The history of the horse tram

Horse-drawn tram on Mykolayivska Square

Beginning in 1871, people and companies began to apply to the Kharkov Duma with projects for the construction of a horse-drawn tram in Kharkiv. On March 2, 1881, French businessmen P.-K. Bonnie and E. Otlie appealed to the Duma with their rationale for the construction of a horse-drawn railway in Kharkiv, which was accepted. On May 31, 1882, a contract was signed with them for the construction of a road for passenger and goods traffic with a length of 17.5 versts. The first horse railway line was built on September 12, 1882 and belonged to a private Belgian company. The first route was from the station of the Azov-Kursk Railway (now the Kharkiv railway station) to the stock exchange on Mykolayivska Square. Over time, 3 tram lines were opened in the city center.

The fare was set at 5 kopecks per passenger for the entire journey with an additional charge of 2 kopecks in case of transfer to another line. The horse-drawn tram worked an average of 14-15 hours a day: from 07:00 to 23:00 in summer (until 22:00 in winter).

The first horse depot was built in 1885. On September 16, 1917, the City Duma considered the issue of stopping the horse-drawn tram. On March 23, 1919, the horse tram ceased to exist.

In July 1920, horse-drawn tram service was temporarily resumed on the section from the station to Rosa Luxemburg Square. But already in June 1921, this line was electrified — an electric tram began to run along it. In November 1922, the line on Moskalyovka was electrified, and in October 1923, the line along 1 Travnia and Staro-Moskovska Streets to the Chervonozavod Theater was electrified. The routes of the horse-drawn tram along Sumsky and Kinnaya Streets were canceled, and the lines were dismantled. The carriages of the horse-drawn tram were operated until the end of the 20s of the 20th century - due to the lack of rolling stock, they were used as trailer carriages for the electric tram. But in connection with the transition of all tram lines to broad gauge at the end of the 20s, the narrow-gauge carriages of the former horse-drawn tram were finally scrapped.

The history of the electric tram

Tram on Serhievska Square

The first 12 carriages, in 1906, were built at Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG.^[1]

The track width was 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) (the current track width is 1,524 mm (5 ft)).^[1]

Electric tram service was launched on the following routes: "Pavlivskyi Maidan - Balashovskyi Vokzal" along the street. Petinsky (now Georgiya Tarasenko St.), St. Zmiivska (now Gagarina Ave.), str. Netechenska, prov. Podilskyi, prov. Kostyurinskyi (now part of Podilskyi Prov.). In the same year, the Petynsky tram park was built, which was located at the Craft School. From the very beginning, it belonged to the city and was exploited by the city authorities, which caused conflicts with a private Belgian horse. There were fights between hired people and workers who laid tram lines.

Current

Picture	Manufacturer	Model	Quantity	Since
	ČKD Tatra RVR	T3SU (3 doors) T3VPA T3SUCS T3M T3 T3A	89 3 61 15 5 30	1966 2009 2011 2011 2012 2013
	ČKD Tatra	T6B5SU	22	1988
	UKVZ	KTM-5 71-619	1 9	1975 2007
	ČKD Tatra KhVRZ	VPNP	3	2017
	Stadler Rail	Metelitsa	1	2021

Historical

Picture	Manufacturer	Model	Quantity	Years
	MAN		12	1906–1930
	MMBP		74 28	1910–1949 1910–1965
	UKVZ	Kh M	236 163	1927–1969 1927–1969
	UKVZ	KTM/KTP-1 KTM/KTP-2	49 140	1949–1974 1961–1980
	RVR	MTV-82	49	1953–1977
	RVR	RVZ-6	167	1961–1984
	ČKD Tatra	Tatra K2	40	1970–1991
	UKVZ	KTM-5	136	1975–2004

Service rolling stock

• 
  MGP-152 motorized cargo platform
• 
  MGP-153 motorized cargo platform
• 
  VT-1 tractor unit based on KTV-57
• 
  VTP-3