Russia Enters the Railway Age, 1842-1855 (East European Monograph)

Focuses on the planning, financing, construction, and early years of operation of the St. Petersburg-Moscow Railway, which was the largest single project undertaken by Peter the Great and a major departure point for further railway construction in Russia. The text pays special attention to the roles played by British and American engineers and entrepreneurs, the quality of Russian engineering skills, and the successes and failures in the transfer of foreign technology to Russia. The work should be of value to scholars studying the economic and industrial development of Russia, as well as anyone with an interest in the political and social history of pre-reform Russia.