Rostov tram is one of the traditional types of urban transport in this city. Its characteristic feature is the compliance of the track width with European standards (1435 mm). In other cities of Russia, it differs from the European one. The tram network of Rostov is one of the oldest in Russia. It appeared in January 1902 on the basis of the previously operating horse railway, which was founded in 1887. It is one of the largest tram systems in the south of Russia.
What is Rostov-on-Don?
Rostov-on-Don (or simply Rostov) is a large city in the south of the European part of Russia. It is the administrative center of the Rostov Region and the entire Southern Federal District. Rostov appeared in 1749, during the reign of Elizabeth. It is located in the lower reaches of the Don River, not far from its confluence with the Sea of Azov. It is 1092 kilometers from Moscow and about the same distance south of it.
Population - 1125299 people (in 2017). In terms of the number of inhabitants, the city ranks tenth in Russia. Together with the suburbs formslarge agglomeration, the fourth largest in our country. It is a major administrative, cultural, industrial, transport and scientific center. It is also called the southern capital of Russia.
The climate of Rostov is temperate continental, dry, despite a significant amount of precipitation (about 650 mm per year). Winter is windy, with little snow, with significant temperature fluctuations. Summer is hot and dry. Steppe landscapes, typical for the entire Rostov region, prevail in the vicinity of the city.
History of the Rostov tram
Until 1900, horse-drawn railway transport was used in Rostov. In this case, 4 lines operated. The transition to the conventional tram took place in 1902. By 1928, there were already 8 tram routes. Compliance with European gauge standards made it possible to use Czech-made Tatra cars on the streets.
By 1990, the total length of tram lines exceeded 100 km.
In the 90s, the Rostov tram went through hard times. The number of routes and wagons was sharply reduced (from 18 to 7). The number of depots has decreased from four to two. The most dramatic reduction and dismantling of tram lines occurred in 1998. After 2000, the decline was slower. Nevertheless, the prospects for the Rostov tram are rather doubtful. In the future, it may be completely replaced by the metro, but now it is losing ground under the onslaught of road transport.
Reasons for leaving the tram
Tram transport was inferior in competition to trolleybus and motor transport, which was developingmore intensively, and then began to displace it. On many streets, trolleybus and tram lines ran parallel, which was inconvenient. It is also considered an obsolete mode of transport. The reduction of the tram network in Rostov happened much earlier than in other Russian cities. During the period of the 90s, the total length of the lines decreased by more than 2 times.
There are no tram lines left in the northern half of the city. In the western and eastern directions, the length of routes has been significantly reduced.
During the 2000s, the lines became even smaller, and by 2015 their total length was only 32 km. This corresponds to the 26th place in Russia.
Rostov-on-Don tram rolling stock
Currently, the following types of tramcars are used in Rostov: Tatra6V5, 71-619KU, 71-619KTU, 71-911E. There are 67 of them in total, and 43 are employed.
There are also 7 utility vehicles in use, including various snowplows, a track service and an energy service.
Recently, one of the ancient tram cars was restored, which was used as a snowplow for a long time. Now it also carries passengers on one of the routes.
The condition of the rolling stock cannot be considered satisfactory. The cars are very worn out and moving slowly. Their number is also limited. As a result, most of the passengers choose other modes of transport. Trams carry about 40,000 people daily.
The conditions for the movement of wagons are not ideal everywhere - in some placesthe tram rattles.
Conclusion
Thus, the Rostov tram is a gradually degrading urban transport, losing ground in all directions. Now it has low speed, small area coverage and a small number of routes. The rolling stock is outdated. A new tram in Rostov is unlikely to appear. However, there is a possibility of a subway. Therefore, the question may soon become relevant: “Where is the Rostov tram?”
