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Small West Siberian Railway


The Small West Siberian Railway or Novosibirsk Children's Railway (Russian: Малая Западно-Сибирская железная дорога, Malaja Sapadno-Sibirskaja schelesnaja doroga) is a narrow gauge miniature railway in the Russian city Novosibirsk. The first section of the railway line was opened on 4 June 2005 as one of the many children's railways in Russia. It is still in use every day in summer without Mondays.

So far the track has a length of 5.3 km (3.3 mi). It has five stations.

The decision, to build a children's railway in Novosibirsk, was announced in August 2003 by the West Siberian Railway together with the city council of Novosibirsk, when the foundation stone was laid in Sajelzowski Park, although the planning had not yet been fully completed. The design of the track was contracted to the institutions Sibgiprotrans and Scheldorprojekt.

On 4 June 2005 the first phase of the children's railway with a length of 2,630 m (2,880 yd) was inaugurated. It was formally taken in use on 30 June 2005 by the Director of the West Siberian Railway as the 23rd children's railway of Russia. The first phase contained a more than 200 m (220 yd) long steel pier, the stations Zoopark and Sportiwnaja, a training centre at the Sportiwnaja station as well as the halt Jelzowski.

In summer 2005 only one train operated, with one locomotive at each end, which could turn around without de-coupling the locomotives. On 14 November 2005 the President of the Russian Railways Wladimir Jakunin visited the railway.

Starting from 6 August 2006 the second phase with a length of 2,670 m (2,920 yd) was constructed by the Russian Railways and the city council. The second phase contains a more than 300 m (330 yd) long steel pier, two bridges, the station Sajelzowski Park and the halt Lokomotiw.

In 2015 the railway announced at its 10th anniversary that it had transported already more than 480,000 passengers.

The children's railway operates three TU7A diesel locomotives with a power of 294 kW (400 hp) each and a weight of 24 t as well as a newer TU10 diesel locomotive with a power of 170 kW (230 hp). Their serial numbers are as follows:


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