Two-story wagons from the Tver Carriage Works plan to be used on the railways of Russia

Two-story carriages of Russian production were represented by the Tver Carriage-Building Plant (TVZ) back in 2009. Should we remind readers that the new is often the forgotten old?

Such carriages existed, as it turns out, even before the revolution (Sormovo and Tver manufacture), and they were quite common in the USSR for a while. In the 1960s, two-story passenger cars started to appear in the GDR (they went mainly along the route Kovel-Lvov). However, could the Soviet Union give another, even a friendly country? The great power creates its two-story cars (on the basis of those produced in the GDR), plying the Chelyabinsk region and between Ryazan and Moscow. Judging by the kind of structures that we used to see today, innovations on the railroad did not take root. Perhaps it was all about convenience or lack thereof.

How do modern two-story cars look so common in Europe? By the way, there they ply mainly at night and are called kushetnye (and we have "compartment, with increased capacity").

So, the new two-story car is designed for eight compartments on the first floor and eight - on the second. Accordingly, the capacity is doubled, as is the total weight of the car. To reduce the severity, we decided to "cut off" the space (at the expense of the ceiling), abandon the luggage compartments at the top (on each floor), and install conventional ones instead of the shelves. As a result, the total weight of the car exceeded the previous one by only 10% (about 65 tons). The length of the giant is 26.2 m, height - 5.25.

The corridors of the floors run along different sides, but the top-level windows end rather low. So if you want to admire the landscape, you'll have to bend over or sit down. A similar problem "smiles" to the passengers, who are located on the upper shelves - the windows in the compartment are also low. Producers promise to fix the shortcomings in the future.

The new two-story car has only one door. In order to go to its place, you have to go down (or, conversely, climb) on the stairs. This is also not very convenient. The opposite end of the car (also the "middle level") is equipped with three toilet rooms. The possibility of using showers (their installation was planned) is still in doubt.

I must say that passengers will now be rid of the noise from neighboring compartments, constantly burning at night, and other inconveniences that accompany the "cardholders". The atmosphere will now become a similar cup. Thanks to the through corridor ventilation will improve, and the ability to lock the door will in some way enhance the safety of both the passengers themselves and their luggage.

Use couch cars will, most likely, on night routes, when passengers will have enough of the proposed minimum comfort.

The timing of the mass appearance of "giants" on the railway is still vague. The approval of the Russian Railways has already expressed, and tests will show whether it is expedient to put into operation two-story cars. The most in demand they can be on routes from Moscow to St. Petersburg, Minsk, Kiev, Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kostroma, Novgorod, Kazan.