History

The idea to build tram routes in the city goes back to 1898. Managing board of joint-stock company “Ippolit Romanov” suggested the city Duma (council) to build electric tramway-rail line with all necessary constructions along Pochtovaya str (now Soborna) from non-classical secondary school across the bridge over Southern Bug river and Aleksandrovskaya str. (now Kotsyubinsky ave.) to railway station; and in Nikolayevskay str. (now 50-let Pobedy) to artillery and infantry barracks with side-tracks in every 200 sagene (around 420m).

Tramway traffic started on October 28 (15th by old calendar) 1913. 7 biaxial cars «МАN» were bought in Nurnberg in 1912 , with capacity 18 and 24 seats. Tram shed was built near the electric station in Naberezhny lane.

Due to hard labour of the enterprise staff tram way traffic was quickly restored and on May 1, 1944 traffic began from the depot to Pirogov hospital. Supposedly at that time the second depot building was built (now crossroads of Kotsyubinsky ave. and Nansen str.) and single-track line in Frunze str. to phosphate plant completed. In 1950 the tram transport was completely restored.

In 1952 city authorities reconstructed main (Lenin) street and tram track went along the centre of the street –as it is nowadays.

Since 1991 the economic situation in the country has worsened. It influenced the development of electric transport in the city as well as it always depended on the state. The last tramcar came from Czechoslovakia in 1990; new supplies were not planned. No new routes were open. Only in mid-90th additional final stop «Zarya» was accomplished, which shortened length of main routes thus foreseeing economy of electric power.

Also of interest was starting of three (four?) 2-car trams Т4. They came to busy route № 4 at the beginning of 90th and were used for several years.