Zabaykalsk

The formerly disputed Abagaitu Islet in the Argun River is located about {{convert|100|km|sp=us}} to the east.

Zabaikalsk has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dwb) with very warm summers and frigid, dry winters.

{{Weather box

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Zabaikalsk, Zabaikalskii Krai, data from 1961~1990

| Jan high C =-18

| Feb high C =-14

| Mar high C =-3

| Apr high C =9

| May high C =18

| Jun high C =24

| Jul high C =26

| Aug high C =24

| Sep high C =17

| Oct high C =8

| Nov high C =-6

| Dec high C =-16

| Jan low C =-31

| Feb low C =-28

| Mar low C =-18

| Apr low C =-5

| May low C =3

| Jun low C =10

| Jul low C =14

| Aug low C =11

| Sep low C =4

| Oct low C =-6

| Nov low C =-18

| Dec low C =-27

| Jan precipitation mm =2

| Feb precipitation mm =2

| Mar precipitation mm =4

| Apr precipitation mm =10

| May precipitation mm =19

| Jun precipitation mm =47

| Jul precipitation mm =94

| Aug precipitation mm =74

| Sep precipitation mm =36

| Oct precipitation mm =9

| Nov precipitation mm =4

| Dec precipitation mm =3

| Jan precipitation days =2

| Feb precipitation days =2

| Mar precipitation days =3

| Apr precipitation days =5

| May precipitation days =6

| Jun precipitation days =10

| Jul precipitation days =15

| Aug precipitation days =13

| Sep precipitation days =8

| Oct precipitation days =4

| Nov precipitation days =4

| Dec precipitation days =3

| source = {{cite web|url=http://www.meteo-tv.ru/rossiya/zabaikalskii-krai/zabaikalsk/weather/climate/|title=КЛИМАТ: ЗАБАЙКАЛЬСК|website=Метео|publisher=Гидрометцентр России|language=Russian}}

}}

File:Chinese Eastern Railway-en.svg

It was founded in 1904 as a station (Razyezd 86, i.e. "Passing loop No. 86") on the Chinese Eastern Railway.

Since 1924, a border guard detachment has been stationed there. In the aftermath of the Sino-Soviet conflict (1929) the station was renamed Otpor ("Repulse").[http://www.transsib.ru/Article/article-zab03.htm Пограничный разъезд номер 86 (затем Отпор, а ныне Забайкальск)] (Border Passing loop No. 86 (later Otpor, and now Zabaykalsk)) {{in lang|ru}}

File:China - Russia Railway.jpg from Zabaykalsk to Manzhouli in China. (Coordinates:
{{Coord|49|37|49.24|N|117|20|20.68|E}})]]

Until the mid-1930s, Razyezd 86 / Otpor had little significance as a station, as all border formalities were done at Matsiyevskaya station (deeper into Russia) and at Manzhouli Railway Station, on the Chinese side of the border. The station was expanded in the mid-1930s, as the railway on the Chinese side had been sold by the USSR to Manchukuo and converted from the {{RailGauge|1520mm}} gauge of the Russian Railways to the {{RailGauge|1435mm}} China Railway; Otpor thus became the last Russian-gauge station. The station became quite important in 1945, as one of the bases of the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, which also saw the rail line on the Chinese side temporary re-converted to Russian gauge. The station's importance continued as the main rail connection between the USSR and the Communist China. On China's request, in 1958 the Soviets changed the name "Otpor" to the neutral Zabaykalsk (i.e., "a city in Transbaikalia", or "a city beyond Lake Baikal").

Eighteen Jews fled from Europe to Otopol Station (now Zabaykalsk Station) on the Trans-Siberian Railway, located on the border between the Soviet Union and Manchuria. The Manchurian government refused to accept them for fear of worsening relations with Germany. Major General Kiichiro Higuchi, who was consulted by Abraham Kaufman, the head of the Far Eastern Jewish Association, saw the situation and together with his subordinates arranged for food, clothing, fuel to survive the cold, medical care, and a route to Shanghai for the Jews.　

This route was called the "Higuchi Route," and it is said that between 4,000 and 20,000 Jews traveled to Shanghai via this route between 1938 and 1940. Later, Sugihara Chiune and Wang Kaewo rescued Jewish refugees to the Japanese concession in Shanghai. For this achievement, Higuchi's name was listed in the sixth "Golden Book" in 1941.[https://www.kkl-jnf.org/about-kkl-jnf/green-israel-news/june-2018/kichiro-higuchi-golden-book-jerusalem/ Grandson of Japanese General who Saved Jews Visits KKL-JNF Books of Honor] Wednesday, June 13, 2018KKL-JNF[https://bushoojapan.com/jphistory/kingendai/2020/08/20/103374 ユダヤ人5,000名を救った樋口季一郎とオトポール事件をご存知でしょうか] 2020/08/20　武将ジャパン

File:Zabaikalsk break of railway gauge.JPG

The Russo-Chinese highway AH6 passes through the town.

Zabaykalsk/Manzhouli is one of the three direct connections between Russian and Chinese Railways. The other two are in Primorsky Krai, much farther to the east; besides, much traffic between Russia and China travels on the rail line crossing Mongolia. It is served by what is now officially called the Southern Branch of the Transbaykal Railway (Южный ход Забайкальской железной дороги): a line that branches off the present-day main Trans-Siberian Railway line at Karymskaya junction (east of Chita), and continues southeast toward the Chinese border. Originally (until 1916), this line was part of the main Moscow-to-Vladivostok rail route, where trains coming from the west would continue into China on the former Chinese Eastern Railway, in order to cut across Manchuria on their way to Russian Vladivostok. After the modern route of the Trans-Siberian Railway, located entirely within Russian national territory, was completed in 1916, the Southern Branch's role was restricted to that of servicing Russia's border communities, and providing connectivity to China.

Zabaykalsk has been a transshipment station for a break of gauge since the 1930s, when the railway on the Chinese side had been sold by the USSR to Manchukuo and converted from the {{RailGauge|1524mm}} gauge of the Soviet Railways to the {{RailGauge|1435mm}} Manchukuo National Railway.

Since 2005, a number of projects have been carried out to increase the capacity of the "Southern Branch", and its connection to China.

The goal was to enable the railway by 2010 to handle 30 trains in each direction, each one up to 71 cars long. By 2005, the maximum weight of the trains using the line had already been increased from 4,000 to 6,300 tons.[http://zabzd.rzd.ru/isvp/public/zabzd?STRUCTURE_ID=98 Забайкальская железная дорога | Инвестиционный проект "Южный ход" | Общие сведения] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009185115/http://zabzd.rzd.ru/isvp/public/zabzd?STRUCTURE_ID=98 |date=October 9, 2011 }} (Transbaikal Railway: The Southern Branch investment project: General information) {{in lang|ru}}

In 2008, TransContainer's container transshipment facility was expanded.Railway Gazette International November 2008, p845

Work on modernizing the facility for passenger railcar bogie exchange was conducted as well.{{cite web|url=http://zabzd.rzd.ru/isvp/public/zabzd?STRUCTURE_ID=93&layer_id=4069&refererLayerId=3307&id=102261|title=Реконструкция пункта перестановки вагонов: В круглосуточном режиме на станции Забайкальск Забайкальской железной дороги ведется реконструкция пункта перестановки пассажирских вагонов|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301104622/http://zabzd.rzd.ru/isvp/public/zabzd?STRUCTURE_ID=93&layer_id=4069&refererLayerId=3307&id=102261|archivedate=2012-03-01|publisher=Transbaikalian Railway official web site|date=2008-06-08}} ("Reconstruction of the bogie exchange facility: workers at Zabaykalsk Station of the Transbaikalian Railway are working round the clock, renovating the passenger railcar bogie exchange facility") {{in lang|ru}}

• Lidia Bobrova, film director

• Longest trains

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikivoyage|Zabaykalsk}}

• [http://www.worldcargonews.com/htm/n20050322.565996.htm World Cargo News]
• [https://archive.today/20130104220800/http://www.steelguru.com/news/index/2008/01/02/MzM1ODY%3D/Transcontainer_to_expand_Zabaikalsk_container_terminal.html Steelguru]

{{Zabaykalsky Krai}}

{{China–Russia border crossings}}{{Authority control}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2013}}

Category:Urban-type settlements in Zabaykalsky Krai

Category:Populated places established in 1904

Category:China–Russia border crossings