'Military Report on Russian Turkistan or Central Asia' [‎21r] (46/168)

29
The traffic scheduled at present, is as follows:—
Main line—10 trains each way, in 24 hours.
Merv-Kushk Branch—2 to 4 trains each way, in
24 hours.
Andijan Branch—6 trains each way, in 24 hours.
The above include water and fuel trains (on the main
line), of which there are two or three running each way
daily.
The average speed of mail trains is 17£ miles an
hour, and that of goods trains miles an hour, both
including stoppages.
One locomotive draws from 72 to loO axles ; or two
locomotives draw 134 to 200 axles. The average com
position of trains recently observed was 90 axles.
It is estimated* that the maximum carrying capacity
of the line, as a whole, for military purposes would not
exceed 12 pairs of trains (of not more than 100 axles) a
day, with two or three additional pairs for fuel and water,
at an average speed of 13 miles an hour.
There is telegraphic communication throughout the
length of the line. Hand signals, however, are used for
controlling the traffic.
The passing-places, on this branch line, are from five Merv-
to nine and a quarter miles apart. The line rises towards Kushk
Ivushk, at an average gradient of ? 1^. The water supply brancl1 -
is good.
* A competent observer who visited the line in 1904,
estimated the maximum carrying capacity of the various sections
of the line, after careful consideration of all the conditions affecting
the question, as follows: —
Section of Line.
Maximum, Pairs of Trains,
daily.
Military.
Fuel and Water, &c.
Total.
Krasnovodsk - Charj ui
12(o)
3*
15
Charjui-Samarkand
12(6)
3*
15
Samarkand-Tashkend
10(c)
2*
12
Merv-Kushk
10
2
12
Andijan-Chernayevo
12
2
14
* It is, perhaps, possible that these numbers roijrht be reduced by one in
each case, making the estimated maximum numbers (a), (b) and (e),13,
IS and 11 respectively. Evety effort would, no doubt, be made, in anticipa
tion ofymy military operations, ito increase the carrying capacity of the
Merv-Kushk section, so as to approximately equal that of the remainder of
the line,