Thread by @UkrainesGrains

🧵We are a group of volunteers exploring existing and non-conventional options for moving #Ukrainian #grains, #wheat and #agricultural products into the #European #Railway Network for distribution to EU #Export terminals, primarily, but not exclusively on the #Danube Waterway.

Why, what's stopping this?

Similar to @Apple, @Microsoft or @Android Operating Systems, #Ukraine's and #Europe's #trains, #locomotives & #wagons operate on physically different track widths.

While having similar functionalities, they don't "play well with each other".
2/

Specifically, a Ukrainian train cannot travel on a European railway (track) and European trains cannot travel on Ukrainian railways.

The width, called "Gauge", between rails is different. Ukrainian is 1520mm wide, while European is 1435mm.
3/

Hence #RailGauges can be a physical impossibility.

We are looking for locations where 1435mm & 1520mm railways interlace and where mechanized equipment at facilities can transfer materials and products from one train to the other... a process called #Transloading.
4/

Transloading Facilities (TLFs) are locations that can transfer materials or products from one railcar/wagon to another railcar/wagon. They have parallel 1435mm and 1520mm railyards that “interlace”, like you can do with your fingers.
5/

Although there are not a lot of these paralleling railyards or TLFs, there are more than many think. There are also many locations where TLFs could be constructed quickly or existing, abandoned TLFs; i.e., a closed #coalmine, may be repurposed #JustTransition & made to work.
6/

This is what we are focusing on… locations that are not obvious but may hold potential given the need is currently so urgent.

We are looking closely #Moldova, #Romania, #Hungary, #Slovakia, #Poland, #Belarus & #Lithuania as 1435mm and 1520mm overlaps can be found in all.
7/

While we wish #Odesa & #BlackSea would be opened, we will not stop looking for alternative options to move #Ukraine's Grains to friendly ports & waters until the #MmineSweepers are clearing the #Coastal waters.
8/

We have all this on @GoogleMaps.

While not perfect, it is "live" and constantly updated as we refine our understanding and information of individual objects of interest.

It can be easily compared to satellite imagery or viewed on directly @GoogleEarth also.
9/

LEGEND

Black - European Rail 1435mm wide (gauge)

Green - Ukrainian Rail 1520mm wide (gauge)

White Pins - Border Crossings with Railways

Pink - High Priority Opportunity Zones (HPOZs)

Blue - Navigable Waterways & Rivers

Pushpins - Ports, Railyards, TLFs
10/

LEGEND Continued

Areas - Aids to help visualize the challenges, constraints and other notable regional landmarks.

Pushpins & Areas have useful information and links about each.

Clicking on any object will open a text box of pertinent information or hyperlinks.
11/

Although this map is "usable" on a mobile device, it is best used on a laptop or computer screen.

You can easily "export" a shared, updating file to other mapping platforms like Google Earth.
12/

This group and resource are currently under development, please bear with our efforts.

We appreciate any suggestions and intel inside Ukraine and neighboring countries to facilitate our efforts.

Ukraine's Grains-n-Trains Project

💛💙🌱🚂🇺🇦🚂🌱💙💛

google.com/maps/d/viewer?…

Everyone, we at @UkrainesGrains are blown away by the support and interest we are receiving.

We could use your help and demonstrate the power of #crowdsourcing with like-minded individuals who are concerned about #Ukraine.

What we need is simple, really.

Please see comment 👇

On our Map, we have 41 Border Crossings where rail exists

some are the cities or area (a, b, c), but we need the most up to date information and links to relevant resources for each Crossing.

They are on the @GoogelMaps Map

15. Border Crossings

👇

tinyurl.com/UA-EGL-Project 🙏

Fabulous friends of #Ukraine, we are aware of ability to change railcar/wagon bogies, however it is time consuming and not necessary w/ the approach we are advocating given dual gauge railyards/TLFs😃

Here is a previous post with a video of the process.

https://twitter.com/UkrainesGrains/status/1525976518001938432?s=20&t=UU4RnilT5A0TOvW1haE44Q

We conducted a poll to gauge our audience's understanding of the need to move @UkrainesGrains to ports and the current constraints.

Here is the poll and a thread about it...

https://twitter.com/UkrainesGrains/status/1527800493665288193?s=20&t=UyBIh0XsafvNjwGIOIuEMw

A few days ago, Russian Media reported 🇷🇺 was failing in its objective to destroy Ukrainian rail.

While we agree, strategically they are failing, it is only bc of the bravery of #Ukrainian' the #railroads continue to operate.

This motivates us more...

https://twitter.com/UkrainesGrains/status/1527640353720901632?s=20&t=UyBIh0XsafvNjwGIOIuEMw

https://twitter.com/UkrainesGrains/status/1528787092385439751?s=20&t=qzczDYRSDHJRUt0BFat1JQ

@RORuralNetwork are there any opportunities for rural development in #Lasi, #SatuMari, #SighetuMarmatiei?

💛💙🌱🚂🇺🇦🇷🇴🚂🌱💙💛

Why are we looking at abandoned #coal plants and mines near the #Ukrainian border?

If you read this far, we bet you know now too. 😉

https://twitter.com/UkrainesGrains/status/1528820194138902532?s=20&t=qzczDYRSDHJRUt0BFat1JQ