Rail transport in the Soviet Union the Soviet Union collapsed. Twenty other stations were under construction in 1985. The country's rapid transit system was the most intensively used in the world. The Soviet Union was a pioneer in the development of the diesel locomotive to replace the steam locomotive (dieselization) on non-electrified lines. But the USSR failed to make steady progress and while they lead the United States at first, they soon fell behind and their last steam locomotives were retired about 15 years later than for the US. The first mainline diesel locomotive in the world began running in 1924 in the USSR but it
Monetary reform in the Soviet Union, 1991 intention to return then for refund in other banknotes. The reform included provision for the 50- and 100-ruble banknotes of 1961 standard to be redeemable for exchange in "limited" quantities per person or family through workplace-organized exchange locations to smaller-denomination banknotes or to new-issue (1991) bills of 50 and 100 rubles denomination. The exchange was a subject to significant limitations: However, actual exchange was also limited by the amount of cash available to exchange locations. Withdrawal at the "Savings Bank of the USSR" - the only consumer bank in USSR was also limited to no more than 500 rubles per