During the nineteenth century, railway lines spread rapidly across Europe, linking the continent in ways unimaginable to previous generations. By the beginning of the twentieth century the great cities of the continent were linked by a complex and extensive rail network. Yet this high-point of interconnectivity, was abruptly cut-off after 1945, as the Cold War built barriers - both physical and ideological - between east and west.In this volume, leading transport history scholars take a fresh look at this situation, and the ramifications it had for Europe. As well as addressing the parallel development of railways either side of the Iron Curtain, the book looks at how transport links have been reconnected and reconfigured in the twenty years since the reunification of Europe. In particular, it focuses upon the former communist countries and how they have responded to the challenges and opportunities railways offer both nationally and internationally.Including contributions from historians, researchers, policy makers, representatives of railway companies and railway museum staff, the essays in this collection touch upon a rich range of subjects. Divided into four sections: 'The Historical Overview', 'Under Russian Protection', After the Fall of the Iron Curtain, and 'The Heritage of Railways in Eastern Europe' the volume offers a broadly chronological introduction to the issue, that provides both a snap-shot of current debates and a starting point for further research. It concludes that in an era of increased globalisation and interconnectivity - and despite the rise of air and road transport and virtual methods of communication - railways still have a crucial role to play in the development of a prosperous and connected Europe.
Contents: Preface; Introduction: Eastern European railways in transition, Ralf Roth, Henry Jacolin and Augustus J. Veenendaal; Part I General Suggestions and Historical Overviews of Railways in Eastern European Countries: The Baltic States - railways under many masters, Augustus J. Veenendaal; The construction and modernisation of railways in Belorussia/Belarus in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Andrej Kishtymov; Serbia's access to the sea, 1830-2006, Henry Jacolin; The history or railway passenger transportation in Hungary - from the monarchy to the 21st century, Imre Perger; Czech military railways - history and a comparative analysis of the Czech railway network's efficiency, Martin Kvizda; The Royal Prussian Eastern Railway (Ostbahn) and its importance for East-West transportation, Jan Musekamp. Part II Under Russian Protection: 1918, 1945 and 1989: three turning points in the history of Polish railways in the 20th century, Martin Przegietka; Transport under socialism: the case of the Czech State Railways 1948-1989, Ivan Jakubec; The modernisation of railways in Slovakia after 1945, Milan Klubal; The centrally planned economy and railways in Hungary, Zsuzsz Frisnyak; The railways of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialst Republic: 1920-1990, Ihor Zhaloba; Yugoslavia: the Sub-Savian Magistral, Henry Jacolin; Passengers' railway identity in socialist Romania during the 1950s and 1960s, Adelina Oana Stefan; Cold War crisis on the railway: construction of the Berlin Wall, Toma' Nigrin. Part III After the Fall of the Iron Curtain: Changes - Problems - Modernisation: Railway integration in Europe: UIC - a key player of East-West railway integration, Paul Veron; Back to the future? Russia's railway transport and the collapse of the Soviet Union in historical perspective, Anthony Heywood; The unification of East and West German railways into the Deutsche Bahn, Ralf Roth; Seen from the driving cab: the consequences of German Railway's privatisation since the reunion of Deutsche Bundesbahn and Reichsbahn from the engine drivers' perspective, Peter F.N. Horz and Marcus Richter; The reopening of Murska Sobota-Zalalovo railway: a paradox of the European reunification in Central Europe?, Kevin Sutton; 'More is less': regular interval timetable in Central Eastern Europe, Viktor Borza, Vit Jano' and Istvan Neumann; Railway heritage protection policy in Hungary, ZsuZsa Frisnyak; The heritage of the Deutsche Reichsbahn and its presentation in the Deutsche Bahn museum in Nuremberg, Rainer Mertens; Bibliography; Index..
