the Soviet Union was a great power train.Huge space intersected in all directions by steel highways on which day and night, raced cars with cargo and passengers.Titanic scale rail transport system began to develop even under the tsars, and received a big development during the Communist rule.She inherited the Russian Federation and other countries formed after 1991.One of the symbols of the Soviet era passenger wagon was the reserved seat, a unique invention of transport economists disappeared from the political map of the vast country.
economic background
Passenger traffic in the Soviet Union itself does not pay off.Cost of flights Aeroflot, sea, river and rail journeys exceeds the total flow of money from ticket sales.However, the salary of the Soviet workers are not allowed to set freight rates even at the level of self-sufficiency, they would have turned out to be unfeasible for most citizens.Therefore, such an important sector of the economy as a passenger, was subsidized by the state.And as the economy as a whole, too, it is not very efficient, to do something that was not easy.
So there was this car.Reserved seat became the optimal solution of this issue, as an increase in the capacity of a conventional rolling stock, the ability to put more passengers, while retaining the ability to sleep, eat and celebrate other needs in a long journey.We're not Poland, and Belgium, where you can drive all the way seated.
classes of cars in a classless society
Despite the declared universal equality, the railway is still some room left for the bundle of the Soviet people in the degree of material prosperity.The top of the comfort - SV with single, double and triple coupe increased convenience.They traveled the leaders and other important people who are tired of the road can not be had.They thought of "home"!The coupe drove ordinary citizens, the salary which allows them to purchase these tickets, or seconded reputable companies.In nine compartments separated from the roller doors of the corridor, which is located quite four, he could stretch his legs, and if you are lucky with the neighbors (Smyrna, abstainers and snoring), while on the road could be considered successfully conducted.The next class was a car - economy class, the most popular and folk.And in the bottom of the rankings of comfort - a common, almost the same, only worse.
Driving car reserved seat
So, in each department, probation fenced off from one another, and their nine going six.It is easy to calculate that the total capacity of 54 passengers with luggage that is set, in addition to the space under the lower seats, optional third shelf.Naturally, this affected the seal space dedicated to sleep.Approximately 1 meter 70 centimeters - that's the length to which the traveler can expect when deciding which way to draw in his legs.Otherwise, they will be stuck in the aisle, creating inconvenience for those who need to go to the toilet or it's time to go.
side seats in the carriage-reserved seats are the most uncomfortable, though, in general, there is a big difference.Experienced passengers are asked to lower shelves, but there are advantages and upper, quieter there.Well, when the toilet is not close, and the door rattles and smells ...
Romance wandering
And yet, despite the inconvenience and the unity of the internal acoustic space reserved seat wagon is very popular.The main reason, of course, economic.But if the conditions were really unbearable, passengers would find, of course, a little money to pay for the comfort and go into the compartment.In fact, in that time, a long car journey is not so noticeable, people have the opportunity to socialize and even help each other (for example, to yield the best place an elderly person or a lady).In the end, we brought collectivists.
guide Railways announced the imminent cancellation of all second-class carriages.Perhaps they will miss us ...
