THE CITY
[as of 11.2005]
The Osinovka settlement was established in 1926 as a mining village. The status of the city was acquired in 1938. The city's population was 49 600 people in 2005, but this number is slowly subsiding ever since 1992, when it reached its maximum at 63 400. The city is located 3637 km. east of Moscow; 249 km. south of Kemerovo, the regional capital; and 25 km. south of Novokouznetsk, the major industrial center of the region.
The city's development is directly related to the mining industry. The economic situation is deteriorating as the industry is in decline ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
As of 2004, the city of Osinniki has seen a notable re-birth, thanks to the new pro-social city government.
HISTORY OF NETWORK'S DEVELOPMENT
[05.2005]
01.11.1960 - from Vokzal to Shakhta "Kapitalnaya-2"*, single track.
1962 - from Lenina Ul. to Stadion (Sotsgorod), single track.
1976 - existing line double-tracked from DK "Oktyabr" to Stadion (Sotsgorod).
1977 - existing line double-tracked from RSU to Shakhta "Kuzbasskaya"*.
1978 - existing line double-tracked from DK "Oktyabr" to RSU.
1991 - the section from Kirova Ul. & Revolyutsii Ul. to Stadion (Sotsgorod) closes.
1991 - the new section from Kirova Ul. & Revolyutsii Ul. to Yuzhnaya (Sotsgorod) opens.
* - This terminal was renamed a number of times as the name of the mine it serves changed: Shakhta "Kapitalnaya-2", Shakhta "Kuzbasskaya", Shakhta "Osinnikovskaya".
The line to Yuzhnaya is the newest section, opened in 1991. The old line used to branch off the present-time Yuzhnaya line right before the Voskhod stop, continued for about 400-500 m, and ended at the stadium, in the vicinity of the Platforma 405 Km. railroad station. Upon the development of the new apartment blocks to the south of the city center, the line was rerouted via Revolyutsii Ulitsa and Efimova Ulitsa, and extended toward the new Sotsgorod Terminal, later known as the Yuzhnaya Terminal (translated as 'the Southern Stop'). The new line parallels the old alignment, and simply follows the neighboring street. It continues to serve the same market as the old line did, but now extends much further.
NETWORK DESCRIPTION
[09.2004]
Osinniki is essentially a sizeable village with tram, which fact provides for pleasing rural scenery.
The tram is popular and has an important status in this small city.
Occasional diesel bus services that still exist in the city do not follow tramlines and do not constitute any competition.
ROUTES
[09.2004]
Yuzhnaya - Shakta "Osinnikovskaya" (Line 2)
Yuzhnaya - Vokzal (Line 3)
Even though the actual service route numbers are known, there is no clear route number identification system in use in Osinniki.
Until the mid-1990s, the Vokzal (the Main Railroad Station) line was served by the Shakta "Osinnikovskaya" - Vozkal service (Line 1). As passenger flows changed with time, it is now served by the Yuzhnaya - Vokzal service (Line 3).
Most cars operating the new Yuzhnaya - Vokzal service (Line 3) carry a small route number display '3' in the windshield, next to the sign that reads 'Vokzal'. Route number displays were not noted on cars operating the other service, known as Line 2. The latter cars only carried signs that read 'Yuzhnaya'. Note: according to a peculiar local custom, all trams serving Line 2 carry the sign 'Yuzhnaya', while all trams serving Line 3 carry the sign 'Vokzal', yet both lines serve the Yuzhnaya Terminal. Destination signs do not change with the direction of travel.
SERVICE
[09.2004]
An exemplary operation. The headways are low, and the service is exceptionally reliable and predictable.
Single cars are in operation at all times.
ROLLING STOCK
[01.2005]
There are 21 service trams on the property.
RVZ-6M2, 8 cars:
28 (1978); 32, 34, 35, 37 (1984); 40-42 (1987)
LM-93, 11 cars:
55-58 (1994); 59-62 (1995); 63 (1996); 64 (1998); 65 (1999)
LM-99, 2 cars:
66 (2000); 67 (08.2004)
RVZ-6M2 28 is officially on the books, but is not operated in regular service.
RVZ-6M2 33 is converted into a staff diner, it is not included in the above list.
LM-93 59 is awaiting restoration after the fire.
All cars are in excellent state of repair.
This enterprise is practically the only tramway system in Russia that relies on the new deliveries, rather than the overhaul of the old trams. 65% of cars in the fleet were delivered within the last 10 years. Thus, older trams tend to disappear earlier than usual. Only 8 RVZ-6M2 cars remain in service, all to be gone soon.
The newest car on the property is 67 of LM-99 type. This car was a present to the city from the governor of the Kemerovskaya Region Mr. Tuleev to commemorate the Day of the Miners in 2004.
Osinniki is the only city outside of St. Petersburg intrusting its future entirely into deliveries from the St. Petersburg car-building plant. Cars of LM design are generally considered of low quality, but they cost less. Surprisingly, Osinniki also happens to be one of not-so-many cities where LM cars appear to be well maintained and operate relatively reliably. Thus, even though quality-wise the city gets what it pays for, it is trying to squeeze the best out of it.
10 Ust-Katav-built KTM-5M3 cars numbered 43-52 were delivered to the city in 1988 and 1991. There were also 2 cars of KTM-8 type numbered 53, 54 delivered in 1993. This trams received multiple technical complaints and were not welcomed in Osinniki. All were sent to the neighboring cities of Novokuznetsk and Prokopyevsk in 1994. Specifically, five cars 43, 46-49(?) were sent to Novokuznetsk, where they were renumbered 167-170. Three more cars 50-52(?) ended up in Prokopyevsk, where they received numbers 162, 191, 192. KTM-8 trams were ill-fated from the beginning, as having had officially the same base parameters as KTM-5M3s, they couldn't fit into some curves on the system, up to the point of developing a deformation of the frame. Both cars were sent to Prokopyevsk, where they were renumbered 353 and 354.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
[09.2004]
All tracks are built 100% on the reservation, via the curbside.
The line to Vokzlal is a single-track line with one passing point, practically untouched ever since the opening of the line in 1960.
The newly built loop Sotsgorod (nowadays Yuzhnaya) was supposed to be a temporary installation and is built rather to simple standards. The line was to be continued 0.5 km. further, to Krasnaya Orlovka.
Also of note, the special tram-only single-track viaduct over the railroad tracks on the Shakta "Osinnikovskaya" line. There are no switches, as tracks converge into 4 paralleled rails.
TRACKS
[09.2004]
The total length of service tracks (one-way) is 18,6 km. All tracks are in good condition, allowing for relatively high speeds.
NETWORK'S FUTURE
[09.2004]
The line to Yuzhnaya is to be continued 0.5 km. further to Krasnaya Orlovka. There is also a more ambitious but less realistic plan to send trams to the new development on the other (left) side of the Kondoma River.
RVZ-6M2 car 28 is the oldest tram on the property. This car is still on the books, but it does not operate in service. There is a plan to convert it into a museum.
Given the important status trams enjoy in the city, the strong and determined leadership at the controls of the enterprise, unique and aggressive rolling stock policy, as well as absence of any competition from private carriers, it could be concluded that Osinniki tram operation is one of the most stable in the country, a rather rare distinction by modern Russian standards.