A Bit of History

The origin and sequential development of the journal, its structure and thematic content at all stages were not accidental.

Organization of popular monthly scientific and technical print newspaper was strongly dictated by the need for successful implementation of a huge programme combining technical reconstruction of track facilities, and the relevance of demonstration and promotion of new technical and technological solutions, improvement of professional knowledge and experience of railwaymen which are unthinkable without their successful work. What now is clear and is taken for granted, are in fact the result of a lot of works (both successes and defeats) of several generations of railwaymen, and a number of advanced collectives and individual initiatives of managers and direct executors.

On the 3 of July 1956 an administrative order No. 62/C on the publication of several journals, including "Railway Track and Facilities", signed by Boris Beschev, USSR Minister of Railway Transport, was issued.

The editor-in-chief was appointed Nikolai Vasiliev, a leading specialist of railway transport with huge experience of working with people and serving in recent years as a deputy director of the North Railway administration on the staff, first deputy director of management leadership of Ministry of Railways and the deputy editor-in-chief of the "Gudok" newspaper. In 1964 Nikolai Vasiliev was replaced by Leonid Troitsky, who has worked in this position until 1989, and then seven years the magazine was headed by Vladimir Ryaskin. From 1996 to 2013 the magazine was headed by Alexander Ratnikov, and Ivan Kovalev was chief editor in 2013 – 2014.

The precursor of the "Railway Track and Facilities" during 1936 – 1940 was the "Puteets" magazine. It was focused on track workers who have learned the technical basics, as well as foremen, roadmasters and technicians of permanent way linear divisions.

The "Railway Track and Facilities" magazine had another predecessor. This is the "Railway track" monthly magazine, which was published from January 1932 to December 1935. It was not the press organ of the People's Commissariat of Railways (NKPS of the USSR), but of the NKPS Central office of the Track, and was rated for roadmasters and senior roadmasters, supervisors of buildings and technicians.

Since 2014 chief editor was Sergei Vasilievich Lubimov. His career began at the Moscow Institute of railway transport engineers (now Moscow state railway University) after graduating from the faculty "Construction of Railways, track and track facilities". There, he worked in the specialty for over 11 years, conducted research, and taught. Then for 4 years he introduced computer technology and automated systems at the Moscow railway. In 1991 moved to the journal, where full found use for his humanitarian skills and received practical experience.