Vinnytsia Tramway - History

History

The first electric tramway in Vinnytsia started to operate on October 28, 1913. The system was built by the German company MAN AG. The operation has only been suspended during two longer periods: February 1920 – November 27, 1921 and March 1944 – June 1945.

• Electric tram operation in Vinnytsia was commenced on October 28, 1913. 8.6 km long and 1000 mm wide line was laid along the central street (Nikolaevskiy Prospekt) from Women’s Gymnasium all the way to the railway station. Seven two-axle double sided trams worked there. They were manufactured by German plant MAN. There tram cars were encountered for 18 seating and 14 standing places.
• Tram depot was built on a right bank of South Bug river, next to the bridge (in the beginning of Pervomayskaya street). The repair shop was established in a tram depot.
• The railway branch was also lead here from a mainline.
• Priod to commencement of tram operation, 13 conductors, 15 tram driver, 3 foremen, and the same number of “blue collar workers” were accepted to their jobs. It is interesting that an average wage of a conductor was 25 rubles. CEO's wage was 50 rubles, and chief engineer's wage was 80 rubles.
• In the summer of 1914 a second line was erected, leading from Voznesenskaya Church to the “Military Town”, along the Nikolaevsky Prospect (now 50th years of Victory Avenue). The total trackage extent was about 10.5 km. In order to serve the new line, four motor tram cars were manufactured by MAN plant. They were longer than previous ones (24 seats, and 16 standees). The operation on this line was commenced in September 1914.
• In November 1916 there were 24 employees and clerk in the Tram Operating Authority, as well as 17 conductors, and the same number of tram driver – totally 58 people.
• Fare for a tram ride was decently high, that’s why only high class people were able to use it. In 1917, after the revolution tram became more accessible form of transport for people. Civil war, which roared along the former USSR that time affected the work of Vinnytsia Tram.
• Tram bells revitalized streets of a small town of Vinnytsia; 6 tram cars were running and the electric power station was restored.
• In 1922 the tram operating company changed its name, it became registered as “Vinnytsia city electric enterprise” Within the same year 1922 tram traffic transported 1800 thousands of riders, in 1923–1633 thousands of riders. Out of 11 motor cars on property, 9 worked in inventory.

In 1932 single track line from Kalich Market to the Pirogov Hospital was built. Year later, second track was laid along that line. The turning point were organized at the place, that known now as an end of alley along Pirogov street. This alley existed in that years. The overall trackage length was 11.6 km. During the same year, some freight was also transported by tram from railway station to the city.

• In 1934 Vinnytsia received one used narrow gauge tram car from Dnipropetrovsk, and 4 from Odessa. It happened because these started to rebuilt their tram trackages to wide gauge and the surplus of narrow gauge cars took place.

• From July 20, 1941 Vinnytsia was occupied fascists. During this period, tram resumed in operation in 1942, but not in full. Merely one or two passenger trams ran through the town in one of its parts. In August 1943 trams traffic was resumed along the bridges over South Bug river, restored by the Germans. During this time grounding branch was built from an electric station to the coal storage. Its extend was 1.7 km.
• When the Germans started to leave the town of Vinnytsia they damaged the tram system strongly, as well as the town's electric supply.
• In 1950 «Vinnytsia Tram Authority» received about 15 used pre-war trams from Kiev. They were rebuilt for narrow gauge tracks.
• 1953 tram netrowk was broken on 2 parts because of the construction of a new central bridge over South Bug river. Also, new tram depot was built on Khmelnickiy Parkway in 1955.
• In 1957 the line along Pirogov street was extended from Pirogov's Hospital up to Medical Institute, and up to Yuscheno Hospital in 1958
• German cars, named Gota started to enter Vinnytsia in the mid-1950s, they mostly worked in couples: motor car plus trailer car.

In 1963 one of lines was extended from Revolutionary Street (now Cosmonauts Avenue), up to.;..... and to Barske Parkway in 1986 meanwhile route number 1 was extended to the electric power plant.

• Since 1971 4-axle Tatra-T4 trams started to enter Vinnitsa. They were much more convenient for passengers
• In late 1970s the line which went along Kotsiubynsky Avenue was from Railway Station to Victory Square was transferred on Kirov Street
• In 1980s Vinnytsia received 81 Tatra KT4 trams.For a long time they were basic kind of trams in Vinnitsa.
• In 1992 the line to Vishenka district is fully open. The total extent of Tram Tracks in Vinnytsia in 42 km.
• In honor of 90th anniversary of tram in Vinnytsia, a memorial token was installed. It was made out of stone board, attached to the bigger stone.