[Weter]

Dear forum-mates, the idea visited me: what if the screenshot-topic's design will be in form of reminiscent story (fictious) about traveling across that part of route?
Imagine, one man and couple of his friends have meet somewhere, and the conversation about Savelovo route began. He had some photos to show and he was answering his friends questions, recalling more details, so each participant could influence the narration to learn, what hiself is interested.
Everyone can ask to show the photo, that describes an aspect, wich he wants to know further.

I see 2 types of plot: travelling as passenger, or as visitor of loco-brigade, or reminiscence of the former employee's guest.
So, What do you think?
For simple-form answers, the pole above is at your service.
I think, 3 votes will show us the direction.

[rickloader]

Great idea! I Look forwards to seeing a story. (and maybe add one myself)
Rick

[Weter]

Okay, let's see, which variant will gain 3 votes, and begin our story.

I have visited that region at summer as well as at winter (as it has two types of season textures). So I'd like to describe to you both impressions.
Personally me, prefer to remember winter trips at summer days and vice-versa, so with what should we begin?

I can't make screenshots every day, but this way we can accumulate your wishes and listen to all comments.

We will continiously compare screenshots and real photos, so see links in green.

[Weter]

Here are some basic facts for you.
https://s018.radikal.ru/i527/1201/c6/8b94c66f46ee.jpg
The 2x3300hp 2ТЭ116 hauls gravel train.
The Savelovo 2.0 by Евгений Санто (Evgeny S) and others was published at 2015.
The route depicts a part of the bypass line from Leningrad to Moscow, known as Mologa line.
https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/9759/23875092.1/0_12c3d5_32ff58c_L.png
It is used for slow freight, local passenger and industrial traffic.
https://s013.radikal.ru/i322/1201/4a/a6679c02364f.jpg
The old-style ТЭП70 (4000hp) retired from mainline service leading a local train, meets with freight train with 2ТЭ116 at its head.
The line stretches from North-West to South, crossing upper-Volga's valley.
The profile of track is complex, because of hilly-terrain.
http://s020.radikal.ru/i723/1510/39/dc918f5e405c.png
"Patriotic"-P.I.D. painted rolling-stock at a grade. Beside, the borschevik-a huge, up to 3m-height, fennel from Syberia grows.
There are plenty of small bridges and embankments, as the line crosses swamps and rivers many times.
The branch to ancient town Uglich, where Ivan(IV) the Terrible's son Dmitry was killed at 1591, begins from Kal'yazin station.
http://s019.radikal.ru/i616/1205/0e/5fe0e0c4b303.png
The Uglich station welcomes tourists to visit its ancient temples and palaces of "the Golden Ring".
https://s018.radikal.ru/i522/1201/f7/7240cbd4cd16.jpg
Kal'yazin station west exit. The European-sized 2M62у is much-smaller, than full-sized 2ТЭ116.
The Kal'yazin town is ancient too and known by the bell-tower, situated in the middle of the reservoir, as the level of Volga was rised at 1930-th.
https://s017.radikal.ru/i444/1111/de/c0895b35913d.jpg
Export light locomotive M62(2000hp) departs from Kal'yazin with industrial train. Ivan-tea blossom at right.
The modelled part of Line begins from hub-station Sonkovo, where two lines crossed,
http://s017.radikal.ru/i410/1302/48/0bc0b3fc5222.png
Sonkovo passenger platform during route-development process.
and ends at Savyolovo, which is situated at about 125km from Moscow, where 3kV electrification begins.
http://s53.radikal.ru/i140/1201/97/e82de189977b.jpg
M62 arrives to main track of Savelovo (sorry, it's MSTS)
ВЛ10, the double-body electric loco (at right) is under mid-run service, waiting for freight train to pull back towards Moscow.

So, the line is 180 km lenght, single-track, unelectrified, with semi-auto signalization.

A number of industrial spurs take place around of some stations.

The freight are: wood/lumber, coal, agricultural and industrial produce, metal, oil, ferilizer, transit goods.

At 1930-th due to filling Volga's reservoirs and rising of water level, the line was partially rebuilt.
The monolith concrete bridges armed with steel mesh were used.
http://s019.radikal.ru/i624/1606/f5/4ffc9f11e08d.png
The private-owned TransOil 2ТЭ116 is just lived Beliy Gorodok station with mixed goods train.

[ebnertra000]

I should get this route again, I lost it about a year ago. The scenery reminds me very much of Northern Minnesota (hills, swaps, forests, etc). I also like the look of Russian stock. I do think the idea of a story-type series, of any type, would be pretty great. I lean towards stories from a former worker, since railroaders have some great stories

[Weter]

So, we have 3 votes for 2-nd variant and can start :)
I say "Thanks" to all "friends", who voted.
The route is still available, I hope. Its "weight" is 580MB.

Story 1.
Meet with Slava.
I have a friend named Vladislav (we call him Slava, and it is a kind of calambour, as the word "glory" in Russian sounds the same, because his name itself means "who posess a glory"). He recives a pension now, but all his life he worked as a technician, and many years-at the railroad. Now he is retired and moved to his native village at the border of Kalininskaya and Yaroslavskaya regions, near Sonkovo town.
I love to visit him as we go fishing or walking to the forest.
He is very positive, optimistic man and he often can give very wise, but simple suggestion to problems, looking quite very complex for those, who lives in big cities.
Being excited with railroads sicne my early childhood, and as Slava knows alot about this sphere, I have many questions, he answered to me.
http://klubbess.ru/wp-content/uploads/1210-e1339230677461.jpg
The Location.
The best way to reach Slava's village is using a train, as there's no direct road to that side of country: You'll have to drive a couple of hundreds extra kilometers, and most of roads are rough, so in rainy seasons they are very difficult. At winters, nearly no one whipes snow everyday there. Add, that very often, there are no bridges across small rivers, as they would be flushed by spring floods, turn rotten in dozen of years, so You'll have to go wading in mud with your car.
You could use a light plane (An-2), but they stopped their flights sicne the end of 1980-th.
The railroad, this way, is the main mode of transport there.
Visiting high-schools, shops, capitals etc. is made by train; the goods delivery-too.
So I go to my friend by some of intercity trains, which have stop at Sonkovo, then-by local train, and some kilometers are still persists.
https://cs.pikabu.ru/post_img/2013/08/06/11/1375809164_187775124.gif
The Railroad
From the beginning of railroad Era in Russia, it was decided to build railroads in two ways: state railays and a private. This would allow to establish the network much quicker.
Then, the most important private railroads could be buyed by the state.
After the Great Otober Socialistic Revolution, all railroads were nationalized and divided into 2 dozens of parts for more convient management.
The Sonkovo station belonged to Moscow and Vindava-to-Rybinsk private railroad initially.
Then, it became "border station" beteween Otyabr'skaya and Severnaya railroads, where line from Bologoe to Yaroslavl' and Mologa line from Leningrad to Moscow are crossed. It has locomotive depot with service facility, 16-track freight park, 2 platforms, car repair shop, MOW base.

[Weter]

I've added links to real photos to posts above, so You can compare.
https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/61248/79399541.94/0_171cff_edf92602_XL.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/6f/24/536f2405faec61441abe4ae4a851734b.jpg

[Weter]

Story 2.
The wag puzzle
One day, we sat beside Mologa line, after visiting forest, watching freight trains, passing by, and Slava said to me:
-Did you know, that cars for general freight: boxcars, dumpcars, flatcars, gonolas and hoppers may belong to state or be "private"?
-PRVATE? -I asked, being very surprised- At Soviet Union?? You must be joking, Ye???
-To say more presise,-he continued-the "state" cars are gived for rent to owners of the freight to perform a single transfer, but big organizations, sending alot of freight continiously, sometimes find more useful to buy a number of cars for themself. So we can see some departmental cars there.
As I see, You didn't know this yet, I want to give you a riddle: Try to say now, which cars of this train, passing by, are "private"? I'm shure, You can't read any titles on any car from such distane, but we cAn know the anwser exactly.
So what would you say to me, ah?

[Weter]

Any ideas? ;)
https://s017.radikal.ru/i427/1111/4c/1620c1c8f4d3.jpg
the little tip:
http://radikal.ru/F/s017.radikal.ru/i420/1111/46/2485f57e01b2.jpg

[conductorchris]

The picture of the mud reminds me of the joke in Vermont, the state in the United States where it is said they have four seasons: fall, winter, mud season and black fly season.
Christopher