Rostov tram is one of the traditional types of urban transport in this city. Its characteristic feature is the compliance of the gauge with European standards (1435 mm). In other cities of Russia, it differs from the European one. The Rostov tram network is one of the oldest in Russia. It appeared in January 1902 on the basis of the horse-drawn railway that was operating before that, which was founded in 1887. In the south of Russia it is one of the largest tram systems.
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 south of it.
The population is 1,125,299 people (in 2017). By the number of inhabitants, the city ranks tenth in Russia. Together with the suburbs it forms a large 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 moderately continental, dry, despite a significant amount of precipitation (about 650 mm per year). Winter is windy, with little snow, with significant temperature differences. Summer is hot and arid. In the vicinity of the city steppe landscapes prevail, typical of the entire Rostov region.
The history of the Rostov tram
Until 1900, horse-drawn rail transport was used in Rostov. In this case, 4 lines operated. The transition to the ordinary tram occurred in 1902. By 1928, there were already 8 tram routes. Compliance with European gauge standards allowed the use of Czech-made Tatra cars on the streets.
By 1990, the total length of tram lines exceeded 100 km.
In the 90s, the Rostov tram survived hard times. The number of routes (from 18 to 7) and wagons sharply decreased. The number of depots 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 dubious. In the future, it may be completely superseded by the metro, and now it is losing ground under the pressure of road transport.
Reasons to leave the tram
Tram transport was inferior in competition to the trolleybus and motor transport, which developed more intensively, and then began to displace it. On many streets, trolleybus and tram lines ran in parallel, which was inconvenient. It is also considered an obsolete mode of transport. The reduction of the tram network in Rostov occurred much earlier than in other cities of Russia. Over 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 the routes was significantly reduced.
In the period of 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.
Rolling stock of the Rostov-on-Don tram
Currently, the following types of tram cars are used in Rostov: Tatra6V5, 71-619KU, 71-619KTU, 71-911E. There are 67 of them, and 43 of those working.
Also used are 7 units of rolling stock for official purposes, including various snow blowers, track service and energy service.
Recently, one of the ancient tram cars was restored, which has been 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. Wagons are very worn out and move slowly. Their number is also limited. As a result, most passengers choose other modes of transport. Every day, about 40 thousand people carry trams.
The traffic conditions of the cars are not always perfect - in some places the tram rattles.
Conclusion
Thus, the Rostov tram is a gradually degrading city transport that is losing ground in all directions. Now it has a low speed, low coverage and a small number of routes. The rolling stock is outdated. A new tram in Rostov is unlikely to appear. However, there is the likelihood of a metro. Therefore, the question may soon become relevant: "Where is the Rostov tram?"