Valerian Abakovsky


Valerian Ivanovich Abakovsky is best remembered as the inventor of the Aerowagon.

Early life

Ethnically Russian, he was born in Riga on October 5, 1895. Although a talented inventor, he worked as a chauffeur for the Tambov Cheka.

The Aerowagon

The invention for which Abakovsky is remembered is the Aerowagon, an experimental high-speed railcar fitted with an airplane engine and propeller propulsion. It was originally intended to carry Soviet officials.

Death

On 24 July 1921, a group of communists led by Fyodor Sergeyev took the Aerowagon from Moscow to the Tula collieries to test it. Abakovsky was also on board. Although they successfully arrived in Tula, on the return route to Moscow the Aerowagon derailed at high speed, killing 6 of the 22 on board. The following people died in the accident:
All six were buried in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis.