famous bridge through Verebya was complicated by the steepness of the track profile. The length of the protracted ascent towards Moscow was 15 versts.

In the absence of reliable brakes, this led to crashes (the first happened already on February 12, 1852) and at the same time limited the commercial possibilities of transportation, requiring the use of pusher locomotives.

When, several decades after the start of operation, repairs were required unique bridge through Verebya, it was decided not to repair it, but to build it again, at the same time making a five-kilometer detour, which, although it increased the length of the highway, but made it possible to avoid the risk of accidents. The bypass, together with the new bridge, was built a quarter of a century after the death of Emperor Nicholas I, in 1881. And on October 26, 2001, the highway was returned to former place, eliminating the famous detour.

On August 18, 1851, the royal train from St. Petersburg, in which the construction managers and Nicholas I rode, departed from the new station on Znamenskaya Square at 11:15 and arrived in Moscow almost a day later, or rather, after 21 hours and 45 minutes, taking into account parking lots for replenishment supplies of water and fuel. The official opening of the road took place on November 1 (13) of the same year.

The construction of the road, which became the largest in the world, cost the treasury, according to various estimates, in the amount of 65 million to 75 million rubles. The financiers noted that it was "much less valuable than many foreign routes." Everyone understood that a considerable merit in the success of the grandiose enterprise belongs to Melnikov. The address of the native institute presented to him said:

"Railroad with its majestic buildings presents a doubly remarkable monument to your practical activity: as the most important way messages of Russia and as a school formed under the leadership of your builders.

Passenger building of the Nikolaev railway in St. Petersburg. Watercolor by A. Petzold. Almost identical station buildings for Moscow and St. Petersburg were designed by the architect K.A. Tone

five foot gauge

Gauge width (the distance between the inner edges of the rail heads) of five feet to the builders of the St. Petersburg-Moscow Railway Pavel Melnikov and Nikolai Kraft suggested by an American engineer George Washington Whistler. It is believed that this was done so that Russia could purchase equipment in America (there was adopted exactly this gauge).

But this, of course, did not become the main reason: no commercial considerations would force the then engineers, who were patriotic and loyal to the oath, to do what seemed to them inexpedient and unnecessary for Russia.

In fact, when choosing a five-foot gauge (1524 mm; later, from the 1970s, 1520 mm), two points were taken into account: on the one hand, it was necessary to make the gauge smaller than the Tsarskoye Selo gauge, which was too large (1829 mm), on the other, it was impossible to allow conformity with the track gauge adopted in Europe. The narrow European gauge (1435 mm) would not allow the use of the gauge of the required size, which would limit the transportation capabilities of Russian railways. In addition, this difference was also necessary in case of war in order to prevent the enemy invading our territory from using the railways to transfer forces and means.

By decree of the tsar, Melnikov, promoted to major general, was appointed the first head of the road. But the stress of many years of work made itself felt: a year later, due to deteriorating health, he gave way to Kraft (who died five years later).

First Minister

Despite the ailments, Melnikov did not stop his efforts to develop the railway network in Russia. He organized expeditions to different parts of the country to find out the best routes for laying roads. He drew up a plan, which indicated: it is necessary to build roads from the capitals to commercial ports and industrial regions as soon as possible.

According to Melnikov's plan, in the future the railways were to cover the entire country, providing a strong connection between its distant parts. But the authorities were in no hurry to continue construction at public expense, emphasizing the lack of money. As a result, during the Crimean War, Russia, having a million-strong army, due to the lack of railways, could not transfer it to the front and was defeated. Emperor Alexander II immediately upon accession to the throne, he showed himself to be a supporter of progress, and Melnikov hastened to present his plan to him. It would seem that things went smoothly, but the dignitaries decided otherwise. In 1857, the Main Society of Russian Railways was formed, which began to distribute construction concessions to private firms, including foreign ones. This saved the budget not only from expenses, but also from considerable income from the operation of roads, which went to contractors.

Arrival of the first imperial train from Petersburg to Moscow. Nicholas I with his wife and heir to the throne were met by the chief manager of the communications, Count P.A. Kleinmichel

Such a policy ran counter to the beliefs of Melnikov, who believed that the state should retain control over the main strategic roads. He refused to work for the Main Society and considered retiring altogether. But the emperor personally asked him to become an inspector of private railways, promising that all his proposals would be taken into account. Having received the rank of lieutenant general and the title of honorary academician as a reward, Pavel Petrovich could not resist. In 1862, he was appointed head of communications, and when three years later the department was transformed into a ministry, he became the first minister of communications of the Russian Empire. He stayed in this post for only four years, but during this time the length of railways in Russia doubled - up to 15 thousand km. His efforts completed the construction of roads to western border(Petersburg - Warsaw) and to the Volga (Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod).

Melnikov planned to lead steel tracks further - to the Urals, to the Caucasus, to Central Asia. But he was denied funds. Moreover, the state not only did not finance the construction of new roads, but also transferred the old ones to contractors. "Railway Kings" S.S. Polyakov, P.I. Gubonin, P.G. von Derviz, K.F. von Meck bought roads built at public expense for nothing, to which Melnikov sharply objected. The last straw was the sale in 1868 of his offspring - the Nikolaev railway.

Aleksandrovsk Locomotive Plant

A powerful impetus to the development of Russian industry was given by the decision of Nicholas I, taken by him at the suggestion of Pavel Melnikov, not to buy steam locomotives and wagons abroad, but to build them in Russia. For their production, the Alexander Plant in St. Petersburg (since 1922 - Proletarian) was chosen, where the production of the necessary rolling stock took place - 43 passenger steam locomotives, 121 freight and 2500 wagons different types. Thus began to form an original Russian school locomotive and carriage building. Original already because the rolling stock was built to fit our track, in our dimensions, taking into account our transportation conditions and needs - and, of course, in our aesthetics. It is curious that the first Russian cars, built under the influence of the American school, looked more like modern ones than those built later in the European manner.

The locomotives were designed to be heated with wood, not English cardiffs (coke briquettes). The first commodity steam locomotives were three-axle, passenger - two-axle (meaning the number of driving axles), but pretty soon, in 1858–1859, four-axle E-series steam locomotives appeared, and then their modernized counterparts of the Zh series. This was a great progress for its time . The Alexander Plant created four-axle steam locomotives before Germany, England and Belgium (an increase in the number of driving axles ensures an increase in the traction force of a steam locomotive).

In this regard, it is difficult to speak of any technical backwardness of Russia. The production of locomotives and wagons then belonged to higher forms industrial activity, which required the presence of a developed carpentry and metallurgy, the achievement of certain technologies, tolerances, the possibility of precise processing of parts, strength calculations, etc. It is clear that the experience of creating steam locomotives and wagons was carefully studied by Russian engineers in England and America, but then, that Russia was able to set up the construction of the rolling stock of railways on its own so quickly, indicates a very high qualification of its engineering personnel and great potential industrial opportunities.

Melnikov resigned. For some time he worked in the economic department of the State Council, and in 1873 he finally retired and moved to Lyuban near St. Petersburg, where his headquarters was located during the construction of the Nikolaev road. By that time, he had already bought a house there and built the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul - in memory of the builders of the main Russian highway. The project of the church at his request was Konstantin Ton, and the Ministry of Railways purchased icons and utensils for her. In addition, Melnikov, at his own expense, opened a school for the children of railway workers, an almshouse and an orphanage in Lyuban. The last years he lived in this town, surrounded by universal respect. His house was not far from the railway - his road, and he fell asleep to the sound of wheels and locomotive whistles.

Monument to P.P. Melnikov on the square of three stations in Moscow

Pavel Petrovich Melnikov died on July 22 (August 3), 1880 and was buried under the altar of the Luban church. After the revolution, they forgot about him, his grave was abandoned, but in 1954, in connection with the 150th anniversary of the birth of an ascetic engineer, his remains were transferred to the Lyuban railway station park, where his bust was installed. And half a century later, the 200th anniversary of the first Minister of Railways of Russia was solemnly celebrated in Moscow, where a monument to him was unveiled on the square of three railway stations. Salavat Shcherbakova.

Vadim Erlikhman,
Candidate of Historical Sciences
(with the participation of Alexey VULFOV)

KOZLOVA E.N., RYAZANTSEV M.M. Saint Petersburg - Moscow. Traveling by rail through time and space. SPb., 2001

P.P. Melnikov- engineer, scientist, statesman / Ed. G.M. Fadeev. SPb., 2003

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pavel Petrovich Melnikov
Portrait of the Minister of Railways Pavel Petrovich Melnikov (S.K. Zaryanko, 1869)
Minister of Railways of the Russian Empire
1865 - 1869
Head of the government:	Pavel Pavlovich Gagarin
Monarch:	Alexander II
Predecessor:	position established; he himself as Chief Manager of Railways and Public Buildings
Successor:	Vladimir Alekseevich Bobrinsky
1862 - 1865
Head of the government:	Dmitry Nikolaevich Bludov; Pavel Pavlovich Gagarin
Monarch:	Alexander II
Predecessor:	Konstantin Vladimirovich Chevkin
Successor:	position abolished; he himself as the Minister of Railways
Birth:	July 22 (August 3)(1804-08-03 ) Moscow, Russian Empire
Death:	July 22 (August 3)(1880-08-03 ) (76 years old) Lyuban, (Novgorod province
Place of burial:	Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Luban
Education:
Profession:	engineer
Military service
Years of service:	1822-1880
Affiliation:	Russian empire Russian empire
Rank:	lieutenant general

Pavel Petrovich Melnikov(July 22 [August 3], Moscow - July 22 [August 3], Lyuban) - Russian mechanical scientist and engineer, one of the authors of the St. Petersburg - Moscow railway project, First Minister of Railways of the Russian Empire (1865-1869) .

Biography

He studied at the Noble Boarding School of V. Kryazhev in Moscow (1818-1820; he graduated "with excellent diligence"). Then he graduated from the Military Construction School of Communications (October 28 (November 10), 1822; 1st in academic performance), released as an ensign to the Construction Detachment. He was admitted to the 3rd year. On June 15 (27), 1823 he was transferred to the Corps of Railway Engineers, from July 15 (27), 1824 - second lieutenant. He was released from the institute on July 14 (26), 1825 as a lieutenant ("for success in the sciences": he was also the 1st in academic performance).

Melnikov, as one of the authors of the St. Petersburg - Moscow railway project, personally convinced Emperor Nicholas I to begin its construction. During his management of the Department of Railways (renamed from the Main Directorate of Railways in 1865), the network of Russian railways increased by 7.062 thousand km. Author of the first Russian book on railways and the first specifications for designing stations.

Melnikov, in addition to developing plans and building the first main railways, on a deep scientific level dealt with wagon building issues:

• resistance to the movement of rail vehicles with the derivation of formulas for calculating this resistance;
• development of the design of car bodies and frames;
• recommendations on the design, dimensions and materials of wheels and axles of wheelsets for wagons operating at normal and high speeds;
• arrangement of bearings, materials used for their manufacture and technology of mechanical processing of rubbing surfaces;
• the design of lubricating devices in axle boxes, including the type of lubricant and methods of supplying it to rubbing parts;
• hand brake device;
• substantiation and limitation of the own weight of the car.

He went on a business trip on the design of railways and car building to America, after which he dedicated a number of scientific papers American wagon industry.

He was buried in Luban, Novgorod district, in the church of Sts. Peter and Paul, built in 1867 on his initiative, designed by architects K. A. Ton and F. N. Sobolevsky. For this reason, it is unofficially considered one of the main "railway" temples.

In 1954, his ashes were transferred to the square near the station building, where on August 9, 1955, a bronze monument was unveiled - a bust of P. P. Melnikov by sculptor D. M. Epifanov. In 2000, the ashes were returned to the former crypt under the temple, in which divine services have resumed since 1989.

monuments

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Notes

Literature

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Melnikov, Pavel Petrovich // Great Soviet Encyclopedia: [in 30 volumes] / ch. ed. A. M. Prokhorov. - 3rd ed. - M. : Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969-1978.
• Melnikov Pavel Petrovich / Shilov D.N. statesmen Russian Empire. 1802-1917. Biobibliographic reference book. - St. Petersburg. : Dmitry Bulanin, 2001. - S. 405-407. - ISBN 5-86007-227-9.
• Voronin M. I., Voronina M. M. Pavel Petrovich Melnikov, 1804-1880. - L.: Nauka, 1977.
• (English)
• John Decker. (English)

Links

Main directors of the ways messages of the Russian Empire Ministers of Railways Russian Empire Ministers of Railways Provisional Government People's Commissars communications of the RSFSR Ministers of Railways of the Russian powers (government of A. V. Kolchak) People's Commissars ways of communication of the USSR Ministers of Railways of the USSR Ministers of Railways Russian Federation Presidents OJSC "Russian Railways"

An excerpt characterizing Melnikov, Pavel Petrovich

In the middle of the third ecossaise the chairs in the drawing-room began to stir, where the count and Marya Dmitrievna were playing, and most of honored guests and old men, stretching after a long seat and putting wallets and purses in their pockets, went out through the doors of the hall. Marya Dmitrievna walked in front with the count, both with merry faces. With playful politeness, as if in a ballet manner, the count extended his rounded hand to Marya Dmitrievna. He straightened up, and his face lit up with a particularly valiantly sly smile, and as soon as the last figure of the ecossaise had been danced, he clapped his hands to the musicians and shouted at the choirs, turning to the first violin:
- Semyon! Do you know Danila Kupor?
It was the count's favorite dance, danced by him in his youth. (Danilo Kupor was actually one Anglaise figure.)
“Look at dad,” Natasha shouted to the whole hall (completely forgetting that she was dancing with a big one), bending her curly head to her knees and bursting into her sonorous laughter throughout the hall.
Indeed, everyone in the hall looked with a smile of joy at the cheerful old man, who, next to his dignitary lady, Marya Dmitrievna, who was taller than he, rounded his arms, shaking them in time, straightened his shoulders, twisted his legs, slightly stamping his feet, and with a more and more blossoming smile on his round face he prepared the audience for what was to come. As soon as the cheerful, defiant sounds of Danila Kupor, similar to a merry rattler, were heard, all the doors of the hall were suddenly forced on one side by male, on the other side by female smiling faces of courtyards who came out to look at the merry gentleman.
- Father is ours! Eagle! the nanny said loudly from one door.
The count danced well and knew it, but his lady did not know how and did not want to dance well. Her huge body standing upright with her powerful arms down (she handed the purse to the countess); only one strict, but Beautiful face she was dancing. What was expressed in the whole round figure of the count, with Marya Dmitrievna was expressed only in a more and more smiling face and a twitching nose. But on the other hand, if the count, more and more dispersing, captivated the audience with the unexpectedness of deft tricks and light jumps of her soft legs, Marya Dmitrievna, with the slightest zeal in moving her shoulders or rounding her arms in turns and stomping, made no less impression on the merit, which was appreciated by everyone at her corpulence and everlasting severity. The dance became more and more lively. The counterparts could not draw attention to themselves for a minute and did not even try to do so. Everything was occupied by the count and Marya Dmitrievna. Natasha pulled the sleeves and dresses of all those present, who already did not take their eyes off the dancers, and demanded that they look at papa. During the intervals of the dance, the count took a deep breath, waved and shouted to the musicians to play faster. Quicker, faster and faster, more and more and more, the count unfolded, now on tiptoe, now on heels, rushing around Marya Dmitrievna and, finally, turning his lady to her place, made the last step, raising his soft leg upward from behind, bending his sweating head with a smiling face and roundly waving his right hand amid the roar of applause and laughter, especially Natasha. Both dancers stopped, breathing heavily and wiping themselves with cambric handkerchiefs.
“This is how they danced in our time, ma chere,” said the count.
- Oh yes Danila Kupor! ' said Marya Dmitrievna, letting out her breath heavily and continuously, and rolling up her sleeves.

While the sixth anglaise was being danced in the Rostovs' hall to the sounds of tired musicians who were out of tune, and the tired waiters and cooks were preparing dinner, the sixth stroke took place with Count Bezukhim. The doctors announced that there was no hope of recovery; the patient was given a deaf confession and communion; preparations were made for the unction, and the house was full of fuss and anxiety of expectation, common at such moments. Outside the house, behind the gates, undertakers crowded, hiding from the approaching carriages, waiting for a rich order for the count's funeral. The Commander-in-Chief of Moscow, who constantly sent adjutants to learn about the position of the count, that evening he himself came to say goodbye to the famous Catherine's nobleman, Count Bezukhim.
The magnificent reception room was full. Everyone stood up respectfully when the commander-in-chief, after being alone with the patient for about half an hour, came out of there, slightly answering the bows and trying as soon as possible to get past the eyes of doctors, clergy and relatives fixed on him. Prince Vasily, who had grown thinner and paler these days, saw off the commander-in-chief and quietly repeated something to him several times.
After seeing off the commander-in-chief, Prince Vasily sat alone in the hall on a chair, throwing his legs high over his legs, resting his elbow on his knee and closing his eyes with his hand. After sitting like this for some time, he got up and with unusually hasty steps, looking around with frightened eyes, went through a long corridor to the back half of the house, to the elder princess.
Those who were in the dimly lit room spoke among themselves in an uneven whisper and fell silent every time full of questions and expectant eyes looked back at the door that led into the chambers of the dying man and emitted faint sound when someone left it or entered it.
“The human limit,” said the old man, spiritual person, the lady who sat down to him and naively listened to him - the limit is set, but you can’t pass it.
– I think it’s not too late to unction? - adding a spiritual title, the lady asked, as if she did not have any opinion on this matter.
“A sacrament, mother, great,” the clergyman answered, running his hand over his bald head, along which lay several strands of combed half-gray hair.
- Who is this? Was he the commander in chief? asked at the other end of the room. - What a youthful! ...
- And the seventh ten! What, they say, the count does not know? Wanted to congregate?
- I knew one thing: I took unction seven times.
The second princess had just left the patient's room with tearful eyes and sat down beside Dr. Lorrain, who was sitting in a graceful pose under the portrait of Catherine, leaning on the table.
“Tres beau,” said the doctor, answering a question about the weather, “tres beau, princesse, et puis, a Moscou on se croit a la campagne.” [beautiful weather, princess, and then Moscow looks so much like a village.]
- N "est ce pas? [Isn't it?] - said the princess, sighing. - So can he drink?
Lorren considered.
Did he take medicine?
- Yes.
The doctor looked at the breguet.
- Take a glass of boiled water and put une pincee (he thin fingers showed what it means une pincee) de cremortartari ... [a pinch of cremortartar ...]
- Do not drink, listen, - the German doctor said to the adjutant, - that the shiv remained from the third blow.
And what a fresh man he was! the adjutant said. And who will this wealth go to? he added in a whisper.
“The farmer will be found,” the German replied, smiling.
Everyone again looked at the door: it creaked, and the second princess, having made the drink shown by Lorrain, carried it to the patient. The German doctor approached Lorrain.
"Maybe it'll make it to tomorrow morning, too?" the German asked, speaking badly in French.
Lorren, pursing his lips, sternly and negatively waved his finger in front of his nose.
“Tonight, not later,” he said quietly, with a decent smile of self-satisfaction in that he clearly knew how to understand and express the situation of the patient, and walked away.

Meanwhile, Prince Vasily opened the door to the princess's room.
The room was semi-dark; only two lamps were burning in front of the images, and there was a good smell of smoke and flowers. The whole room was set with small furniture of chiffonieres, cupboards, tables. From behind the screens one could see the white bedspreads of a high feather bed. The dog barked.
“Ah, is that you, mon cousin?”
She got up and straightened her hair, which she always, even now, was so unusually smooth, as if it had been made from one piece with her head and covered with varnish.
- What, something happened? she asked. - I'm already so scared.
- Nothing, everything is the same; I just came to talk to you, Katish, about business, - the prince said, wearily sitting down on the chair from which she got up. “How hot you are, however,” he said, “well, sit down here, causons. [talk.]
“I thought, did something happen? - said the princess, and with her unchanging, stonyly stern expression, sat down opposite the prince, preparing to listen.
“I wanted to sleep, mon cousin, but I can’t.
- Well, what, my dear? - said Prince Vasily, taking the hand of the princess and bending it down according to his habit.
It was evident that this "well, what" referred to many things that, without naming, they understood both.
The princess, with her incongruously long legs, dry and straight waist, looked directly and impassively at the prince with bulging gray eyes. She shook her head and sighed as she looked at the icons. Her gesture could be explained both as an expression of sadness and devotion, and as an expression of fatigue and hope for a quick rest. Prince Vasily explained this gesture as an expression of fatigue.
“But for me,” he said, “do you think it’s easier?” Je suis ereinte, comme un cheval de poste; [I'm mortified like a mail horse;] but still I need to talk to you, Katish, and very seriously.
Prince Vasily fell silent, and his cheeks began to twitch nervously, first to one side, then to the other, giving his face an unpleasant expression, which was never shown on the face of Prince Vasily when he was in drawing rooms. His eyes, too, were not the same as always: now they looked insolently jokingly, now they looked around in fright.
The princess, with her dry, thin hands holding the little dog on her knees, looked attentively into the eyes of Prince Vasily; but it was clear that she would not break the silence with a question, even if she had to remain silent until morning.
“You see, my dear princess and cousin, Katerina Semyonovna,” continued Prince Vasily, apparently not without internal struggle starting to continue his speech - at such moments as now, you need to think about everything. We need to think about the future, about you ... I love you all like my children, you know that.
The princess looked at him just as dull and motionless.
“Finally, we need to think about my family,” Prince Vasily continued, angrily pushing the table away from him and not looking at her, “you know, Katish, that you, the three Mammoth sisters, and even my wife, we are the only direct heirs of the count. I know, I know how hard it is for you to talk and think about such things. And it's not easier for me; but, my friend, I'm in my sixties, I have to be ready for anything. Do you know that I sent for Pierre, and that the count, directly pointing to his portrait, demanded him to himself?

Pavel Petrovich Melnikov (4. VIII. 1804–16. VIII. 1880) - an outstanding Russian engineer, scientist and organizer in the field of transport, the builder of the first long-distance railway in Russia, an honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, was educated at the Military Construction School, and then - at the Institute of the Corps of Railway Engineers. As one of the most excellent students, he was left at the institute, where from 1833 he taught a course in applied mechanics.

The period when Melnikov began his activity was characterized by the views that in Russia there is no need for new modes of transport - railways and steamships, it can easily manage with traditional ones. P.P. Melnikov and his associates had to wage a long struggle for the introduction of advanced modes of transport, which would contribute to the fastest industrial development country and education of the people. In one of his works he wrote: "... nothing can contribute to enlightenment so much as the possibility of fast and cheap travel, acquired by improved communication systems", "human thought will rush into the distance along the railways ...".

According to Melnikov, the development of transport in Russia had to go in three directions: 1. construction of canals, improvement of natural waterways, the introduction of the shipping company; 2. highway laying and introduction "steam stagecoaches"; 3. construction of a network of railways.

In the mid 1830s. Melnikov wrote a number of works on new modes of transport, including the book "About Railways", in which he considered all the types of traction that existed then: horse-drawn, self-carrying, stationary steam engines and locomotives; substantiated the advantage of iron rails over cast iron ones; performed a number of calculations that served as the basis for further research. By the mid 1830s. the works of P. P. Melnikov, M. S. Volkov, and others in Russia laid the foundations of domestic railway science. By 1839, a special "Railroad course".

Although Nicholas I, the Russian government, and the head of the railway department, K.F. high road Petersburg-Moscow. In March 1841, a Special Committee was created "for the preliminary preparation and consideration of a railway project from St. Petersburg to Moscow in relation to technical and commercial calculations, which should include all trade calculations from one capital to another and back, starting with food items." It included the largest specialists in the railway business A. V. Abaza, P. P. Melnikov and N. O. Kraft, who were engaged in all the engineering and economic justification for future construction. At the same time, many calculations were performed almost for the first time and made in such a way that they could be used in the construction of other railways.

In 1843, the Russian government decided to build the St. Petersburg-Moscow road at the expense of the treasury. The management of the engineering and technical side of the work was entrusted to P. P. Melnikov and N. O. Kraft. Construction lasted almost 8 years. During this time, both its leaders and workers had to overcome many difficulties. The road directly connected St. Petersburg and Moscow, in places passing through swamps, crossing rivers. In world practice, there was no experience of conducting work in such northern latitudes.

Although Melnikov and Kraft were well acquainted with the experience of building railways in the United States, much was being done for the first time in the field of design. This applies, for example, to the construction of subgrades, bridges, pipes and other artificial structures. At the suggestion of Kraft, Melnikov and his assistant N. I. Lipin, one constant gauge was adopted in the country's railway network - 1524 mm (5 pounds).

The main line was opened for public use on November 25, 1851. At that time it was the longest in the world and the scale and monumentality of the structure and the quality of work was an outstanding achievement of the domestic railway business.

P. P. Melnikov hoped that the construction of the St. Petersburg-Moscow road would be the first step in creating the country's railway network, lay the foundation for the development of domestic steam locomotive building and rail rolling production. Already in the 1840s. he presented to Nicholas I his thoughts on this matter. However, they did not receive support then. It was possible to start implementing this plan only almost twenty years later - from the second half of the 1860s. The network designed by Melnikov was supposed to have a length of 4.7 thousand km. He aimed to connect southern Russia with the ports of the Baltic, Black and Seas of Azov, establish communication between the fertile southern provinces of the country and the consuming northwestern provinces, ensure cheap delivery of Donetsk coal to all parts of Russia, and satisfy the country's military-strategic needs.

In 1862, P. P. Melnikov was appointed the chief manager of communications, and in 1866, when the Main Directorate was renamed into a ministry, he became the first Russian minister of communications. During his tenure in this post, Melnikov outlined a new project for the continuation of unfinished lines and the construction of new lines with a length of over 7 thousand km. In 1869, he convened the first general congress of representatives of railway enterprises, the decisions of which laid the foundation for the direct transportation of passengers along interlocking roads, established transfer stations for the continuous transportation of goods, etc.

However, in 1878, due to a conflict with the Minister of Finance M.Kh. Reitern, who decided to transfer the St. Petersburg-Moscow railway into the hands of foreign concessionaires, P.P. Melnikov resigned.

Scientific, practical and organizational activities of P.P. Melnikov was highly appreciated by the public: in 1858, on the recommendation of prominent scientists, academicians M.V. Ostromyslensky, V.Ya. Bunyakovsky and B.S. Jacobi, he was elected an honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

"Contemporaries describe P. P. Melnikov as an intelligent, very sociable, mocking, eloquent and almost ascetic person in everyday life. Already having a high rank and position, he lived in one room, traveled in an ordinary carriage or a simple chariot. He demanded from himself and other selfless service to the cause. cash he used for charitable purposes: the construction of a school for the children of railway workers and an almshouse for the elderly and orphans near Lyuban.

The remarkable Russian engineer and scientist P. P. Melnikov was buried at the Lyuban station on the Moscow-St. Petersburg road, where he lived in recent years.

Literature:

1. Zhitkov S. Biographies of communications engineers. SPb. 1889. Issue 1.
2. Virginsky V. The emergence of railways in Russia. M. 1949.

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