The Trans-Siberian Railway, the longest train line in the world, stretching more than 5,700 miles from Moscow to Vladivostok, crossing two continents, 16 large rivers and eight time zones, was officially opened 100 years ago in 1916. Though it was set under way by an Imperial Edict from Tsar Alexander III on 9 March 1891. It was built by convicts and labourers in fiercely cold temperatures, fending off passing bandits and even tiger attacks. Nowadays the journey takes a week. When it started, it took a month and the original train housed a library, a gym, a grand piano, marble bathrooms and a lavish dining room that served caviar.
The start chart has a Pisces Sun opposition Saturn – so a dream plus exceptionally hard work. With a risky and explosive Mars opposition Uranus – they did have to tunnel through mountains – and no doubt lost a fair few lives from the extreme conditions. That opposition squares onto an indulgent Venus in Aquarius.
More pointedly it had the Neptune Pluto in Gemini of the time, which has fairly megalomaniac ideas and it squares Jupiter – so definitely a gargantuan project. Pluto puts the power behind Neptune’s vision.
Another 100th anniversary is next year for the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia of 1917. One hundred years has no astrological significance. What was and is interesting is that Russia 1917’s Uranus Return happened when Putin was first elected President in 1999 (along with a Half Neptune Return). The revolution come full circle. Assuming he gets in for another 6 year term in 2018, he’ll maybe exit in 2024 when tr Uranus in Taurus will be square the Russia 1917 Uranus – another marker in Russia’s history.