'Military Report on Russian Turkistan or Central Asia' [‎20r] (44/168)

2?
In April 1897 work was begun on the branch line
from Merv to Kushk Post near the Afghan frontier, and
was completed in December 1898.*
In June 1895 it was decided to extend the line from
Samarkand to Tashkend, and also to Andijan — an
additional length of line of421 miles, which was completed
in 1899.
Meanwhile the desirability of substituting a more
permanent structure for the temporary wooden bridge
over the Oxus, had long been under consideration.
Work on the present iron bridge was begun on
30th October 1898, and Avas completed on 9th June
1901. This bridge is 1,750 yards long, (the longest in
the whole of the Russian Empire) and the total cost
of its construction was approximately 516.270/.
The length of line now open for traffic is:—
Krasnovodsk to Tashkend (main line) 1,158 miles.
Branch line to Andijan - - 202£ „
Branch line Merv to Kushk Post - 194| ,,
Local Feeder: Krasnovodsk—Ufra - 3^ „
„ „ Kagan—Bokhara - 8 „
„ „ Gorchakovo—Margilan 5^ „
Total - - 1,5711 miles.
The line, after leaving Krasnovodsk, runs in a
generally south-east direction, for the first fifty miles or
so along a shallow indent of the Caspian Sea, then over
sandy wastes to Kizil Arvat. From this point to Dushak
(a distance of some 240 miles) it runs at the northern
foot of the Kopet Dagh range, along the Persian frontier.
At Dushak the line turns sharply to the north-east, and
after passing the Tejend and Merv oases (from the latter
* The distance of 194 miles was completed in ly months
and 8 days, or at an average rate of about 10^ miles per
month.
From 3,500-5,000 men were employed, of whom Russian
workmen formed from 27 per cent, to 45 per cent., the remainder
being Bokhariots, Persians, Sarts and Afghans. Plate-laying was
carried out at an average rate of from 1 to 1^ miles a day.
For description of Kushk Post, see page 36.