CHORNOBYL
TOP: Two tank cars sit in front of the con- struction site for the fifth and sixth Chornobyl reactors, which were under construction in 1986. The two reactors were never completed. ABOVE: At the entrance to Pripyat is this sign spelling the Russian name in Cyrillic letters. The city was established in 1970 as a home for the people that would work at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. RIGHT: A Motrisa AS1M work railcar crosses over the Pripyat River bridge toward the Chornobyl plant.
on the platform grabs my bag and lifts it down to the ground for me; I nod in thanks. I watch as the train continues west to Nedanchychi, and ever closer to Chornobyl. Being here in Slavutych, that, too, can only be described as sur- real. For a city of around 25,000 people, everything looks remarkably empty. Perhaps they’re all hiding from the rain. Nonetheless, the unfinished building across the street from the train station makes me feel as if I’ve entered a world similar to the worst parts of Detroit. A quick visit to the Local History Mu-
seum of Slavutych and Chornobyl proves that Slavutchane feel pride for their city, but it is impossible to deny that an era has ended. A city custom-built to serve
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the power plant has, in some respects, lost its purpose. Since the decommis- sioning, many citizens have moved on. As work continues on the new arch to cover the aging Chornobyl sarcophagus, the inevitable question is what will hap- pen to Slavutych when that important task is also completed? Undoubtedly more residents will be out of jobs, and perhaps more will flee. After 30 years, will Chornobyl’s lasting effects claim the life of yet another city? If Slavutych’s future is considered uncertain, perhaps only the future of nuclear energy is even more so. The Chornobyl disaster had drastic effects on all of humankind, beyond the pollu- tion of land and people. It undoubtedly
was a catalyst for the breakup of the Soviet Union. But beyond even that, a once-promising technology had become stigmatized. Countries across Europe once known for their nuclear prowess have instead vowed to phase out nuclear power. It is a stark contrast to the initial years of the atomic age, when scientists pictured miniature reactors inside every home and automobile. After seeing the destruction wrought first hand, it is dif- ficult to be impartial.
Emily Moser is the author of the popu- lar blog I Ride the Harlem Line. See the full text and photos from her journey to Chornobyl, as well as historic photos of the railroad, at
radioactiverailroad.com.
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