Trans-Siberian Railroad x2 track

Germaniac

Donor
What happens if the Trans-Siberian Railroad, the entire line not just sections, was double tracked. Especially the Chinese Eastern Railway. How would this effect the buildup of Dalian and Port Arthur, How would this effect Russo-Japanese relations, How would this effect the Russo-Japanese war, Could it have turned the tide of the war Bringing troops into the region quicker and more efficiently?
 
What happens if the Trans-Siberian Railroad, the entire line not just sections, was double tracked. Especially the Chinese Eastern Railway. How would this effect the buildup of Dalian and Port Arthur, How would this effect Russo-Japanese relations, How would this effect the Russo-Japanese war, Could it have turned the tide of the war Bringing troops into the region quicker and more efficiently?
At a wild guess? not much.

The TSR was only just completed shortly before the Russo-Japanese war, and parts of it were very shoddily constructed. (Partly as a deliberate design decision - get the blasted thing in place, THEN fix it. The north american railroads did something the same when first built.) IIRC sections were only good for 10-15 mph.

So, if you're looking for a POD, get the railway done a wee bit earlier, possibly with some upgrading happening. Also, it is REALLY really hard to supply troops (or anything else) that distance without a railway, so I'd bet that infrastructure was hardly developed until the railway arrived. A few more years, and they might have better supply dumps, etc.

Also, read about crossing of Lake Baikal - they were originally going to do it with an icebreaker - built in ENgland and brought by rail in pieces! Didn't work!

TSR is one amazing piece of work. Huge effort involved. IIRC, 12 months into the project they were 18 months behind(!)

I really think that double tracking is the least of your worries here.
 
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