In Memory of Kiev Trams:: Photo Galleries:: Kiev Cars:: The Second Life of the Tatras

In Memory of Kiev Trams + Photo Gallery of Trams and Trolleybuses:: Photo Galleries:: Kiev Cars:: The Second Life of the Tatras

THE SECOND LIFE OF THE TATRAS

Given the complete absence of new tram cars and any perspectives for their acquisition, it was decided to modernize existing cars. In the beginning, T3 cars of the 59** series were used for the purpose; those earlier belonged to the Krasin (nowadays Podolskoe) Depot and had been rendered completely unusable. Some fifteen such cars were transferred to the Darnitsa Depot, and it was in 2003 that the first one of them, 5992, was born for the second time. It was equipped with a thyristor control system, called TISU "Progress". Thereafter, 5994, 5977, 5981, and others followed. All the equipment is built practically starting from scratch, so what we are getting is virtually a new tram car, with a minimum of 15 years lifespan.

Up until June 2004, the modernized cars were mostly used on the trans-Dnieper routes (21, 31). After the city bosses made a "gift" to the inhabitants, destroying the Paton Bridge — Prospekt Vossoedineniya Line and cutting the united tram network into two, all the cars remained in Darnitsa; now, therefore, one can only see them on the left bank. They can be spotted on route 8, which became much more important after its prolongation to Metro Lesnaya, as well as on routes 2, 23, 25, 29, 33.

On 23 August 2005, the day the new Borispolskaya Metro Station was opened, route 29, whose terminus is at that station, was filled with these cars almost exclusively, Nowadays, not only are they rather scarce on that route, but also the station entrance leading to the tram terminus has been closed. Well, that was not the first time for Kiev's management to stage a show like this, and definitely not the last.

In 2005, more cars of the 56** series, which have always belonged to Darnitsa, got modernized — not as thoroughly as the first ones, but enough to be easily recognizable. The modernization project is gradually accelerating, although its rate is by far not what it should be. As of this writing (January 2006) there are a total of 9 modernized cars.

5613
(May 2005)
Turning from Trostyanetskaya into Slavgorodskaya
[Alexxx, 29.07.2005] Against a "countryside" background on Tashkentskaya
[Evgeny Gura, 23.08.2005] By the Darnitsa Depot
[Alexander Zisser, 29.08.2005]
5614
(August 2005)
Short of the Gagarina/Krasnogvardeyskaya intersection
[Stefan Mashkevich, 03.10.2005] Turning from Krasnogvardeyskaya into Usenko, by the Darnitsa Depot
[Stefan Mashkevich, 03.10.2005] On Bratislavskaya, approaching Metro Chernigovskaya
[Anton, 17.11.2005]
5673
(October 2005)
Kharkovskoe Shosse, short of Prazhskaya
[Anton, 07.11.2005] Winter landscape; Tashkentskaya
[Anton, 04.12.2005] Same place, opposite direction
[Anton, 04.12.2005]
5905
(August 2005)
At the Metro Borispolskaya terminus, on the opening day
[Evgeny Gura, 23.08.2005] Next to the Darnitsa Depot
[Alexander Zisser, 29.08.2005] On Privokzalnaya, by Darnitsky Vokzal
[Vyacheslav Andryuschenko, 06.11.2005]
5916
(October 2005)
Near Darnitsky Vokzal
[Vyacheslav Andryuschenko, 23.10.2005] At the former route 2 terminus, Miloslavskaya
[Anton, 04.12.2005] On the Troeschina speed line (Ul. Balzaka)
[Anton, 04.12.2005]
5977
(July 2004)
In the Kharkovsky residential area, near the corner of Ahmatovoy and Revutskogo
[Stefan Mashkevich, 21.11.2004] At Leningradskaya Ploschad
[Anton, 07.11.2005] On Krasnogvardeyskaya, with an industrial zone in the background
[Vyacheslav Andryuschenko, 27.11.2005]
5981
(July 2005)
On Trostyanetskaya, short of the intersection with Kharkovskoe Shosse
[Anton, 26.07.2005] On Yaltinskaya
[Alexxx, 29.07.2005] Near the Darnitsa Depot
[Stefan Mashkevich, 03.10.2005]
5992
(March 2003)
By Metro Dnepr, on route 31, which is no more
[Stefan Mashkevich, 09.09.2003] Near the Kharkovsky Massiv loop
[Stefan Mashkevich, 21.11.2004] On Kharkovskoe Shosse (the viaduct over the railway in the background)
[Anton, 10.06.2005]
5994
(February 2004)
At the Metro Lesnaya loop
[Stefan Mashkevich, 29.05.2004] On Azerbajdzhanskaya, route 23
[Stefan Mashkevich, 03.10.2005] In the winter on Tashkentskaya
[Anton, 04.12.2005]

© Stefan Mashkevich and authors of photos, 2006
Any usage of materials found herein requires explicit permission from copyright holders.
Last updated 15 January 2006

5613 (May 2005)
	Turning from Trostyanetskaya into Slavgorodskaya [Alexxx, 29.07.2005]	Against a "countryside" background on Tashkentskaya [Evgeny Gura, 23.08.2005]	By the Darnitsa Depot [Alexander Zisser, 29.08.2005]
5614 (August 2005)
	Short of the Gagarina/Krasnogvardeyskaya intersection [Stefan Mashkevich, 03.10.2005]	Turning from Krasnogvardeyskaya into Usenko, by the Darnitsa Depot [Stefan Mashkevich, 03.10.2005]	On Bratislavskaya, approaching Metro Chernigovskaya [Anton, 17.11.2005]
5673 (October 2005)
	Kharkovskoe Shosse, short of Prazhskaya [Anton, 07.11.2005]	Winter landscape; Tashkentskaya [Anton, 04.12.2005]	Same place, opposite direction [Anton, 04.12.2005]
5905 (August 2005)
	At the Metro Borispolskaya terminus, on the opening day [Evgeny Gura, 23.08.2005]	Next to the Darnitsa Depot [Alexander Zisser, 29.08.2005]	On Privokzalnaya, by Darnitsky Vokzal [Vyacheslav Andryuschenko, 06.11.2005]
5916 (October 2005)
	Near Darnitsky Vokzal [Vyacheslav Andryuschenko, 23.10.2005]	At the former route 2 terminus, Miloslavskaya [Anton, 04.12.2005]	On the Troeschina speed line (Ul. Balzaka) [Anton, 04.12.2005]
5977 (July 2004)
	In the Kharkovsky residential area, near the corner of Ahmatovoy and Revutskogo [Stefan Mashkevich, 21.11.2004]	At Leningradskaya Ploschad [Anton, 07.11.2005]	On Krasnogvardeyskaya, with an industrial zone in the background [Vyacheslav Andryuschenko, 27.11.2005]
5981 (July 2005)
	On Trostyanetskaya, short of the intersection with Kharkovskoe Shosse [Anton, 26.07.2005]	On Yaltinskaya [Alexxx, 29.07.2005]	Near the Darnitsa Depot [Stefan Mashkevich, 03.10.2005]
5992 (March 2003)
	By Metro Dnepr, on route 31, which is no more [Stefan Mashkevich, 09.09.2003]	Near the Kharkovsky Massiv loop [Stefan Mashkevich, 21.11.2004]	On Kharkovskoe Shosse (the viaduct over the railway in the background) [Anton, 10.06.2005]
5994 (February 2004)
	At the Metro Lesnaya loop [Stefan Mashkevich, 29.05.2004]	On Azerbajdzhanskaya, route 23 [Stefan Mashkevich, 03.10.2005]	In the winter on Tashkentskaya [Anton, 04.12.2005]