Page:NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 18; CZECHOSLOVAKIA; TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110013-9.pdf/10

 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110013-9

and further improvement of north-south routes. These developments include elimination of unprofitable lines, rebuilding of trackage to increase axleload limits, double tracking and electrification of major routes, and use of automation for greater efficiency. The most recently completed projects include reconstruction and double tracking of the main line extending from Usti nad Labem to Most via Bilina and electrification of the Cheb-Plzen-Ceske Budejovice, Brno-Bratislava-Sturovo, and Novy Zamky-Komarno lines.

The 8,260-route-mile network consists of 8,080 miles of standard-gage (4'8½") lines, 110 miles of 3'3⅜" and 2'6" narrow-gage lines, and 70 miles of broad-gage lines; about 1,010 miles are double or multiple track, and 1,560 miles are electrified. In the 1970 CSD budget the major portion of funds was allocated for reconstruction and maintenance of tracks, yards, junctions, and stations. Other plans include installation of modern signaling; acquisition of new rolling stock, including a substantial number of four-axle cars; and procurement of additional diesel and electric locomotives. Complete conversion to electric and diesel traction was scheduled for 1970, but the modernization program has not progressed as anticipated, and completion is now expected in 1975.

The most important rail route is a 593-mile double-track electrified east-west line from the U.S.S.R. border at Cierna nad Tisou to the East Germany border at Dolni Zleb. This line, which connects many of the major rail terminals, passes through the heart of the country and carries most of the Soviet-Czechoslovak traffic as well as a large amount of domestic freight. Special clearances on the Cierna nad Tisou-Dolni Zleb line permit the use of the U.S.S.R. rolling rock after Soviet-gage tracks are exchanged for standard gage at the border. A strategic north-south route runs along the Morava-Oder corridor from Ostrava, at the Polish border, to Bratislava, at the Hungarian border. This 164-mile double-track partly electrified line connects two of the country's major industrial areas and carries the greater share of international traffic from Poland to Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Yugoslavia. Another strategically important route is the 55-mile broad-gage line from the U.S.S.R. through Vel'ke Kapusany to the steel mill at Haniska. This line, completed in May 1966, provides an alternate route for bypassing the highly congested Chop, U.S.S.R.-Cierna nad Tisou transloading complex and is the deepest penetration of a Soviet broad-gage line into an Eastern European country.

Czechoslovakia has about 40 rail connections with adjacent Poland, East Germany, West Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the U.S.S.R. Equipment exchange is possible with all the countries except the U.S.S.R. The most important facilities for transloading freight between the broad-gage Soviet system and the standard-gage Czechoslovak system are at Cierna nad Tisou, 12 miles from the U.S.S.R. border; other facilities are at Vel'ke Kapusany.

Details on the principal railroad lines are given in Figure 2.

Major projects underway include reconstruction and enlargement of railroad junctions in Prague, Ceska Trebova, Bratislava, Ostrava, and Novy Zamky and electrification of lines between Prague and the terminals in Usti nad Labem, Most, Plzen, and Ceske Velenice. No new line construction is planned.

Principal lines of the system have axleload limits of 19.8 to 22 short tons per axle, and secondary lines have limits of 11 to 17.6 short tons. In 1972, 65% of the lines had axle loads of 20 or more tons. Bridges and tunnels are well built and adequately maintained. About 75% of the bridges are of steel, and the remainder are of masonry. The longest rail bridge, completed in 1955, is a 3,022-foot reinforced-concrete deck-arch bridge in the southern suburbs of Prague. In the past few years the CSD has been using some prefabricated reinforced and prestressed concrete structures for both new and replacement bridges. Most of the tunnels have masonry linings and portals, are ventilated, and have drainage systems. The longest tunnel (15,413 feet) is about 5 miles east of Horna Stubna on a single-track line that branches east from a junction with the Vrutky-Horna Stubna line.

Rail is standard T-section type and ranges in weight from 50 to 100 pounds per yard. Increased use of continuous welded rail is planned. All lines have crushed-stone or river-gravel ballast. Most of the ties are of treated wood (oak, beech, or pine), but increasing use is being made of concrete ties. Proper track maintenance is becoming increasingly difficult because of growing traffic, a shortage of qualified personnel, and a lack of domestically produced repair equipment. Centralized Traffic Control was installed on the Cheb-Plzen line in 1967, but further installations are not planned.

Sufficient domestic coal is available for railroad requirements. Most fuel for diesel and oil-fired steam locomotives originates in the U.S.S.R. Water, which is abundant throughout the system, normally requires treatment before use.

In 1972 the CSD carried 284.9 million short tons of freight and produced 41.2 billion ton-miles. Principal commodities carried are coal, building materials, ore, metal products, petroleum, industrial raw materials, wood, grain, and produce. In 1971 the CSD carried

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110013-9