The Russian Railways has accepted the proposal of the Ministry of Culture to participate in the Year of Russian Cinema, and the first train named after the Honored Artist of USSR Vyacheslav Tikhonov has been launched from the Kazansky station in Moscow on 11th of May. 

 

The head of Russian Railways Oleg Belozerov said that JSCo "RZD" could not ignore such an event as the Year of Russian Cinema, and company has gladly took part in this initiative. "The Railways has a direct connection with the cinematograph. Train was one of the first objects shown in the moving pictures of brothers Lumiere back in 1896 in the short movie "Arrival of a Train at la Ciotat". - noted Oleg Belozerov - "We will follow traditions, and together with the Ministry of Culture we will name our best trains after the famous russian script writers, directors, actors and operators." 

 

Only the most modern and comfortable double-decker trains were selected to take part in the Year of Russian Cinema initiative. These trains are very popular among passangers; they consists of 1st and 2nd class cabins, staff car, compartments for disabled people and a restaurant car. At the moment, the Russian Railways have 12 double-decker trains, which operate between Moscow and regional centers (Adler, Kazan, Samara, Voronezh, St. Petersburg). Each of them will receive a name of a great artist or film director. 

 

"We have tried to select script writers, directors, actors and operators among those who symbolize an epoch of development of russian cinematography. Among them are Mikhail Ulyanov, Lyubov Orlova, Tatiana Samoilova, Leonid Gaidai, Mikhail Kalatozov, Tatyana Lioznova, Mikhail Romm, Eldar Ryazanov, Grigory Chukhray, Vasily Shukshin, Vadim Yusov" - commented the Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky. 

 

In the trains, selected for the event, will be implemented a new service. The passengers will be able to watch movies connected to the person, whose name carries the train.