Five long sidings on the Varshavskiy site have become the Museum of Russian Railroads, which opened on Sunday 5 August 2001 and was visited by our reporter on 11 August. The museum is in one of the less salubrious parts of St. From the Baltiyskiy station, turn east as far as Varshavskiy station, which looks similar but more run-down, then turn south past the C19 tenements, roofless but tenanted, to a small yellow building with an iron fence. EUR5 for foreigners. Our reporter passed for a citizen and paid RUR20, but even at the higher price, the museum is well worthwhile.
Visitors are free to climb on or in the exhibits.
Probably the most impressive are a huge rail-mounted gun, and the Soviet Union s first electric locomotive, with no fewer than 28 wheels. Some exhibits were formerly at the suburban station of Shushary on the 1836 St. Free admission to the NRM should be available from October 2001. Passenger trains ceased at some time during the 1930s economic depression, were restored during World War II, and finally ceased 1947, the entire railroad being abandoned and mostly lifted. A stop is made at Kaanapali on the southbound journey, and passengers can board there, though anyone doing so might miss the northernmost section of track.