Those words may look like an eye chart to you, but that
phrase is one that the riders of the subways of Moscow and St. Petersburg
know very well: it’s Russian for "Caution! The doors are closing!"
Say what you will about the Soviet Union, workers
were treated well
(at least in the beginning), and no one was treated better than those who commuted
by subway.
On May 15, 1935, the Moscow Metro began
operation. In most cities, subway stations are bland
and utilitarian,
lined with nondescript white tiles
and advertising.
Not so in Moscow. There, each
station
is unique,
accompanied by lavish decor,
pillars,
and chandeliers
fit for a palace.
Many are themed with tributes to pilots,
poets,
and heroes
of the Revolution.
The Moscow Metro is elaborate in its
scope, but the process of building its stations was
nothing compared to those in St. Petersburg (or Leningrad,
as it was then called). When Peter the Great ordered that Petersburg be built,
he won renown as a visionary -- but not as a civil engineer. The land his
metropolis was built on is a swamp,
so the city has been slowly sinking
for more than 200 years. To build the subway,
engineers had to dig down past that swampland, so much so that the Metro's platforms
are dozens of meters below the surface, making for lengthy
escalator rides (up to two minutes or more) up and down dizzying
steps that are nearly vertical.
Both systems are marvels,
transporting millions
of riders each day in trains that are inexpensive (19 rubles;
less than $1), clean, and reliable. If you’ve never envied the Russians, you
might think of Comrade Kommutersky
the next time you complain about your own trip
to work.
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