Samara Metro

Infobox Public transit
name = Samara Metro
Самарский метрополитен
"Samarskiy metropoliten"


imagesize =
locale = Samara
transit_type = Rapid transit
began_operation = 1987
ended_operation =
system_length = ≈km to mi|10.2|abbr=yes|precision=1
lines = 1
vehicles =
stations = 9
ridership =
track_gauge =
reporting marks =
operator =
owner =

Samara Metro ( _ru. Самарское Метро), formerly known as the "Kuybyshev Metro" (Куйбышевское Метро), is a rapid transit system which serves the city of Samara, Russia. Opened in 1987, it consists of one line with 9 stations and 10.2 km of bi-directional long track.

History

The city of Samara (known during Soviet times as Kuibyshev) is situated at the confluence of the Samara and Volga Rivers. Being an important junction of several waterways and railways, the city grew rapidly during the 20th century simultaneously becoming an important industrial centre. In the late 1970s its population exceeded a million passing the legal Soviet requirement to begin developing a rapid-transit system.

The design plan for Kuibyshev was based on the standard Soviet triangle arrangement, but with provisions to suit the dynamics of Kuibyshev, whose business, commercial and historical centre is situated on the edge, on the bank of the Volga River. Whilst the edges of the city were located with industrial zones and Soviet bedroom regions. Most of the central regions (the geographical centre) between the areas were flats built primarily for the workers. It was also the central area which experienced the most concentrated congestion.

In the finalized plan, the first stage was to pass under this central artery and then expand westwards towards following the bank of the Volga around the commercial zone and eventually terminating at the city's central railway terminal. Construction begain in 1980, on the first four station stretch totaling 4.5 km. On December 25, 1987 the system was triumphantly opened to the public becoming the fifth such in Russia and the twelfth of the former Soviet Union.

Immediately after the opening of the first stage, which despite its modest size (compared to other Soviet systems) the Metro was overladen with passengers. Construction of the second stage began shortly however, this was slowed down with the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the chaotic economic hardships that followed. Originally scheduled to open in 1991, the next three station 4.5 km segment opened slowly, one station at a time from December 1992 to December 1993.

Despite the economic stagnation, the system manage to grow to length that allowed it to carry out its major transport role, unlike the ill-fated Nizhny Novgorod and Yerevan Metros throughout the 1990s.

Construction on the third planned stage, originally destined for the second half of the 1990s began in 1991, but because of constant offsets was extremely slow, and its first station opened in December 2002, and the second following five years later in 2007.

Timeline

Operation

The system is operated by a municipal company "Samarsky Metropoliten" that was privatised from the Russian Ministry of Rail services back in the early 1990s. The company is responsible for all management of the system, icluding management and repairs of tunnel and track, rolling stock, stations and even planning coordination of construction works.

The rolling stock is provided by a sole Depot "Kirovskoye" which is responsible for management of all cars. Presentely there are 11 four-carriage trains assigned to the system. All of them are model 81-717/714 although some are .5 standard.

Future

The next station Alabinskaya is due to follow in late 2008, because of Samara Metro builders helped to finish off Kazan Metro for 2005 the latter system donated its newer shield to bore the tunnels up to Alabinskaya from Rossiyskaya. From there the system will continue towards the historical centre towards the central theatre, located not far from the influx of Samarka into the Volga.

On the other end of the line, the station Yungorodok, which was intended to be a temporary station will be liquidated and a new extension be built to Krylya Sovetov. This would finish the first line and is expected to take place by 2015. Further plans includes a second and a third line for the systems, and both Gagarinskaya and Moskovskaya have clear provisions for a future transfer.

Picture gallery

ee also

*List of rapid transit systems

External links

*ru icon/en icon [http://www.samaratrans.info/metro/lang/english.php Transport Samary] - Comprehensive site by Anton Buslov.
*ru icon [http://www.metrowalks.ru/samara Metrowalks.ru] - Extensive photo gallery.
*en icon [http://urbanrail.net/eu/sam/samara.htm Urbanrail.net] - Description.
*ru icon/de icon [http://www.metrosoyuza.net/ Metrosoyuza.net] - Collection of photos.