The Moscow–Volokolamsk suburban line grew out of the old Moscow–Vindava Railway, a westbound corridor built at the turn of the 20th century to link the capital with the Baltic coast. Its early role was strategic: it carried freight and long‑distance passengers toward what is now Latvia, while also serving the growing settlements northwest of Moscow. Electrification arrived in stages after the Second World War, with 3 kV DC equipment installed first between Moscow and Nakhabino and later extended toward Volokolamsk, turning the corridor into a fully electric suburban artery by the 1950s. Through the Soviet decades the line developed a distinctive character. Close to Moscow it passed dense residential districts and industrial zones, then opened into forested hills and small towns around Istra before reaching the historic centre of Volokolamsk. Stations reflected this mix: simple wooden or brick shelters at minor stops, more substantial buildings at Istra and Volokolamsk, and classic Soviet nameboards with white block lettering on dark backgrounds. The route carried commuters, factory workers, dacha travellers, and regional passengers, making it one of the busiest western approaches to the capital. By the early–mid 1980s the corridor was defined by its electric multiple units. ER2 sets formed the backbone of operations, appearing in both early streamlined and later box‑cab forms. ER22 units, built as a transitional design between ER1 and ER2, remained active on the Rizhsky direction and were still regularly seen on Moscow–Volokolamsk services in 1983–1985. Their presence gave the line a slightly older visual texture, with rounded cab fronts and interiors typical of 1960s Soviet EMUs. Rebuilt ER2R sets were beginning to appear but had not yet displaced the older stock. This mix made the route feel like a snapshot of Soviet suburban rail at its peak: heavy traffic, frequent stopping patterns, and a blend of generations in daily service. Stations Moscow Rizhskaya Krasny Baltiets Grazhdanskaya Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo Tushino Trikotazhnaya Pavshino Krasnogorskaya Opalikha Anikeevka Nakhabino Malinovka Dedovsk Snegiri Istra Novoiyerusalimskaya Rumyanstevo Manikhino Chismena Glukhovo Volokolamsk Rolling Stock: ER2 ER22-38 (2-car) ER2R (Seprate add-on) bye lol
