SS Baikal

The SS Baikal was a train ferry that was used as part of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. It was built in Great Britain and shipped in pieces to Lake Baikal, taking over two years to get there. Use of it allowed the builders of the railroad to bypass the difficult terrain around Lake Baikal.

The entire ship was designed to be transported in pieces on railroad cars. It had fifteen boilers, each as large as could be safely shipped by rail.

It was also an icebreaker.

The weather on Lake Baikal was so fierce that it prevented use of the ship during heavy storms. Eventually the railroad around Lake Baikal was completed.