LIETUVOS PIRMŲJŲ GELEŽINKELIŲ TIESYBA IR INŽINIERIAUS S. KERBEDŽIO INDĖLIS, VYKDANT PIRMĄSIAS STATYBAS

First railway lines in Lithuania and engineer S. Kerbedis contribution to the primary construction

Abstract

In the second half of the nineteenth century, first railroads in Lithuania were layed during Russian occupation. It was decided to build the St. Petersburg-Warsaw railway, which was in Russias strategic interest, and the task was to connect the St. Petersburg-Warsaw railway with Liepaja and Riga ports, and the Prussian railway.
In the archives G. Kasakovskis has discovered and published five S. Kerbedis suggested variants of railway net in Baltics. Engineer suggested to change a heading of St.Petersburg -Warsaw railway. These variants of railway latter became basis for other railway projects.
In 1854, a team of engineers led by S.Kerbedis arrived in Lithuania, He explored possible directions of communication and offered railroad options. After exploring territory of Lithuania and after leveling works, it was decided to build two railway tunnels in Kaunas and Paneriai.
By the order of Russian government, railway width was different than the Prussian railway. Distance between both axis was 1435 mm and in Russia it was 1520 mm.
Kaunas tunnel ground works started on may 9-th, 1859, construction started at five different sections of the tunnel. Shafts divided tunnel into 3 different bars. Shaft axis were 9,5 m away from tunnels axis and 5-th axis was the same as tunnels axis. Shaft positioning made sure that construction site was safe. 6 people dug 0,5-0,7 m. during their shift. After finishing tunnels construction shafts were filled. Major part of the tunnel has walls with thickness equal to three bricks. Side walls are made of granite lumps. Construction materials were transported by a specially layed railway. Tunnels construction has finished in september 1861, and first train rode on november 20-th.
Vilnius (Paneriai) tunnel ground works started on january 28-th 1859. Main gallery was built under extreme caution, workers have been working behind special wooden shield. Tunnels cut in trapezoid, has half width of 8,7m and height of 5,5m, wall thickness in equal to three bricks.
S. Kerbedis became famous as a bridge specialist in Russia and Europe, after building a first railroad, permanent bridge thru Neva.
During construction of St. Petersburg -Warsaw railway, favorable condition and strategic needs were met to build a net that would connect Russia and Its western borders. S. Kerbedis scheme variants were first signs of Lithuanian railway net.
Kaunas and Paneriai tunnel construction has helped to accumulate a digging work experience, to improve known tunnel construction, theoretical and wall thickness estimation methods.