Yuri Volodymyrovych Lomonosov (1874–1952) – an outstanding scientist, railway engineer and locomotive designer

Abstract

The article highlights the scientific, pedagogical and organizational activities of Yu. V. Lomonosov – the founder of the scientific foundations of railway operation and the theory of traction of railway trains, the designer of the world’s first diesel locomotive with electric transmission, the organizer and head of the “Russian Railway Mission” abroad in the first years of Soviet power. The purpose of the article is to highlight the scientific and engineering path of Yu. V. Lomonosov, to create an image of a scientist and railway engineer based on the available source base. To achieve the goal of the study, historical-chronological, analytical-synthetic and biographical methods were used. The scientist’s scientific research was carried out in the context of the tasks of engineering science in the first half of the 20th century. We have divided the creative activity of Yu. V. Lomonosov into 6 main periods: 1) study and work at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute; 2) work at the Kharkov Locomotive Plant; 3) work on the Catherine Railway; 4) work on the Tashkent Railway; 5) at the Ministry of Railways in St. Petersburg; 6) work abroad: in Germany, England, the USA and Canada. The author of the article was particularly interested in the articles of Yu. V. Lomonosov, devoted to the processes of improving the organization of train traffic, on typical calculations of the functioning of various steam locomotives, on experiments and experiments in the field of the functioning of the Catherine, Kharkiv-Mykolaiv and Tashkent railways. Yu. V. Lomonosov also published a number of articles on topical issues of the traffic service (rolling stock and railway track). He has publications of economic and political content. Of particular note are the scientific works of Yu. V. Lomonosov, devoted to the main results of the study of freight steam locomotives, the contemporary tasks of the development of passenger traffic on the railway network of sub-Russian Ukraine, especially the creation of the world’s first diesel locomotive. Thanks to such works as “Scientific Problems of Railway Operation” (1912), “Traction Calculations” (1915), “Technical Prospects of Railway Transport in the Near Future” (1924), “Introduction to Railway Mechanics” (1933) Yu. V. Lomonosov became a famous scientist and design engineer in railway transport during his lifetime. He became one of the founders of the science of train traction. His experiments were aimed at improving the technical characteristics of steam locomotives and railway tracks. He sought answers to the question of the most profitable composition of freight trains, made recommendations for the restoration of domestic railways. His services in the development of railway transport cannot be forgotten.