Diesel Motor + 2 Trailers
A diesel narrow gauge (750 mm) tramway operated in Penza between 1935-1937. Opened due to a severe shortage of public transit in the city, it was closed within less than 2 years as it was plagued by technical problems. The entire rolling stock is depicted in this photo, taken at the stab-end terminal in the city center. The ends were changed by way of the motor car by-passing its trailers. The train is ready for a departure toward Velozavod.
( 1936 , Scan from the book "Penza Vchera i Segodnya" )
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The city’s first trolleybus line, opened 04.11.1948, began at the Main Railway Station. Modern day trolleybuses do not operate on the square in front of the station, but rather bypass the square via Oktyabrskaya Ul. nearby. The Main Railway Station semi-modern Soviet-style building is in the background.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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The line via Oktyabrskaya Ul. is a part of the city’s first trolleybus line, opened 04.11.1948. It parallels the much busier trolleybus corridor via neighboring Suvorovoa Ul., one block south. The Oktyabrskaya Ul. line, however, brings trolleybuses as close to the Main Railway Station as possible.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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The Oktyabrskaya Ul. line brings trolleybuses as close to the Main Railway Station as possible. A pompous ensemble of buildings on the left frames the main approach to the Main Railway Station.
( 25.04.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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The city’s first trolleybus line, opened 04.11.1948, used to continue straight ahead via Oktyabrskaya Ul. to Moskovskaya Ul. The line via Moskovskaya Ul. was closed and trolleybuses were rerouted via the neighboring Volodarskogo Ul. (pictured, right) upon a conversion of Moskovskaya Ul. into a pedestrian mall in the 1970s.
( 05.02.2011 , Igor Serikov )
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The official opening of the first trolleybus line. The entire original fleet of trolleybus fits in one frame. The construction of the depot will not be finished until 1951, thus for a while trolleybuses were be parked at the given square overnight. The given square was also the site of the former Dramteatr Terminal of the narrow gauge diesel tramway that operated between 1935-1937.
( 04.11.1948 , Penza's History Museum, provided by Igor Serikov )
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The city’s first trolleybus line, opened 04.11.1948, traversed the city center via Moskovskaya Ul. This segment of the line, however, will be closed in the 1970s, as Moskovskaya Ul. will be converted into a pedestrian mall. Trolleybuses will be rerouted via neighboring Volodarskogo Ul.
( 1969 , From Igor Serikov collection )
The city’s first trolleybus line, opened 04.11.1948, traversed the city center via Moskovskaya Ul. Here it passes near the site of the future City Hall and Lenin Square that are to be built in the late 1950s. This segment of the line will be closed in the 1970s in favor of a pedestrian mall.
( 1950s , From Yuri Reva collection )
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The city’s first trolleybus line, opened 04.11.1948, traversed the city center via Moskovskaya Ul. Here it passes the site of the future Lenin Square that is to be built in the late 1950s to the viewer's left. This segment of the line will be closed in the 1970s in favor of a pedestrian mall.
( 1950s , From Yuri Reva collection )
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The trolleybus line via the given segment of Volodarskogo Ul. appeared in the 1970s as a replacement for the line via neighboring Moksovskaya Ul., which was closed due to a creation of a pedestrian mall.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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Trolleybuses follow two distinct patterns in the city center. The main trolleybus corridor follows Suvorova Ul. and Kirova Ul. The other pattern (operated by the trolleybus in this picture) is designed to bring trolleybuses closer to the Main Railway Station, and follows a rather cumbersome routing via Maksima Gorkogo Ul., Volodarskogo Ul., Oktyabrskaya Ul. and Plekhanova Ul. Geometrically both patterns form a figure resembling an “8”, with it's epicenter at the given intersection.
( 28.07.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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The first trolleybus line via the given segment of Volodarskogo Ul. was opened 09.07.1955 as a one-way line utilized by the short turn service 2 operating between the city center and Khimmash. The second set of wires appeared in the 1970s when the line via neighboring Moksovskaya Ul. was closed due to a creation of a pedestrian mall.
( 27.08.2009 , Igor Serikov )
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A trolleybus serving the Line 1 is about to turn right (the viewer’s left) onto Pushkina Ul., as it approaches the Marshala Zhukova Pl. Terminal.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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The Line 2 is the main service on Volodarskogo Ul. It follows a rather cumbersome routing pattern through the city center via Maksima Gorkogo Ul., Volodarskogo Ul., Oktyabrskaya Ul. and Plekhanova Ul., which brings trolleybuses closer to the Main Railway Station.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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( 30.03.2009 , Igor Serikov )
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The line via Maksima Gorkogo Ul. skirts the city center on the south. The line used to act as a turnaround for various short-turn (and mostly short-lived) services terminating in the city center at various times through history, such as 3, 5a, 5ц (where “ц” stands for “center”) and 11. At the time of this photo the Line 2 was the only service operating here.
( 04.07.2010 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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A trolleybus serving the Line 2 turns from Suvorova Ul. onto Plekhanova Ul., toward the Main Railway Station.
( 28.07.2009 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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The line branching off to viewer’s left, onto Plekhanova Ul., leads toward the Main Railway Station Pezna-I. This segment was opened 05.11.1949 and constitutes the 2nd branch of the trolleybus network to open in the city. The main trolleybus corridor through the city center via Suvorova Ul. and Kirova Ul. continues straight ahead. The latter line was opened 06.1964. At the time of this photo the given trolleybus represented a group of 14 Volgograd-built trolleybuses, delivered in 2003-2004.
( 14.02.2011 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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( 22.06.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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Trolleybuses follow two distinct patterns in the city center. The main trolleybus corridor follows Suvorova Ul. and Kirova Ul. (operated by the trolleybus in this picture). The other pattern is designed to bring trolleybuses closer to the Main Railway Station, and follows a rather cumbersome routing via Maksima Gorkogo Ul., Volodarskogo Ul., Oktyabrskaya Ul. and Plekhanova Ul. Geometrically both patterns form a figure resembling an “8”, with it's epicenter at the given intersection.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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A trolleybus serves the Line 5 that is to close 3 months later, 06.2009. The trolleybus line via Suvorova Ul. and Kirova Ul. form the busiest public transit corridor in the city center. It was served by six trolleybus lines 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11 in the heyday of the trolleybus service in the early 1990s. At the time of this photo in 2009 only four lines 4, 5, 6, 7 remained. Two years later the number will go down to two lines 6 and 7.
( 21.03.2009 , Igor Serikov )
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A site of the former trolleybus crossing with the line via Moskovskaya Ul., that was closed in the 1970s due to a creation of a pedestrian mall.
( 29.07.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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A trolleybus at the former Bazarnaya Ploschad (Market Square). This square used to be a huge expense occupied by the city’s main market. The square was realigned and mostly built over in the 1950-60s, with only a few older structures remaining. It lost the status of the square and is now known as a part of Chekhova Ul. A trolleybus line was opened here 06.1964.
( 01.12.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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A trolleybus at the former Bazarnaya Ploschad (Market Square).
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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At the time of this photo the given trolleybuses represent a group of only 5 trolleybuses of this type that operated in the city. All were delivered in 2000.
( 08.06.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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( 2007 , Penza's History Museum )
Kirova Ul. in the vicinity of the future Lenin Square during a complete reconstruction of the area in the 1950s. The ground is broken for the base of the building at 67 Kirova Ul. Note the old Bus Station building on the right. At the time of this photo the first trolleybus line, opened 04.11.1948, operated via neighboring Moskovskaya Ul. The line via Kirova Ul. (see the corridor on the left) will open 06.1964.
( 1950s , From Yuri Reva collection )
ZiU-5
A trolleybus in-front of the building at 67 Kirova Ul. The trolleybus line via Kirova Ul. was opened 06.1964. The main Lenina Square is located to the viewer’s left.
( 1973 , Photoalbum "Penza", provided by Andrey Kireev )
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A trolleybus in-front of the building at 67 Kirova Ul. The main Lenina Square is located to the viewer’s left.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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A trolleybus stops for a traffic light in the southwest corner of the main Lenin Square, on the site of the former Bus Station.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
The future Lenin Square during a complete reconstruction of the area in the 1950s. The huge building under construction is the future City Hall. At the time of this photo the first trolleybus line, opened 04.11.1948, operated via neighboring Moskovskaya Ul., to the left of the building. The line via Kirova Ul. in the foreground will open 06.1964.
( 1950s , From Yuri Reva collection )
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The main Lenina Square is in the background.
( 01.07.2010 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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There are two distinct trolleybus route patterns through the city center: the main trolleybus corridor via Kirova Ul. (straight ahead), and the secondary pattern via Volodarskogo Ul (branching off to the viewer’s left) designed to bring trolleybuses closer to the Main Railway Station. The given intersection is a merge between the two patterns at the southern edge of the city center. This was also a turnaround point for various short-turn (and mostly short-lived) services terminating in the city center at various times through history, such as 3, 5a, 5ц (where “ц” stands for “center”) and 11.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
The city’s first trolleybus line in the 1950s. Due to asphalt shortages, new cobblestones were laid on some streets prior to the commencement of the trolleybus service.
( 1950s , From Yuri Reva collection )
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( 09.20.2009 , Igor Serikov )
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The historic city center, or rather what is left of it, is located to the south of the modern day city center.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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Articulated trolleybuses were used until 2009, at which point all five 1993-built and relatively well-maintained ZiU-6205 articulated vehicles were permanently stored at the Depot 1 (former Depot 3).
( 24.12.2008 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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( 28.04.2009 , Igor Serikov )
The city’s first trolleybus line in the 1950s.
( 1950s , From Yuri Reva collection )
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( 03.01.2009 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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The roadside greenery hides the expense of the “Avtomedtehnika” factory.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
The first trolleybus depot was opened in 1951. Limited facilities with no overhead access were opened on the site of the future depot for the opening of the city’s first trolleybus line on 04.11.1948. Trolleybuses were be parked at Teatralnaya square overnight, and would get towed to the facilities on the site of depot for maintenance. The overhead reached the site with the extension of the trolleybus line to Khimmash on 05.11.1949. This Depot 1 was closed in 2005 in favor of the two other newer remaining depots.
( 25.03.2009 , Igor Serikov )
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The square next to Depot 1 and the trolleybus company headquarters was officially renamed into Trolleybus Square in 1972. At the time of this photo many newer trolleybuses boast the slogan “I am proud of the Surksiy region” (the region surrounding the Sura River that floats through the city of Pezna).
( 07.12.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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A trolleybus emerges from under the viaduct spanning over Kommunisticheskaya Ul. The viaduct was built in 1974 as a rapid link between the city center and the sizeable Khimmash residential and industrial neighborhood. The trolleybus line to Khimmash, opened on 05.11.1949, follows the old indirect routing through Pobedy Square.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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The construction of the viaduct over Kommunisticheskaya Ul. in 1974 created two small one-way segments out of the original two-way trolleybus line that was originally opened in 1949.
( 26.01.2009 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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The construction of the viaduct over Kommunisticheskaya Ul. in 1974 created two small one-way segments out of the original two-way trolleybus line that was originally opened in 1949.
( 09.04.2009 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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( 1973 , Photoalbum "Penza", provided by Andrey Kireev )
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Pobedy Square was laid out in the 1970s. The original trolleybus line to Khimmash bypassed the future square via the neighboring Pionerskaya Ul.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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The square is the major trolleybus junction in the city, with five lines radiating from it in all directions possible. At the time of this photo all city’s trolleybus services but one (except Line 7) operated through this square.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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The trolleybus line to Khimmash, opened on 05.11.1949, originally followed Pionerskaya Ul. nearby. It used the old overpass over the railroad that was hectically built for the commencement of the trolleybus service. The pictured newer viaduct over the railroad was built in the 1970s.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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The first version of the given segment of the trolleybus line via Pobedy Pr. was opened in 1965 as a part of the one-way loop through the Khimmash neighborhood. The second set of wires was added in the 1970s.
( 20.01.2009 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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Penza is known for an unusual number of autobahn-style viaducts and road merges, all built as a part of the socialist urban development plan under the Soviet Union. The Pobedy Pr. trolleybus line utilizes the viaduct above. The line to Khimmash branches off via an elaborate clover-like autobahn interchange.
( 20.01.2009 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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The pictured side road is a part of an elaborate clover-like autobahn-style interchange at the junction of the trolleybus line via Pobedy Pr. and the Khimmash line via Belyayeva Ul.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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The Pobedy Pr. trolleybus line utilizes the viaduct above. The line to Khimmash branches off via an elaborate clover-like autobahn interchange.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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The pictured side road is a part of an elaborate clover-like autobahn-style interchange at the junction of the trolleybus line via Pobedy Pr. and the Khimmash line via Belyayeva Ul.
( 13.02.2009 , Igor Serikov )
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A trolleybus serving Line 1 approaches the officially designated Marshala Zhukova Pl. Terminal Stop. The latter is really an ordinary stop along a lengthy loop that the Line 1 follows as it turns around in the city center.
( 27.08.2009 , Igor Serikov )
VZTM-5284.02
The line via Pushkina Ul. that skirts the city’s central area from the south, was opened in the 1970s. The eastern segment is a one-way line. At the time of this photo the Line 1 looped around the city center via a circular pattern.
( 30.03.2009 , Igor Serikov )
VZTM-5284.02
Up until 06.2005 the trolleybus line via Pushkina Ul. was served by the Lines 1 and 3. As of the time of this photo only the Line 1 remained. The given intersection is a point of a split between two one-way trolleybus lines at the base of a lengthy loop that the Line 1 follows as it terminates in the city center.
( 14.03.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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The eastern segment of Pushkina Ul. is a boulevard with separate roadways in each direction of travel.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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Even though the eastern segment of Pushkina Ul. is a boulevard with separate roadways in each direction of travel, the western segment is a narrow street with additional siding allocated for the future boulevard that at the time of this photo was not built yet.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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A trolleybus passes near the Penza State Polytechnic College.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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Pushkina Ul. acts as a southern frontier between the urban development of the city’s central area and the backwater surroundings.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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( 10.05.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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The line via Bekeshskaya Ul. and Pushkina Ul. that skirts the city’s central area from the south, was opened in the 1970s. Up until 06.2005 it was served by the Lines 1 and 3. As of the time of this photo only the Line 1 remained. Note the giant globe structure in the middle of the square down the street - a notable neighborhood landmark.
( 19.02.2011 , Yury Maller )
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( 01.06.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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Druzhby Pl. (the Friendship Square) is notable for the giant globe mounted in the middle of it – a local neighborhood landmark. The trolleybus junction that appeared in the 1970s is simply known as “The Globe”, which name is often used in route signage. The trolleybus loop is officially known as the Rembyttehnika terminal. The Line 7 terminated here in the 1970-1990s.
( 1973 , Photoalbum "Penza", provided by Andrey Kireev )
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At the time of this photo only through services operated in the square. It was occasionally used as a terminal for service patch up short turn runs only.
( 10.08.2008 , Igor Serikov )
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The official Rembyttehnika terminal, also known as "Globus" ("The Globe"), was utilized by the Line 7 between the 1970-1990s. At the time of this photo it was used for service patch up short turn runs only (pictured).
( 10.01.2010 , Igor Serikov )
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( 11.12.2009 , Igor Serikov )
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Penza is known for an unusual number of autobahn-style viaducts and road merges, all built as a part of the socialist urban development plan under the Soviet Union. The pictured trolleybus operates on the 8 Marta Ul. line. It passes under the Karpinskogo Ul. line via an underpass.
( 24.06.2010 , Aleksandr Zaytsev )
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The pictured trolleybus operates on the Karpinskogo Ul. line. It passes over the 8 Marta Ul. line via an overpass.
( 08.03.2009 , Igor Serikov )
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The pictured trolleybus is turning off the Karpinskogo Ul. line for the 8 Marta Ul. line. The latter crosses the former via an underpass. Trolleybuses use a clover-like autobahn-style interchange to switch between the two lines.
( 20.03.2011 , Igor Serikov )
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The pictured trolleybus is turning off the Karpinskogo Ul. line for the 8 Marta Ul. line via a clover-like autobahn-style interchange.
( 07.04.2011 , Igor Serikov )
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At the time of the photo this was the only trolleybus of the given type in the city. It was permanently assigned to the Line 8.
( 19.02.2011 , Igor Serikov )