Tashkent Museum of Railway Technics

Usual things that are associated with sightseeing in Tashkent are mosques, bazaars, and madrassas. However, there’s one unusual sight that’s worthy of attention. One of the most interesting and unusual places to visit in Tashkent is Tashkent Museum of Railway Technics. This museum of locomotives under open skies was opened in 1989. Its establishment coincided with 100th anniversary of Uzbek railway system.

The museum is located in the center of Tashkent, near main railway station of the city. The exhibits of the museum are 18 diesel, 13 steam, and 3 electric locomotives, and communication systems all in perfect condition, each conforms to a particular historical period.  One of the oldest exhibits of the museum - locomotive OV was produced in 1914. One of the most powerful locomotives that USSR every produced is also displayed in Tashkent Museum of Railway Technics, it’s P 36. It’s also one of the last locomotive produced in Soviet Union.

Locomotives presented in the museum date from Imperial Russia to fifties of 20th century. One of the ancient carriages carries exposition about history of Central Asian railway system. Visitor can see means of communication like Morse telegraph, historically accurate railway maps, uniforms of workers, and many more other things that were in use back in the days. What makes this museum even more unique is that visitor are allowed to touch everything and enter any space.

Moreover, guides will be willing not only to give you a tour, but also explain how locomotives work. Visitors can see how first locomotives worked, since it’s very different from modern locomotives. Old locomotives needed 18 tons of coal and 27 tons of water to pass 100 km. That’s why there were water towers along railways.  Today the museum is popular among newlyweds and the youth, since it’s a perfect setup for photoshoots.