Yefim Alekseyevich Cherepanov

Yefim Alekseyevich and Miron Yefimovich Cherepanov, sometimes mistakenly referred to as 'the Cherepanov brothers' — Russian industrial engineers and inventors. They are known for building the first locomotive and railway in Russia. They came from serf workers of the Demidovs — the famous dynasty of Ural factory owners. 

Yefim Alekseyevich Cherepanov came from serf peasants of the Vyisky Plant of the Demidovs and showed himself from a young age to be a talented mechanic. At sixteen he became a mechanical foreman, and then, in 1807, the dam foreman of the same plant. His engineering skills were demonstrated in the construction of sheet-rolling mills at the Nizhne-Turinsk Plant and a metal water-lifting machine at the Mednorudyansky mine. From 1822 until his death in 1842 Yefim Cherepanov held the position of chief mechanic of all the Nizhny Tagil factories. 

His son, Miron Yefimovich Cherepanov, received home education and was already working as a clerk at the Vyisky Plant at the age of twelve. He later trained with his father and in 1819 became his assistant. Together they created the 'Vyisky Mechanical Works' — a machine-building plant where they produced a variety of machines and mechanisms, including the first steam engine with four horsepower. 

In 1825 Yefim, and in 1833 Miron, went abroad to study advanced technologies: the father to Sweden, the son to England. Upon their return they created the first locomotive in Russia, later improving it and increasing its power. They also built the first cast-iron railway in Russia, opened in 1834. After his father's death in 1842 Miron continued the work and created several powerful steam engines, including a 60-horsepower engine for the Novo-Anatolskaya mine. Miron Yefimovich Cherepanov died in 1849.