[Surround]

Volgograd (Russian: Волгогра́д), formerly called Tsaritsyn (Russian: Цари́цын) (1598–1925) and Stalingrad (Russian: Сталингра́д) (1925–1961) is a city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is 80 kilometres long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River. Population 1.012.000 inhabitants.

[blimey]

Can't see photos, would be interesting to see ex-Stalingrad!

[Surround]

The Motherland Calls, (Russian: Родина-мать зовёт! "Rodina Mat' Zovyot!"), also called Mother Motherland, Mother Motherland Is Calling, or simply The Motherland, or The Mamayev Monument is a statue in Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd, Russia commemorating the Battle of Stalingrad.

When the memorial was dedicated in 1967 it was the tallest sculpture in the world, measuring 85 meters (279 feet) from the tip of its sword to the top of the plinth. The figure itself measures 52 meters (170 feet), and the sword 33 meters (108 feet). 200 steps which symbolise the 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad lead from the bottom of the hill to the monument. The lead sculptor was Yevgeny Vuchetich (the famous Russian sculptor of Serbian descent), and the significant structural engineering challenges of the 7900 ton sculpture were handled by Nikolai Nikitin. It appears on both the current flag and coat of arms of Volgograd Oblast.

The model who posed for Mother Motherland, Valentina Izotova, a native of the city, is still recognized for her resemblance to the statue.[1] She was recruited by Lev Maistrenko, an artist who was working on the memorial complex in the early 1960s. According to some sources the statue was partially inspired by Winged Victory of Samothrace, with somewhat more extended drapery. Marshal of the Soviet Union Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov is buried in the area of the monument.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Rodina_mat_zovet.jpg

[blimey]

Wow! How huge is THAT?
Very, very impressive.

[SrbijaCG]

Oh lookey...Blimey!!!:cheers: :banana:
You're still around - haven't seen you in ages.

How are things?

[olga]

Here are some pics I took in 1993:
http://www.pbase.com/olgas/volgograd

[blimey]

Thanks, Olga. That picture with people coming out of the train is priceless :D

Oh lookey...Blimey!!!:cheers: :banana:
You're still around - haven't seen you in ages.

How are things?

Yup, still around. How is my dear Serbian/Montenegran amigo doing these days? Still in Canada or back in Banja Luka/Belgrade/Novi Sadi/whatever?

[Surround]

The Volgograd Metrotram is a light rail system operating in Volgograd, Russia. It consists of 18 stations on one line, paralleling the Volga River from the northern suburbs of Volgograd to its downtown core for a total length of 13.5 kilometres. Most of the Metrotram line shares a surface-level right of way with a previously constructed railway line for 10.2 kilometres, in a manner similar to that of the south leg of the C-Train system in Calgary, for example; the three downtown stations, on the other hand, were built underground over a total length of 3.3 kilometres, meeting design standards consistent with existing Russian metro systems.

The Volgograd Metrotram was inaugurated on 5 November 1984, and presently serves 50 million passengers per year.

Number of lines 1
Number of stations 18
Daily ridership 136,000
Operation
Began operation 5 November 1984
Owner Volgograd Municipality
Operator(s) Metroelectrotrans
Technical
System length 13.5 km (8.4 mi)
Track gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11⅞ in)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Volgograd_leninsquare.jpg
http://www.volgograd.ru/metrotram/en/ - interactive Web3D model of metrotram
http://www.cortona3d.com/install/other.php

[Surround]

Mamayev Kurgan (Russian: Мамаев Курган) is a dominant height overlooking the city of Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) in southern Russia. The name in Russian means "tumulus of Mamai".[1]

The Mamayev Kurgan features a memorial complex commemorating the Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942 to February 1943). The battle was a decisive Soviet victory over Axis forces on the Eastern front of World War II and arguably the bloodiest battle in human history. At the time of its installation in 1967 the statue of The Motherland Calls formed the largest free-standing sculpture in the world.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Солдат.jpg
http://www.volgograd.ru/mamayev-kurgan/ - interactive Web3D model of Mamayev Kurgan

[Distill3d]

The Volgograd Metrotram was inaugurated on 5 November 1984, and presently serves 50 million passengers per year.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Volgograd_leninsquare.jpg


that train looks like its from the late 1950's/early 1960's! i'm very surprised that it can handle such a work load.

[bvpcvm]

olga, that train picture is indeed awesome.


http://www.volgograd.ru/metrotram/en/ - interactive Web3D model of metrotram
http://www.cortona3d.com/install/other.php

just wondering. i followed your link and checked out this page (http://www.volgograd.ru/metrotram/en/future.pub). in the last section, "dolgosrochinye plany", it talks about a third stage - and even 4th and 5th stages - and even names stations. it doesn't say it outright, but i got the impression they're planning on building it underground all the way to the university. is that correct? or will it come to the surface after "stage 2"?

[Beltliner]

Couldn't help noticing that the Volgograd Metrotram seems to have new and improved rolling stock running the rails these days (image courtesy of A. Platonov on transit.parovoz.com (http://transit.parovoz.com/muralista/pg_view.php?ID=17240&LNG=RU)):

http://transit.parovoz.com/muralista-data/RU34/20090118_17240.jpg

Some key data from Vagonmash's page on the LVS-2009 (http://www.vagonmash.ru/products-10-5.htm) (Model 71-154):

Length over coupler: 31.5 m (Siemens Avanto 28.5 m; Siemens SD-160 24.8 m)
Tare: 42 T (Avanto 44 T; SD-160 45 T)
Width: 2.55 m (Avanto 2.65 m; SD-160 2.65 m)
Height: 3.15 m (Avanto 3.68 m w/pantograph; SD-160 3.84 m w/pantograph)
Seats: 50 (Avanto 68; SD-160 64)
Design Load: 225 (Avanto 180; SD-160 180)
Crush Load: 330 (Avanto 236; SD-160 240)
Floor Height over top of rail: 350 mm low-floor, 750 mm high-floor (Avanto 356 mm low floor, 856 mm high-floor; SD-160 985 mm high-floor)
Turning Radius: 14 m (Avanto 25 m; SD-160 25 m)

The Palerom billboard at Thirty-Ninth Guards' Station is advertising baking and pastry-making equipment, though I'm surprised there's not more of a "Bake Like the Pros!" feel to the advertisement.