Baikal–Amur Mainline
RZD 3TE25K2M hauling freight at the Baikal–Amur Mainline
Overview
Native name	Байкало-Амурская магистраль
Status	Operational
Owner	Russian Railways
Locale	Eastern Siberia Russian Far East
Termini	Tayshet Sovetskaya Gavan
Continues from	Trans-Siberian Railway
Service
Type	Regional rail Freight rail
System	East Siberian Railway (Tayshet– Khani) Far Eastern Railway (Khani–Sovetskaya Gavan)
Operator(s)	Russian Railways
Technical
Line length	4,324 km (2,687 mi)
Number of tracks	2–1
Track gauge	1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) Russian gauge
Electrification	25kV 50Hz AC overhead lines
Route map km 0 Tayshet East Siberian Railway 293 Anzyobi (Bratsk) 10 Akulshet Tayshet diversion line to Yurty 30 Kostomarovo 48 Toporok 57 Nevelskaya 97 Parchum to Lesosibirsk via Kodinsk 117 Novochunka 124 Chuna River 129 Sosnovye Rodniki (Oktyabrsky) 142 Chuna (Chunsky) 154 Izykan 167 Targiz 177 Chuksha 191 Keshevo 210 Toreya 226 Ognevka 246 Turma 259 Balaga 269 Vikhorevka 284 Morgudon to Bratsk city centre 293 Anzyobi (Bratsk) to Bratsk city centre 304 Galachinsky 310 Bratskoye More 326 Padunskoye Porogi 328 Energetik 329 Angara River Bratsk Reservoir wall (4.4 km) 339 Gidrostroytel 369 Zyaba 378 Pashenny 403 Kezhemskaya 416 Mamyr 436 Rechushka 461 Vidim 480 Sokhaty 502 Chornaya 523 Seleznyovo 533 Ilim River (Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir) 535 Sredneilimskaya 541 Zhelezny 550 Korshunovsky-Tunnel (1.1 km) 552 Korshunikha-Angarskaya (Zheleznogorsk-Ilimsky) 562 Sibirishnaya 573 Khrebtovaya to Ust-Ilimsk 589 Karstovaya 611 Semigorsk 620 Merelotnaya 646 Kaymonovo 652 Kuta River 661 Rychey 672 Yantal 685 Kuta 713 Ust-Kut 720 Lena (Ust-Kut) 730 Yakurim 734 Lena-Vostochnaya to Lensk 737 Lena River 739 Predlensky 759 Chudnichny 769 Kalpshny 784 Zvyozdnaya 805 Irdykan 823 Niya 853 Nebel 867 Marikta 874 Ukhanga 889 Kirenga (Magistralny) 908 Okunaysky 915 Kirenga River 930 Ulkan 948 Umbella 960 Kalakachan 982 Kunerma 997 Delbichinda 1,010 Baikal (Daban) tunnel (6,686 m) Irkutsk Oblast Buryatia 1,014 Daban 1,028 Goudzhekit 1,043 Tyya 1,063 Severobaykalsk 1,067 4 tunnels (4.5 km total) 1,090 Nizhneangarsk 1,105 Kholodnaya 1,127 Kichera 1,164 Kiron 1,182 Angoya 1,193 Ogdynda 1,210 Ogney 1,228 Anamakit 1,235 Upper Angara River 1,242 Novy Uoyan 1,249 Bakany 1,277 Yanchuy 1,296 Churo 1,315 Kyukhelbekerskaya (Yanchikan) 1,330 Kovokta 1,344 Angarakan Severomuysky Tunnel bypass 1,354 Severomuysky Tunnel (15,343 m) Severomuysky Tunnel bypass 1,370 Okusikan 1,374 Kasankan (Severomuysk) 1,385 Severomuysk 1,397 Arkum 1,414 Ulgi 1,460 Muyakan 1,469 Taksimo end of electrification 1 ↓planned electrification 1,492 Lodya 1,508 Aku 1,533 Shivery 1,535 Vitim River Buryatia Zabaykalsky Krai UTC+8 UTC+9 1,543 Koyra 1,561 Kuanda 1,584 Taku 1,602 Balbukhta 1,617 Syulban 1,637 Naledny 1,645 Kodar tunnel (1,981 m) 1,650 Kodar 1,668 Leprindo 1,679 Sallikit 1,713 Chara River to Chineyskoye mines 1,719 Novaya Chara 1,740 Kemen 1,757 Ikabya 1,770 Olongo 1,835 Zabaykalsky Krai Sakha Republic (Yakutia) 1,864 Khani Far-East Railway 1,866 Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Amur Oblast Olyokma Tas-Yuryakh 1,918 Olyokma River 1,922 Amur Oblast Sakha Republic (Yakutia) 1,927 Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Amur Oblast 2,013 Yuktali 2,033 Taluma 2,058 Dyugabul 2,121 Chilchi 2,171 Lopcha 2,186 Elgakan 2,216 Larba 2,241 Lumbir 2,268 Khorogochi 2,309 Kuvykta Trans-Siberian Railway to Bamovskaya 2,348 Tynda 2,369 Shakhtaum 2,365 Gilyuy River 2,375 Bestuzhevo Amur–Yakutsk Mainline 2,409 Gilyuy River 2,436 Marevaya 2,494 Unakha 2,511 Dipkun 2,560 Tutaul to Elginskoye (under construction) 2,687 Zeya River (Zeya reservoir) 2,690 Verkhnezeysk 2,706 Apetenok 2,734 Izhak 2,757 Ulyanovsky Stroitel 2,779 Ogoron 2,803 Moldavsky 2,833 Miroshnichenko 2,846 Tungala 2,865 Kamnega 2,894 Dugda 2,919 Nora 2,940 Meun 2,957 Drogoshevsk 2,983 Skalisty 3,000 Chervinka 1 3,012 Selemdzha River 3,017 Fevralsk 2 3,035 Zvonkoye 3,060 Demchenko 3,082 Isakan 3,101 Isa 3,129 Mustakh 3,149 Ulma 3,155 Amur Oblast Khabarovsk Krai Yakutsk Time Vladivostok Time 3,162 Etyrken 3,195 Shugara 3,247 Alonka 3,292 Bureya River Trans-Siberian Railway to Isvestkovy 3,298 Novy Urgal 3,312 Urgal-I to Chegdomyn 3,324 Chemchuko 3,339 Mugule 3,365 Soloni 3,384 Dusse-Alin 3,382 Dusse-Alin Tunnel (1.8 km) 3,402 Suluk 3,422 Mogdy 3,434 Orokot 3,456 Gerbi 3,481 Ukraltu 3,494 Badzhal Amgun River (3 bridges) 3,513 Dzhamku 3,525 Sektali 3,542 Eanga 3,562 Amgun 3,579 Sonakh 3,595 Ebgun 3,615 Postyshevo (Beryosovy) Komsomolsk-on-Amur diversion line to Chumikan & Magadan 3,621 Amgun River 3,638 Bolen 3,659 Moni 3,679 Evoron 3,702 Kharpichan 3,715 Gorin 3,740 Mavrinsky 3,750 Khurmuli 3,775 Lian 3,789 Khalgaso 3,799 Silinka 2 to Komsomolsk-on-Amur and Dzemgi 3,819 0 Komsomolsk-Sortirovochny Komsomolsk–Dezhnyovka line to Khabarovsk 3 Amur river 0 Pivan 28 Gayter 41 Kartel 52 Selikhino to Sakhalin via Sakhalin Tunnel 63 Eldigan 82 Poni 95 Kun 112 Gurskoye 139 Uktur 160 Kenay 182 Oune Kuznetsovsky tunnel (3,996 m) 220 Vysokogornaya 240 Datta 261 Kenada 274 Dzhigdasi to De-Kastri & Sakhalin 303 Tuluchi 318 Akur 340 Tumnin 3 366 Khutu 376 Imbo to Khabarovsk & Nakhodka 380 Ust-Orochi 399 Kamenny Ruchey 403 Landyshi 424 Toki 434 Vanino Vanino–Kholmsk train ferry to Sakhalin 442 Sovetskaya Gavan- Sortirovochny 458 Desna 468 Sovetskaya Gavan km Key existing Electrification 0 planned phase number

The Baikal–Amur Mainline (Russian: Байкало-Амурская магистраль, БАМ, Baikalo-Amurskaya magistral', BAM) is a 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) broad-gauge railway line in Russia. Traversing Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East, the 4,324 km (2,687 mi)-long BAM runs about 610 to 770 km (380 to 480 miles) north of and parallel to the Trans-Siberian Railway.

The Soviet Union built the BAM as a strategic alternative route to the Trans–Siberian Railway, seen as vulnerable especially along the sections close to the border with China. The BAM's costs were estimated at $14 billion, and it was built with special, durable tracks since much of it ran over permafrost. Due to the severe terrain, weather, length and cost, Soviet general secretary Leonid Brezhnev described BAM in 1974 as "the construction project of the century".^[1]

If the permafrost layer that supports the BAM railway line were to melt, the railway would collapse and sink into peat bog layers that cannot bear its weight. In 2016 and 2018 there were reports about climate change and damage to buildings and infrastructure as a result of thawing permafrost.^[2][3]

Route

Map of major railways in Russia, with Trans-Siberian Railway shown in red, the Baikal-Amur Mainline in green and the Amur–Yakutsk Mainline (including "Little BAM") shown in orange

The BAM departs from the Trans-Siberian railway at Tayshet, then crosses the Angara River at Bratsk and the Lena River at Ust-Kut, proceeds past Severobaikalsk at the northern tip of Lake Baikal, past Tynda and Khani, crosses the Amur River at Komsomolsk-on-Amur and finally reaches the Pacific Ocean at Sovetskaya Gavan. There are 21 tunnels along the line, with a total length of 47 km (29 mi). There are also more than 4,200 bridges, with a total length of over 400 kilometres (250 mi).^[4]

Of the whole route, only the western Tayshet-Taksimo sector of 1,469 km (913 mi) is electrified. The route is largely single-track, although the reservation is wide enough for double-tracking for its full length, in the case of eventual duplication. The unusual thing about the railway is that it is electrified with a 27.5 kV, 50 Hz catenary minimum height at 6.5 metres (21 ft 4 in) above top of the rails to suit double-stacking under the overhead wires on the Russian gauge tracks, which requires rolling stock to be modified for service on the railway.

At Tynda the route is crossed by the Amur–Yakutsk Mainline, which runs north to Neryungri and Tommot, with an extension to Nizhniy Bestyakh opened in 2019.^[5] The original section of the AYaM connecting the Trans-Siberian at Bamovskaya with the BAM at Tynda is also referred to as the "Little BAM".

During the winter the passenger trains go from Moscow past Tayshet and Tynda to Neryungri and Tommot and there are also a daily trains from Tynda to Komsomolsk-on-Amur and from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to Sovetskaya Gavan on the Pacific Ocean via Vanino ("Vladivostok-Sovetskaya Gavan" train No.351Э). Travel time from Tayshet to Tynda is 48 hours.^[6] Travel time from Tynda to Komsomolsk-on-Amur is 36 hours.^[6] Travel time from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to Sovetskaya Gavan is 13 hours.^[6]

There are ten tunnels along the BAM railway, totaling 30 kilometres (19 miles) of route. They include:^[7]

• Baikalsky tunnel 6,685 metres (4.154 mi)^[8]
• Severomuysky Tunnel 15,343 metres (9.534 mi)
• Kodar Tunnell 1,981 metres (1.231 mi)
• Dusse Alin Tunnel 1,852 metres (1.151 mi)
• Korshunovsky tunnel 950 metres (3,120 ft)

These are among the longest tunnels in Russia.

In addition, the route crosses 11 full-flowing rivers (including the Lena, Amur, Zeya, Vitim, Olyokma, Selemdzha and Bureya).^[7] In total, 2230 large and small bridges were built on it.

History

Construction project of the century

A rally in Ust-Ilimsk, Irkutsk Region, on the occasion of the arrival of a building team for construction of the Baikal-Amur Railway. 1979.

In March 1974, Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev proposed that the BAM would be one of the two major projects in the Tenth Five Year Plan (1976–80).^[9] He famously stated that "BAM will be constructed with clean hands only!" and firmly rejected the suggestion to again use prison labor. A few weeks later he challenged the Young Communist League (Komsomol) to join in "the construction project of the century".^[1] 17th Komsomol congress (held in April 1974) announced BAM a Komsomol shock construction project, created the central Komsomol headquarters of BAM construction, and appointed Dmitry Filippov the chief of the headquarters.

By the end of 1974 perhaps 50,000 young people of the 156,000 young people who applied had moved to the BAM service area. In 1975 and 1976, 28 new settlements were inaugurated and 70 new bridges, including the Amur and Lena bridges, were erected. And while 110 miles (180 km) of track was laid, the track-laying rate would have needed to nearly triple to meet the 1983 deadline.^[9]

The exceptional role played by Heydar Aliyev in the construction of Baikal–Amur Mainline in early 80s. He was one of the members of the Political Bureau who supported the construction of the BAM. His contribution to the completion of the construction was very productive.

In September 1984, a "golden spike" was hammered into place, connecting the eastern and western sections of the BAM. The Western media was not invited to attend this historic event as Soviet officials did not want any comments about the line's operational status. In reality, only one third of the BAM's track was fully operational for civilians, due to military reasons.^[11]

The BAM was again declared complete in 1991. By then, the total cost to build the line was US$14 billion (RU₽106 trillion).

Current situation and future prospects

Baikal Amur Mainline extension
Baikal Amur Mainline to Tynda to Khabarovsk Komsomolsk-on-Amur Khurmuli-Vostochnaya Guga to Nikolaevsk-on-Amur Tugur Komsomolsk diversion line to Postyshevo Chumikan Ayan Aldoma Kekra Ulya Okhotsk Inya Balagannoye Arman Amur-Yakutsk Mainline to Yakutsk Magadan Takhtoyamsk Evensk Gizhiga Manily Kamenskoye Oklan Slautnoye Berozovo Tambatney Anadyr Egvekinot Bering Strait Russia USA border Koyukuk Ruby Manley Hot Springs Fairbanks USA Canada border Fort Nelson to Vancouver and Seattle Edmonton Winnipeg ← to Toronto to Hudson Bay → Armstrong Grant Hearst Smooth Rock Falls Matapedia Moncton Halifax

Selikhino– Nakhodka line
Baikal Amur Mainline to Komsomolsk-on-Amur and Selikhino Imbo to Sovetskaya Gavan Maysky-Zapadnaya Innokentyevsky to Khabarovsk and Vyazemskaya Grossevichi Nelma Peretychikha Amgu Terney Dalnegorsk Kavalerovo Chuguevka Sergeevka to Partizansk and Ussurysk Nakhodka Tikhookeanskaya Mys Astafieva

A major improvement was the opening of the 15.34-kilometre (9.53 mi) Severomuysky Tunnel on 5 December 2003. It is up to 1.5 kilometres (nearly 1 mile) deep. Construction took 27 years to complete. Prior to this, the corresponding route segment was 54 km (34 mi) long, with heavy slopes necessitating the use of auxiliary bank engine locomotives.

With the resources boom of recent years and improving economic conditions in Russia, use of the line is increasing. Plans exist for the development of mining areas such as Udokanskoye and Chineyskoye near Novaya Chara, as well as one of Eurasia's largest coal deposits at Elginskoye (Elga) in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). In connection with this, a number of branch lines have been built or are under construction.

In January 2012 the Russian mining company Mechel completed the construction of the 320-kilometre-long branch line to Elginskoye, branching from the BAM station Ulak, west of the Zeya River crossing in northwestern Amur Oblast.^[14][15] The branch line connects the Elginskoye coal mine to the Russian railroad network.

Currently under discussion is the construction of a bridge or tunnel under the Strait of Tartary to Sakhalin Island, with the possibility of the further construction of a bridge or tunnel from Sakhalin to Japan. A tunnel from the mainland to Sakhalin was previously begun under Joseph Stalin, but was abandoned after his death. A second attempt in 2003 was also postponed during construction. Current economic conditions make the short-term completion of the tunnel doubtful, although Russian president Dmitry Medvedev announced in November 2008 his support for a revival of this project.^[16]

The BAM now also attracts the interest of Western railway enthusiasts, with some tourist activity on the line.^[4]

Also, the BAM itself extension from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to Magadan (Okhotsk coastal route), full length electrification, full length track doubling, and double-stacking under the overhead wires on the Russian gauge tracks (with well cars to make 6.15m height) are proposed.

Tayshet diversion line (Tayshet bypass)	Severo-Sibirskaya Mainline	Lena-Kamchatka Mainline
Tayshet diversion line Trans-Siberian Railway to Krasnoyarsk Yurty Trans-Siberian Railway to Tayshet Staly Akulshet Trans-Siberian Railway to Tayshet Kostomarovo Trans-Siberian Railway to Lena and Severobaykalsk	Severo–Sibirskaya Mainline to Svecha & Vologda Kirov Zuevka to Yar & Balyezino Trans-Siberian Railway to Yar Stalnaya Lesnaya Polyana Kirs Verkhnekamskaya to Lesnaya, Krutoborka & Ukhta Batalovo Pushya Tuprunka Seyva Bondyug Krasnovishersk Vels Trans-Ural Tunnel to Serov Ivdel to Polunochnoe & Labytnangi Priobe Komsomolsky Kamennoe Khanty-Mansysk to Tyumen via Tobolsk Surgut to Novy Urengoy Nizhnevartovsk Aleksandrovskoe Kolpashevo Bely Yar to Lesosibirsk & Ust-Ilimsk Asino to Tomsk & Tayga Yagodnoe Kolyon Belogorodka to Yurga & Novosibirsk Mariinsk Achinsk to Lesosibirsk & Dudinka Krasnoyarsk to Lena & Severobaykalsk Ust–Ilimsk branch to Surgut via Nizhnevartovsk Kolpashevo Bely Yar to Mariinsk via Asino Kataiga to Dudinka Eniseisk Lesosibirsk to Achinsk Novoangarsk Pinchga to Reshoty via Karabula Yarki Boguchany Kodinsk to Vikhorevka via Novochunka Ust-Ilimsk Nachalny to Bratsk Karstovaya to Severobaikalsk Novochunka branch to Lesosibirsk via Yarki Kodinsk to Ust-Ilimsk Chervyanka Nevanka Bunbui to Krasnoyarsk Novochunka to Vikhorevka & Bratsk Reshoty-Yarki Line to Krasnoyarsk to Yurty & Tayshet Reshoty II Pokanaevka Shelaevo Novobiryusinskaya Garevoi Novokhaiskaya Karabula to Lesosibirsk Yarki to Kodinsk & Severobaikalsk	Lena-Kamchatka Mainline to Bratsk Lena Lena-Vostochnaya to Severobaikalsk Nepa Lensk to Aldan & Tommot Nizhny Bestyakh to Magadan

Along the BAM

Major stations of the BAM

Tynda, the "capital" of BAM

Tayshet to Lake Baikal 1,064 kilometres (661 mi):^[4]

Lake Baikal to Tynda 1,300 kilometres (810 mi):

Tynda to Komsomolsk 1,473 kilometres (915 mi):

Komsomolsk to Sovetskaya Gavan 486 kilometres (302 mi):

This section was completed by prisoners during World War II, except for the 19-kilometre (12 mi) section east of Komsomolsk which was completed in 1974.

In April 2008 the state-owned Bamtonnelstroy corporation started work on the new 3.91-kilometre (2.43 mi) single-track Kuznetsovsky Tunnel to bypass an older tunnel built in 1943–1945.^[17] It was opened in December 2012. The old tunnel had difficult gradients; building the new tunnel relieved a bottleneck on the BAM.^[18] The 59.8 bn roubles (about $1.93 bn) project included 20 kilometres (12 mi) of new track. In 2010, Yakunin had said, the stretch between Komsomolsk and Sovetskaya Gavan was the weakest link on the BAM, which, he said, could be carrying 100 million tons of freight a year in 2050.^[19]

The BAM road

Running approximately alongside the railway track is the BAM road, a railway service track. It is said to be in a very poor state, with collapsed bridges, dangerous river crossings, severe potholes and "unrelenting energy-sapping bogs". The narrow, dilapidated Vitim River Bridge (aka Kuandinsky Bridge)^[20] that crosses the Vitim river has attracted attention since its first appearance on social media in 2009.^[21] The road is passable only by the most extreme off-road vehicles and adventure motorcycles. In 2009, a group of three experienced motorcycle riders took a whole month to travel from Komsomolsk (in the east) to Lake Baikal.^[22][23]

Honors

Main belt asteroid 2031 BAM, discovered in 1969 by Soviet astronomer Lyudmila Chernykh, is named in honor of the builders of the BAM.^[24]

Gallery

• 
  Railway station at Tynda
• 
  Railway station at Vikhorevka
• 
  Railway station at Fevralsk
• 
  Old station building at Tayshet
• 
  Railway troops on the construction of BAM-2. July 2022

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baikal Amur Mainline.

• Baikal-Amur Mainline travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Construction history of the BAM
• Private homepage about the BAM (section in English)
• BAM: Soviet construction project of a century
• BAM Guide on Trailblazer Publications website
• NYTimes 2012 travel feature
• The Baikal Amur Mainline is a popular adventure motorcycle travel route