Kryvyi Rih Metrotram

The Kryvyi Rih (Krivoy Rog) Metrotram ( _uk. Криворізький Швидкісний Tрамвай; _ru. Криворожский Скоростной Трамвай) is a partially underground rapid tram system that serves the city of Kryvyi Rih, the eighth largest city in Ukraine.

History

The design of the Metrotram that one sees in Kryvyi Rih finds its roots in the socialist urban planning guidelines that were formed in the 1960s for model designs on how urban centers grow and the transport arrangements that would suit them. In particular how a small settlement would grow into a full city and at what point would a rapid transit system be built. Kryvyi Rih and Volgograd were both chosen to test whether or not it could be avoided building a full scale Metro system and instead adopt the light rail design to a socialist city. Both cities had developed tram networks, but like most urban centres, the overcrowding and large congestion proved to much for the trams to serve roles of transport arteries. Moreover both cities were destroyed in World War II and built anew, with all the requirements of a modern city in plan.

In both cases the Metrotram would only serve as an interim, but necessary role, with provision for conversion into a full Metro system. Construction began simultaneously in mid 1970s. In Volgograd this involved separating an existing tram route with an underground section in the city centre. In Kryvyi Rih, however, the Metrotram route was laid anew, but in a similar manner, with most of the section going on the surface, save the centre of the city. All of the underground dimensions were made with provision for eventual conversion into a full Metro system.

As the Kryvyi Rih Metrotram was built anew, even the surface sections are referred to as stations (as opposed to stops) and all are separate complexes, showing some of the more elaborate designs of late Soviet architecture.

On 26 December, 1986, the Ukrainian SSR received its third underground rapid-transit system, after Kiev and Kharkiv Metros.

Timeline

Facts and Numbers

The system is operated by the city municipal company, and has a total length of 17.7 km, 6.8 km of which are fully underground. The entire system has 11 stations, 4 of which are located underground and built up to the metro standard. In addition there is also one station, "Vovnopriadilna", that was built but is currently not opened due to the absence of passenger traffic in the area. There are two routes: "Kiltseva-Maidan Pratsi", and "Kiltseva-Zarichna" with a branch at "Imeni Hutovskoho". In perspective if the city was to grow further and at one point overcome one million residents all of the Metrotram infrastructure can be converted into a full metro system.

The rolling stock used on the system are the "Tatra T3", and the "KTM-11/11T". The only tram depot that serves the system is located near the "Maidan Pratsi" station. For more convenient turnarounds of the tram, there are turn-around circles on both ends of the lines.

Future

When the Soviet Union collapsed, the rapid transit development in all of the republics was cut off from funding and neglected. In many cases, cities which did obtain a Metro system in the late 1980s only gained a starting stretch with passenger flows hardly making the systems significant. In both Metrotram cities, the case was the opposite. Annually the KRMT carries 40 million people, with a record of 56 million in 1997. In comparison the annual ridership of Dnipropetrovsk Metro, which opened in 1995 is only 12 million. In the present financial spectre, the latter system will be unlikely to gain new extensions that would allow it to approach anywhere near the Metrotram system within the next 15 years at least. In such a case, the Metrotram proved its compatibility and low construction costs as superior to the Metro in every respect, and unlike the Metros in Dnipropetrovsk, or many other post Soviet cities, the Tram now carries the role of an important traffic artery, which is by far more important in terms of securing funds for future extensions.

At present there are no construction processes going, however in both northern and southern directions there is clear need for the tram to be expanded. In addition procurement of newer rolling stock is also important and will likely to continue.

ee also

* List of rapid transit systems
* Transport in Ukraine

External links

* [http://metrophoto.iatp.org.ua/ Skorostnoy Tramvay] - An extensive site, supported by Sergey and Igor Dobritsky] ru icon
* [http://metroworld.ruz.net/others/krr_index.htm Metroworld] - Extensive description on Dmitry Aksenov's website ru icon
* [http://metro-kr.narod.ru/ Metro-kr.narod.ru Kirvorozhsky Metropoliten] - Unofficial website supported by Sergey Dmitrievich
* [http://www.metrosoyuza.net/r/krivojrog/krr-uebers-h-d.html Metrosoyuza] - Section on Peter Donn's website ru icon/de icon
* [http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/kry/kryvy-rih.htm Urbanrail.net] - Description on Urbanrail