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2,000 kilometres northeast of Moscow, deep within the barren tundra plains and stunted taiga forests of southern Siberia, the Volchansko Tramway has operated its tiny yet vital interurban service between the twin communities of Volchansk and Lesnaya Volschansk since its debut in 1951. Night and day, rain, snow, or shine, each of the network's five streetcars makes the 30-minute, 7.6-kilometre trip between the two towns more than a dozen times per day from 6 AM to midnight. The combined population of 10,400 people is largely dependent on what for many is the only available means of reliable transportation. In what is proudly known as the smallest town in Russia to have its own tram service, the Volchansko Tramway is the lifeblood of the community. Its motley crew of operators, mechanics, and support staff have become local heroes, and their dedication to keeping the trains running — either on time or at all — is a source of pride for them and their kinsfolk. The Volchansko Tramway will will be the subject of today's final edition of Once Upon a Tram.
Begun on December 31, 1951, the Volchansko Tramway was originally the central portion of a much larger regional light rail network and interurban service. The surviving 7.6-kilometre segment has run continuously for more than 65 years.
Today consisting of just five operational cars ranging in vintage from the 1960s to the 1980s, the single-track Volchansko Tramway has just 13 stops. It terminates at either end with a streetcar loop, and the main depot and garage is located at the southern end of the line in Volchansk.
The system operates within one of the world's most inhospitable environments, especially from an electrified light rail perspective, as the severe weather, including many months of deep snow and sub-freezing temperatures, can wreak havoc on any one of the many moving parts of the network. The Volchansko Tramway is truly an engineering marvel, and its dedicated crew of operators and mechanics work tirelessly to ensure as smooth a service as possible.
Shunting back and forth between the two towns, through a ribbon of trackbed cut through the tundra and taiga that forms a formidable boreal buffer between them, the electrified tram cars ably plow through snow drifts and knock back wayward branches. Little short of a total blackout or engine failure will hinder their progress.
Undeterred by the cold, operators and passengers alike make their way daily between the two towns. The slow but pleasant 30-minute trip through the Siberian wilderness offers a unique view of life and the wider world around us as it gradually passes by.
In the summer, the Volchansko Tramway undergoes a period of system-wide maintenance. The spring thaw allows workers to tend to the trackbed, catenary wires, and signal switches, while the trams are pulled briefly out of service to address any mechanical issues that have arisen over the previous season.
Decades old, and far beyond their intended shelf-life, the five-car fleet has been without a reliable supply of new parts and mechanical upgrades for many, many years. Local mechanics have to make do with whatever spare parts they can source from around the world, and often re-fabricate the same parts over and over again from scrap metal in an effort to keep the system operational.
A mainstay of life for nearly three generations, the Volchansko Tramway has existed since before Volchansk and Lesnaya Volschansk were incorporated as towns. The interurban service is part of a long history of Soviet-Era modernization efforts that once spanned from one end of largest nation on earth to the other.
Last but not least, the video above captures the Volchansko Tramway in action. The high-speed playback of a full system run provides the curious with a fantastic glimpse of life in a true northern town from aboard one of the fleet's legendary trams.
It's the end of the line for Once Upon a Tram, and it has been a pleasure exploring and sharing the fascinating stories behind some of the best- and least-known streetcar networks in the world from Toronto to Hobart and everywhere in between. Thanks for reading and happy trails!
