The ShELT Project by Engineer N. G. Yarmolchuk

The Moscow monorail system that operated from 2004 to 2025 was one of two such systems in the territory of the former USSR. However, the idea of imp lementing this type of
transport is much older: early in the 20th century, it was regarded as one of the most
promising areas in the industry’s development because it could ensure faster speeds than
conventional railways. Devastated by the civil war that followed the October Revolution,
the young Soviet State desperately needed to restore its industry rapidly, which was impossible without enhancing the transportation system. The expansion of inventive activities was declared a matter of national importance, which resulted in the 1920s and 1930s
becoming the time of bold proposals for railway rationalization in general and for the implementation of various monorail systems in particular. Most of these projects have survived only as drawings although some plans for the implementation of new transportation
types were discussed at a fairly high level. The article is devoted to one of such projects,
the ball train (the electric train with ball wheels running in a trough-shaped rail) developed
by engineer N.G. Yarmolchuk.