To the Edge of the World : The Story of the Trans-Siberian Express, the World's Greatest Railroad

__To the Edge of the World__ is an adventure in travel—full of extraordinary personalities, more than a century of explosive political, economic, and cultural events, and almost inconceivable feats of engineering. Christian Wolmar passionately recounts the improbable origins of the Trans-Siberian railroad, the vital artery for Russian expansion that spans almost 6,000 miles and seven time zones from Moscow to Vladivostok. The world’s longest train route took a decade to build—in the face of punishing climates, rampant disease, scarcity of funds and materials, and widespread corruption.The line sprawls over a treacherous landmass that was previously populated only by disparate tribes and convicts serving out their terms in labor camps—where men were regularly starved, tortured, or mutilated for minor offenses. Once built, it led to the establishment of new cities and transformed the region’s history. Exceeding all expectations, it became, according to Wolmar, “the best thing that ever happened to Siberia.”It was not all good news, however. The railroad was the cause of the 1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War, and played a vital—and at times bloody—role in the Russian Revolution and the subsequent Civil War. More positively, the Russians were able to resist the Nazi invasion during the Second World War as new routes enabled whole industries to be sent east. Siberia, previously a lost and distant region, became an inextricable part of Russia’s cultural identity. And what began as one meandering, single-track line is now, arguably, the world’s most important railroad. To the Edge of the World is an adventure in travel -- full of extraordinary personalities, more than a century of explosive political, economic, and cultural events, and almost inconceivable feats of engineering. Christian Wolmar passionately recounts the improbable origins of the Trans-Siberian railroad, the vital artery for Russian expansion that spans almost 6,000 miles and seven time zones from Moscow to Vladivostok. The world's longest train route took a decade to build -- in the face of punishing climates, rampant disease, scarcity of funds and materials, and widespread corruption. The line sprawls over a treacherous landmass that was previously populated only by disparate tribes and convicts serving out their terms in labor camps -- where men were regularly starved, tortured, or mutilated for minor offenses. Once built, it led to the establishment of new cities and transformed the region's history. Exceeding all expectations, it became, according to Wolmar,'the best thing that ever happened to Siberia.'It was not all good news, however. The railroad was the cause of the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War, and played a vital -- and at times bloody -- role in the Russian Revolution and the subsequent Civil War. More positively, the Russians were able to resist the Nazi invasion during the Second World War as new routes enabled whole industries to be sent east. Siberia, previously a lost and distant region, became an inextricable part of Russia's cultural identity. And what began as one meandering, single-track line is now, arguably, the world's most important railroad. To the Edge of the World is an adventure in travel — full of extraordinary personalities, more than a century of explosive political, economic, and cultural events, and almost inconceivable feats of engineering. Christian Wolmar passionately recounts the improbable origins of the Trans-Siberian railroad, the vital artery for Russian expansion that spans almost 6,000 miles and seven time zones from Moscow to Vladivostok. The world's longest train route took a decade to build — in the face of punishing climates, rampant disease, scarcity of funds and materials, and widespread corruption. The line sprawls over a treacherous landmass that was previously populated only by disparate tribes and convicts serving out their terms in labor camps — where men were regularly starved, tortured, or mutilated for minor offenses. Once built, it led to the establishment of new cities and transformed the region's history. Exceeding all expectations, it became, according to Wolmar, "the best thing that ever happened to Siberia." It was not all good news, however. The railroad was the cause of the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War, and played a vital — and at times bloody — role in the Russian Revolution and the subsequent Civil War. More positively, the Russians were able to resist the Nazi invasion during the Second World War as new routes enabled whole industries to be sent east. Siberia, previously a lost and distant region, became an inextricable part of Russia's cultural identity. And what began as one meandering, single-track line is now, arguably, the world's most important railroad. It Is The World's Longest Railway Line. But It Is So Much More Than That, Too. The Trans-siberian Stretches Nearly 6,000 Miles Between Moscow And Vladivostok On The Pacific Coast And Was The Most Ambitious Railway Project In The Nineteenth Century. A Journey On The Railway Evokes A Romantic Roam Through The Russian Steppes, But Also Reminds Travellers Of The Vastness Of Our World And Hints At The Hardships That Were Endured In Its Construction. Christian Wolmar Expertly Tells The Story Of The Trans-siberian Railway From Its Conception And Construction Under Tsar Alexander Iii, To The Northern Extension Ordered By Brezhnev And Its Current Success As A Vital Artery. He Also Explores The Crucial Role The Line Played In Both The Russian Civil War -trotsky Famously Used An Armoured Carriage As His Command Post - And The Second World War, During Which The Railway Saved The Country From Certain Defeat. Like The Author's Previous Railway Histories, It Focuses On The Personalities, As Well As The Political And Economic Events, That Lay Behind One Of The Most Extraordinary Engineering Triumphs Of The Nineteenth Century. Show More Show Less--publisher's Description. Christian Wolmar. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. To The Edge Of The World Is An Adventure In Travel--full Of Extraordinary Personalities, More Than A Century Of Explosive Political, Economic, And Cultural Events, And Almost Inconceivable Feats Of Engineering. Christian Wolmar Passionately Recounts The Improbable Origins Of The Trans-siberian Railroad, The Vital Artery For Russian Expansion That Spans Almost 6,000 Miles And Seven Time Zones From Moscow To Vladivostok. The World's Longest Train Route Took A Decade To Build--in The Face Of Punishing Climates, Rampant Disease, Scarcity Of Funds And Materials, And Widespread Corruption. A Slow Embrace -- Holding On To Siberia -- Witte's Breakthrough -- Into The Steppe -- Travels And Travails -- Casus Belli -- The New Siberia -- Russia All The Way -- The Battle For The Trans-siberian -- The Big Red Railway -- The Other Trans-siberian -- The Greatest Railway. Christian Wolmar. Date Of Publication From Publisher's Website. First Published In Great Britain In Hardback In 2013 By Atlantic Books, And Imprint Of Atlantic Books Ltd--title Page Verso. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 261-275) And Index. Christian Wolmar passionately and expertly chronicles the story of what is often called Siberia's lifeline. From its improbable conception and construction under Tsar Alexander III to the northern extension ordered by Brezhnev, Wolmar examines its continued success as a vital artery for the expansion of the Russian and subsequently?of the Soviet state. The Trans-Siberian railroad fueled the Russo-Japanese War, the Russian Revolution, Civil War, and the Russian resistance to the Nazi invasion during the Second World War, among other bloody upheavals.The rousing story of the Tr Cover Table of Contents List of Maps and Illustrations Maps Introduction 1. A Slow Embrace 2. Holding On to Siberia 3. Witte's Breakthrough 4. Into the Steppe 5. Travels and Travails 6. Casus Belli 7. The New Siberia 8. Russia All the Way 9. The Battle for the Trans-Siberian 10. The Big Red Railway 11. The Other Trans-Siberian 12. The Greatest Railway Bibliography Notes Index Illustration Section 1 Illustration Section 2 The epic story of the world's longest and greatest railway, as told by Britain's bestselling transport historian.