Transport and the environment

It is known that every type of transport has its effects on the environment. Motor cars, planes, and locomotives pollute the air, especially in big cities. It has been estimated that one car burns an average of 2 tons of fuel per year using up to 27 tons of air in the process of burning, their exhaust gases containing very dangerous carbon dioxide and other extremely harmful substances. Motor vehicles appear to use up nearly 4 times as much air as the world population.

In addition, land and air transport is a major source of noise which is harmful for human health.

The principal task today is to find ways and means to reduce air pollution and and noise produced by all types of transport, city or suburb.

Some specialists believe electric transport is the kind of transport to be given much attention to. Among the electrically-driven vehicles one should mention electromobiles or battery electric cars have been developed in Ukraine and in some countries abroad. They do not pollute the air and they are practically noiseless in operation, but in many respects the electric cars have lower characteristics compared with the internal combustion engines, the main problem being the short range powered between recharging batteries. The accumulator batteries modern electric cars are powered by are not only short-lived, they are too heavy and too expensive and generally unsuitable for electrically-driven cars.

The research and development work undertaken by Ukrainian engineers has led to the development of an electrochemical generator called "Istok” which is likely to replace the bulky accumulators.

The "Istok" consists of six fuel cells arranged in three units. A special reactor operating on hydrogen and oxygen generates electricity. The only resultant product of hydrogen-oxygen combustion is the vapour of distilled water.

Позакласне читання

1. KYIV'S METRO

Nowadays in Ukraine only three cities can boast of underground system: Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnepropetrovsk. After settling into operation the passenger service was improved, especially in rush hours. Trains are to run with intervals from dozens seconds to several minutes. For greater safety of travel all trains on the Metro are to be regularly examined and computers control all trains movements.

Certainly, we cannot imagine the capital of our country without Metro. A lot of Kyiv's stations are finished with marble and granite with mosaic decoration.

Sviatoshinsko-Brovarska

Construction of metro in Kiev is initiated in 1949 by metro construction corporation "Kievmetrostroy". The first part of Sviatoshinsko-Brovarska line from an " Vokzalna"station up to an "Dnipro" station by extent of 5,2 km has entered in operation on November 6, 1960. The current line with 18 stations passes from west on east, intersecting Dniepro river and Rusanovskiy strait by bridges. The construction of two new stations in western direction named "Zhitomyrska" and "Academmistechko" has been recently completed.

Kureniovsko-Chervonoarmiyska

The first part of a Kureniovsko-Chervonoarmiyska line by extent 2,3 km from an Oktiyabyrskoy Revoliutsii station nowadays "Maydan nezaleznosti" up to Chervona ploscha nowadays "Kontraktova ploscha" beginning, to operate in December, 1976. The operating line with 12 stations passes from north to the south, has extent 13 km, time of travel is 22,5 min.

The first part of Syretsko-Pecherska line of metro by extent of 2,1 km from "Zoloti Vorota" station to "Mechnikova" station nowadays "Klovska" was put into operation on December 31, 1989. Construction of a southeast part has entered in build which intersected of Dnieper river on the Southern Bridge, is completed in 1994. The station "Pecherskaya" is open for the passengers only in 1997. In 1996 the first part of northwest direction with two stations is opened, one of which is still not operated because of absence slant tunnel. After regular carries of opening date (14.10.1999, 30.12.1999) on March 30, 2000 40-th "Dorohozhychy" station has been put into operation. Now extent of an operation line is 18,5 km, time of travel 28 min. Now common extent of lines of underground makes 52 km with 40 stations.

Three lines services by two maintenance shops they are "Darnitsa" and "Obolon". Syretsko-Pechrskaya line has not maintenance shop (fine repair make in reverse impasse on "Kharkivska" station, and more serious in maintenance shop "Obolon"), which construction in connection with shortage of means proceeds already of order 10 years.

The construction of the fourth line has been scheduled. Actually, project of the line from Zhuliany to Voskresenka and Troeschina was ready of years 20 ago, but cost of the bridge over Dniepro river, Desenka river and Voskresenkas" gardens makes of the order $500 million, that is excessive for the today's city budget. So, that in nearest 10-15 years the fourth line in Kiev will not be. Besides there was a civil-engineering design of fifth Pridneprovskaya line. It should pass from an inhabited array Troeschina lengthways Dniepro river to Pozniaki ("Pozniaki" station even prepared as tranfer one). This plan will not be realized in general. In urban administration be ordered long disputes on expediency of construction of a line of the underground.