Turning trams on a turntable in Kiev

Unidirectional trams are common across Eastern Europe and the former USSR, with reversing loops provided so trams can turn around for their reverse journeys. But the Ukrainian capital of Kiev once turned trams a different way – on a turntable.


Kiev Museum of Electric Transportation photo

The tram route along Набережне шосе opened in 1951, with the Dnieper River on one side and the hills of Kiev to the other.


Central State Film and Photo Archive of Ukraine photo

On this route “Dnipro” metro station was the destination of many trams during morning and evening rush hours, connecting the housing estate on the eastern bank with their nearest metro station.

Type 'EЖ' train emerges from the tunnel at Dnipro (Днiпро) station

A conventional reversing loop takes up a lot of space.

Tatra T6 tram #077 stops for passengers

So a turntable was provided instead. Overhead wires allowed trams to drive onto the turntable.


Kiev Museum of Electric Transportation photo

A sign reminded the driver to apply the brakes before entering the turntable, and what appears to be signal lights tell them when to stop.


Kiev Museum of Electric Transportation photo

Inaugurated on 2 April 1965, the need for the turntable disappeared a few months after opening, when the Kiev Metro was extended across the Dnieper River to “Hidropark”, “Livoberezhna” and “Darnytsia” stations.

Train arrives into the terminus of Line 1 at Lisova (Лiсова) station

The tram turntable was removed at an unknown date, but the tram line along the river remained until 2011.

When it was ripped up to make room for highway expansion.

Freeway passes beneath Dnipro (Днiпро) station

Sources

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5 Responses to Turning trams on a turntable in Kiev

  1. Andrew says:

    No mention of Australia, so I assume we’ve never had any.

  2. Pingback: A trolleybus turntable in Germany - Euro Gunzel

  3. Charles Haletky says:

    Don’t forget that San Francisco’s cable car system still has four turntables (three at terminals, one in the carhouse), all still in use today.

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