Life-and-death war
12+

Life-and-death war

August 25, 2020

The "snow fighting" term, according to experts, appeared in Norilsk.

At first, the Norilsk people lost in the fight against snowstorms: in the 1940s, up to five thousand people went out to remove snow every day, but they could not win. Snow trenches reached 15–20 meters in height, losses for the combine reached eight million rubles a year.

The railway suffered the most: the trains went off the rails, the locomotives were completely covered with snow, the machinists died, the traffic was paralyzed. As soon as the Norilsk people cleared the paths, a new blizzard began, and it seemed endless. Emergency work was carried out 15–17 times per winter.

In the 1940s, up to five thousand people went out to remove snow every day

In 1942, a research center was organized in Norilsk to study the aerodynamics of snow and wind flows. The next year it was already an experimental research station for snow protection, headed by Mikhail Potapov. He studied the wind rose and sketched schemes of snow deposition, invented new types of snow protection structures. The so called Potapov’s shields still exist along the Norilsk-Airport and Norilsk-Talnah highways.

The railway suffered from snow the most

Engineer Vladimir Poluektov was his successor. In 1955, he organized a research laboratory and a workshop for mechanized snow fighting, where he summarized all the experience accumulated earlier. The workshop was initially part of the Central motor transport office, and in 1977 it was transformed into the Department of highways and snow fighting.

Other materials of our photo project find in the History spot section.

Text: Svetlana Samokhina, Photo: Nornickel Polar Branch archive

August 25, 2020

All rights reserved ©️ THIS IS TAIMYR online media, 2020-2023

If quoting in whole or in part, a reference to the This is Taimyr is required. The editors are not responsible for the information contained in advertisements. The editors do not provide reference information. Registered by the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media. The mass media registration number is ЭЛ No. ФС 77 - 79414 dated 02.11.2020, valid. Distributed in Russian Federation and foreign countries.

Founder: Severny Gorod Media Company LLC, 663300, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Norilsk, Komsomolskaya st., 33a.

Chief editor: Natalia N. Popova

This site uses cookies and services to collect technical visitor data (IP address data, etc.) to ensure performance and improve the service quality. By continuing to use our site, you automatically agree to the use of these technologies:
Accept