The building of the Pskov-Riga Railway with its branch line from Valga to Tartu started on the initiative of the Russian Ministry of War in 1886. Most of the buildings on the railway were constructed based on standard plans, thus they look indistinguishably similar.
The construction of the railway line was finished and opened for transport in 1889. The largest junction of the line was in Valga, where also the main depot and workshops were situated.
These photographs from National Archives of Estonia mostly originate from a 50 page large-format album by the photographers Hugo Hoffers and Peter Sohnwald, both of whom had worked in Tartu as well as Riga.
The construction of the railway line was finished and opened for transport in 1889. The largest junction of the line was in Valga, where also the main depot and workshops were situated.
These photographs from National Archives of Estonia mostly originate from a 50 page large-format album by the photographers Hugo Hoffers and Peter Sohnwald, both of whom had worked in Tartu as well as Riga.
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| Railway bridge over the Velikaya River (Riga Bridge), construction of the pillars, August 26, 1886 |
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| Railway bridge over the Laatre River, September 25, 1887 |
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| Railway bridge over the Rauna River, after the end of construction, September 24, 1887 |
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| Railway bridge over the Rauna River, construction of the pillars, 1887 |
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| Railway bridge over the Väike Emajõgi River during construction, September 1, 1887 |
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| Railway bridge over the Väike Emajõgi River, construction of the deck, September 25, 1887 |
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| Railway bridge over the Velikaya River (Riga Bridge), construction of the deck, July 21, 1888 |
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| Tartu train station, rail side view, May 24, 1888 |
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| Čiekurkalns (Marshalling Yard) train station in Riga, June 12, 1889 |
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| House of the railway guard by Strenči, August 18, 1889 |
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| Overpass over the railroad by the Līgatne train station, September 12, 1889 |
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| Pechory train station, June 16, 1889 |
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| Pumping station at the Cēsis train station, August 5, 1889 |
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| Pumping station at the Sangaste train station, June 3, 1889 |
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| Railroad overpass over the Riia Street in Tartu, November 23, 1889 |
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| Railroad through the Amata Hollow, June 14, 1889 |
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| Railroad tracks through the Lasva Wetlands, June 15, 1889 |
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| Railroad tracks through the Vastseliina Wetlands, June 15, 1889 |
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| Railway bridge over the Amata River, June 20, 1889 |
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| Railway bridge over the Ärnu River, November 4, 1889 |
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| Railway bridge over the Elva River, June 15, 1889 |
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| Railway bridge over the Gauja River, August 12, 1889 |
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| Railway bridge over the Jugla River, June 12, 1889 |
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| Railway bridge over the Väike Emajõgi River, after the end of construction, June 3, 1889 |
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| Railway bridge over the Velikaya River (Riga Bridge), front view after the end of construction, May 26, 1889 |
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| Railway bridge over the Velikaya River (Riga Bridge), side view after the end of construction, May 26, 1889 |
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| Railway culvert by Valga, June 5, 1889 |
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| Railway culvert over the Līgatne River, June 12, 1889 |
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| Railway culvert over the Lorupe River, September 14, 1889 |
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| Tartu train station, street side view, July 23, 1889 |
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| The large railroad workers house by Ieriķi, June 13, 1889 |
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| The small railroad workers house by the Ozol tavern (Ozolkrogs), September 12, 1889 |
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| Valga train station, street side view, August 14, 1889 |
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| Water tower at the Cēsis train station, August 4, 1889 |
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| Water tower at the Elva train station, June 15, 1889 |
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| Water tower at the Võru train station, June 25, 1889 |
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| Zemitāni (Alexander Gate) train station in Riga, June 12, 1889 |
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| Cēsis train station, September 15, 1890 |
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| Locomotive depot at the Čiekurkalns (Marshalling Yard) train station in Riga, June 12, 1890 |
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| Main depot of the Pskov-Riga Railway in Valga, April 30, 1890 |
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| Pskov II train station, August 9, 1890 |
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| Railroad tracks through the Rauna Ravine, September 17, 1890 |
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| Railway bridge over the Abuls River, May 29, 1890 |
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| Railway bridge over the Piusa River, June 16, 1890 |
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| Railway bridge over the Tuderna Creek, June 16, 1890 |
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| Valga train station, rail side view, August 30, 1890 |
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| Valmiera train station, May 24, 1890 |
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| Võru train station, August 11, 1890 |
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| Workshops of the Pskov-Riga Railway in Valga, April 30, 1890 |
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| Rail accident by Puka, May 2, 1897 |
