Russia marking 30-th anniversary of BAM construction project

The Soviet Union started building the famous Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) exactly 30 years ago, reads the Russian Railroads public company's press release, which was received by RIA Novosti here today.

All the main celebrations will be organized July 9-10, the document reads in part.

Tynda, which is the "capital" of the Baikal-Amur Mainline, will host the main festival. It took three special trains to bring in the festival's guests. A central Russian TV channel will be broadcasting live from the festival.

The city of Neryungri is to host an international science-practical conference "BAM, Russia's Future" July 10; the conference will involve Russian and foreign scientists, as well as representatives of transport organizations and companies. Conference delegates will, among other things, discuss the development of adjacent territories, as well as additional investment incentives.

BAM snakes through Russia's Irkutsk, Chita and Amur regions, as well as Buryatia, Yakutia and the Khabarovsk territory. This railroad crosses 11 wide rivers and seven mountain ranges. More than 1,000 km of tracks were laid on permafrost and in highly seismic areas, too.

BAM features eight tunnels, 142 bridges with a length of more than 100 meters each, over 200 railroad stations and junctions, as well as 60-plus cities and towns.

Apart from the Trans-Siberian Mainline, BAM serves as a thoroughfare for linking European Russia with Pacific ports. Right now, BAM annually handles eight million tons of freight, the press release notes in conclusion.