Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

378 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. obviate the necessity for constantly clearing the metals of the deposits which evaded all obstacles placed in the path of the storms. The district through which the railway passed was destitute of all kinds of fuel. Fortu- nately for the scheme, the vast oil fields of Baku were within easy reach of the western ter- minus, to which large tank-steamers brought Oil Fuel used. TRAIN OF CONICAL WATER CISTERNS, SUCH AS WERE USED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRANS-CASPIAN LINE. the astakti, or heavier constituents of rock oil left in the retorts after the distillation of benzine and lighting oils. Since the opening of the Trans-Caspian Railway rock-oil deposits have been discovered close to the line, so that the fuel difficulty has been met most effectively. Coal, too, exists in large quanti- ties in the province of Samarcand, and thus a “ second string ” is available should the petroleum deposits show signs of exhaustion. Meanwhile all the locomotives on the system are worked economically with the petroleum refuse, which is sprayed into the furnace by a special apparatus and develops intense heat during combustion. It is difficult to imagine how the “ Trans-Caspian ” would have fared in its early days but for this fortunate supply of liquid fuel. We may note that in the year 1901 the locomotives on the system consumed nearly 90,000 tons of petroleum, and but 1,100 tons of coal. When they reached Kizil Arvat the engineers laid aside their tools for four years, as the immediate purpose of the railway—to com- plete the subjugation of the Turcomans—had been accomplished. In 1885, however, fresh dreams of conquest were dreamed by the Tsar and his advisers. The word went forth that the line was to be pushed on into the Rail=head reaches Merv. heart of Türkistan, and throw off a branch to the Afghan frontier. Three engineers-in- chief were appointed to take command of a staff composed of men of conspicuous ability, to whom in turn was entrusted the super- vision of an army of 22,000 native labourers, organized on military lines. Vast quantities of Russian rails and of sleepers from the Baltic and Caucasus were collected, and also a large number of engines, coaches, and trucks. The Turcomans, Bokhariots, and Persian work-