#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. The first TEM-1 – a diesel locomotive with an electric supply, shunting, type 1 – was received by the Norilsk railway on August 1, 1960. The production of diesel locomotives of this series had been launched in the Soviet Union two years before and continued until the mid-1960s.
Diesel locomotives for shunting work very quickly replaced steam locomotives all over the country. There were few diesel locomotives in Norilsk, and steam locomotives continued to work on the railway until 1968.
The Norilsk Pioneer was driven to the Octyabrskaya station by the machinist Mikhail Volkov. An experienced railroad worker noted the advantages of a shunting diesel locomotive in comparison with a steam locomotive: a thousand horsepower versus 330. In addition, TEM-1 could be used not only in shunting work, but also in mainline service.
Less than a year later, in June 1961, the senior locomotive driver Vasily Glotov and the driver Nikolay Bukatich were awarded the Order of Lenin with the wording “for the successes achieved in the development of non-ferrous metallurgy”.
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Text: Varvara Sosnovskaya, Photo: Nornickel polar division archive
