http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/6355 Russia’s Vologda Region (ca. 500 km northeast of Moscow) is a vast expanse of pristine forests, pure lakes, ancient monasteries and towns. It is also home to one of the country’s few private railway lines – the Monzenskaya railway, or simply Monza, which starts from the Northern main line and runs eastwards for almost 300 km into deep forests. The history of this railway is, in some sort, the history of Russia in the 20th century. Its construction began in late 1920s when the Soviet government decided to organise centralised supplies of timber to Moscow and other big cities, then entirely heated by firewood. Before WWII, the main work force was exiles and forcibly displaced people brought here from all over the country. This fact as well as a feel of permanent isolation from the outside world and harsh labour and living conditions helped forge a peculiar character and identity: locals are often cold, reserved or even rude at first sight but hearty and sincere if you get to know them better. As the construction went further, lumber camps were set up along the railway, which then grew into bigger villages. When firewood was no longer needed in huge volumes, the wood processing on Monzenskaya line was restructured to produce other timber products. The line itself was continually extended throughout the Soviet period as exploration of new logging areas continued. With the end of government funding, the extension stalled in late 1980s as the Soviet Union was approaching its demise, and the tracks now end in the middle of nowhere. Unlike most railways, Monzenskaya never belonged to the Soviet Railways Ministry but was part of a huge centralised wood processing behemoth – the lespromkhoz. Today, it is an entirely private operation, also quite unusual for Russia. For a few dozen thousand people living along the Monzenskaya, it was and still is the only link to the outside world. Some forest villages have neither cellular nor land phone communications, no roads whatsoever, and to call a doctor in emergency they have to pay the railway to send in a railcar. Four times a week, there is a regular passenger service but the passenger cars are old, cold and poorly lit. Tracks are not always well maintained, and the train sways to and fro making passengers scary. Having run into a dead-end together with the country, Monzenskaya railway is desperately trying to find its way out. -- 2007 http://www.lightstalkers.org en-us http://images.lightstalkers.org/avatars/8221/chernaja_small.jpg http://www.lightstalkers.org/Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220619/001_small.jpg' /><br />Anastasia Travina works as switchtender on the Monzenskaya Railway. She is pictured here bringing firewood to heat her cabin. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220619'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220619 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:32 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220619 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220619/001_small.jpg' /><br />Anastasia Travina works as switchtender on the Monzenskaya Railway. She is pictured here bringing firewood to heat her cabin. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220619'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/823371/MS000654ls_small.jpg' /><br />The traditional Russian (masonry) stove is still in use in many village homes to heat the house and cook meals. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/823371'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/823371 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:32 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/823371 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/823371/MS000654ls_small.jpg' /><br />The traditional Russian (masonry) stove is still in use in many village homes to heat the house and cook meals. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/823371'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220592/010_small.jpg' /><br />A logging facility in Vokhtoga, the starting point of the Monzenskaya Railway. The railway was originally built to transport timber. Today, the railway's new owners are looking for new opportunities to use it. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220592'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220592 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:32 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220592 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220592/010_small.jpg' /><br />A logging facility in Vokhtoga, the starting point of the Monzenskaya Railway. The railway was originally built to transport timber. Today, the railway's new owners are looking for new opportunities to use it. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220592'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220613/003_small.jpg' /><br />The railcar passes a remote logging depot and station called Monza. The station is named after a river which gave its name to the entire railway. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220613'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220613 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:55 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220613 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220613/003_small.jpg' /><br />The railcar passes a remote logging depot and station called Monza. The station is named after a river which gave its name to the entire railway. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220613'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220610/004_small.jpg' /><br />Old photos in a private house in one of the villages on the Monzenskaya Railway. The construction of the railway began in late 1920s and the first builders were exiles and forcibly displaced persons brought here by Stalin's regime from all over the country. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220610'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220610 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:55 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220610 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220610/004_small.jpg' /><br />Old photos in a private house in one of the villages on the Monzenskaya Railway. The construction of the railway began in late 1920s and the first builders were exiles and forcibly displaced persons brought here by Stalin's regime from all over the country. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220610'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220607/005_small.jpg' /><br />Katya Kolesova lives with her parents and a younger sister in Vokhtoga - the starting point of the Monzenskaya Railway. Today, few prospects exist here for the youngest generation. Those with an ambition want to leave to bigger cities in search for a better life. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220607'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220607 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:39:42 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220607 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220607/005_small.jpg' /><br />Katya Kolesova lives with her parents and a younger sister in Vokhtoga - the starting point of the Monzenskaya Railway. Today, few prospects exist here for the youngest generation. Those with an ambition want to leave to bigger cities in search for a better life. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220607'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220589/011_small.jpg' /><br />A snow-covered statue of Lenin - a rare sitting example - in the village of Vokhtoga, the starting point of the Monzenskaya Railway. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220589'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220589 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:36 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220589 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220589/011_small.jpg' /><br />A snow-covered statue of Lenin - a rare sitting example - in the village of Vokhtoga, the starting point of the Monzenskaya Railway. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220589'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220586/012_small.jpg' /><br />Interior of a private house. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220586'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220586 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:36 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220586 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220586/012_small.jpg' /><br />Interior of a private house. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220586'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220583/013_small.jpg' /><br />A woman asleep on a railcar which runs between forest villages on the Monzenskaya Railway. These villages have no police or doctors of their own, and the latter visit occasionally or in emergency. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220583'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220583 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:36 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220583 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220583/013_small.jpg' /><br />A woman asleep on a railcar which runs between forest villages on the Monzenskaya Railway. These villages have no police or doctors of their own, and the latter visit occasionally or in emergency. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220583'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220580/014_small.jpg' /><br />The railcar that runs between forest villages on the Monzenskaya Railway. The railway is the only link to the outside world for locals. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220580'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220580 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220580 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220580/014_small.jpg' /><br />The railcar that runs between forest villages on the Monzenskaya Railway. The railway is the only link to the outside world for locals. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220580'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220577/015_small.jpg' /><br />One of the few road crossings on the Monzenskaya Railway. Most villages along the railway have no roads whatsoever except for winter roads, and the railway is the only link to the outside world for them. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220577'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220577 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220577 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220577/015_small.jpg' /><br />One of the few road crossings on the Monzenskaya Railway. Most villages along the railway have no roads whatsoever except for winter roads, and the railway is the only link to the outside world for them. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220577'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220556/021_small.jpg' /><br />Alexei Komissarov poses for picture in Kamenka - an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway. He spent his entire career in the forest industry in the Monzenskaya Railway area. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220556'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220556 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220556 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220556/021_small.jpg' /><br />Alexei Komissarov poses for picture in Kamenka - an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway. He spent his entire career in the forest industry in the Monzenskaya Railway area. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220556'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220604/006_small.jpg' /><br />Interior of the passenger train that runs four times a week between forest villages on the Monzenskaya Railway. The train runs at night with no lights inside and, due to poor condition of the tracks, is swaying to and fro making the journey a very scary experience. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220604'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220604 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220604 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220604/006_small.jpg' /><br />Interior of the passenger train that runs four times a week between forest villages on the Monzenskaya Railway. The train runs at night with no lights inside and, due to poor condition of the tracks, is swaying to and fro making the journey a very scary experience. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220604'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220601/007_small.jpg' /><br />Local girls posing for picture in Kamenka - an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway. The railway is the only link to the world for locals. There is neither cellular nor land phone communications, and to call a doctor in emergency people have to pay the railway to send in a railcar. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220601'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220601 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220601 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220601/007_small.jpg' /><br />Local girls posing for picture in Kamenka - an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway. The railway is the only link to the world for locals. There is neither cellular nor land phone communications, and to call a doctor in emergency people have to pay the railway to send in a railcar. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220601'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220544/025_small.jpg' /><br />Bundles of onion hanging in the kitchen of a house in an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220544'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220544 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220544 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220544/025_small.jpg' /><br />Bundles of onion hanging in the kitchen of a house in an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220544'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220547/024_small.jpg' /><br />A pig being butchered. Many people living in villages along the Monzenskaya Railway breed pigs and other cattle for meat and milk. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220547'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220547 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220547 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220547/024_small.jpg' /><br />A pig being butchered. Many people living in villages along the Monzenskaya Railway breed pigs and other cattle for meat and milk. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220547'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220541/026_small.jpg' /><br />Olga was born in Kamenka - an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway - but now lives in Vologda, the regional capital, and was visiting her relatives in her native village. She says she has left due to unemployment and lack of any prospects here. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220541'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220541 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220541 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220541/026_small.jpg' /><br />Olga was born in Kamenka - an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway - but now lives in Vologda, the regional capital, and was visiting her relatives in her native village. She says she has left due to unemployment and lack of any prospects here. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220541'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220616/002_small.jpg' /><br />An old calendar depicting an icon of the Mother of God hanging on the wall in a village home. The construction of the railway began in late 1920s and the first builders were exiles and forcibly displaced persons brought here by Stalin's regime from all over the country. Being an entirely Communist development, the Monzenskaya Railway area did not have a single church until mid-1990s. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220616'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220616 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:37 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220616 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220616/002_small.jpg' /><br />An old calendar depicting an icon of the Mother of God hanging on the wall in a village home. The construction of the railway began in late 1920s and the first builders were exiles and forcibly displaced persons brought here by Stalin's regime from all over the country. Being an entirely Communist development, the Monzenskaya Railway area did not have a single church until mid-1990s. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220616'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220526/031_small.jpg' /><br />An abandoned house. Population in villages along the Monzenskaya keeps falling: people leave to bigger cities because of unemployment and lack of any prospects. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220526'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220526 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:43 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220526 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220526/031_small.jpg' /><br />An abandoned house. Population in villages along the Monzenskaya keeps falling: people leave to bigger cities because of unemployment and lack of any prospects. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220526'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220535/028_small.jpg' /><br />Ksenia and Maxim in a kindergarten in Kamenka - an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway. The railway is the only link to the outside world for locals. There is neither cellular nor land phone communications, and to call a doctor in emergency people have to pay the railway to send in a railcar. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220535'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220535 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:43 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220535 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220535/028_small.jpg' /><br />Ksenia and Maxim in a kindergarten in Kamenka - an isolated village in the forest on the Monzenskaya Railway. The railway is the only link to the outside world for locals. There is neither cellular nor land phone communications, and to call a doctor in emergency people have to pay the railway to send in a railcar. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220535'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220622/032_small.jpg' /><br />A family leaves the station in Vokhtoga, the starting point of the Monzenskaya Railway. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220622'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220622 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:43 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220622 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/220622/032_small.jpg' /><br />A family leaves the station in Vokhtoga, the starting point of the Monzenskaya Railway. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/220622'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/823353/MS000661flak_small.jpg' /><br />Riding on the railcar which runs between forest villages on the Monzenskaya Railway; an abandoned log wagon is visible in the background. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/823353'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/823353 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:40:43 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/823353 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/823353/MS000661flak_small.jpg' /><br />Riding on the railcar which runs between forest villages on the Monzenskaya Railway; an abandoned log wagon is visible in the background. <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/823353'>view full-size image</a> Max Sher