The Apakow Tram Depot in Moscow has undergone a five-year modernization process, which was recently celebrated with a vintage parade. The historic carriage hall was not suitable for the modern low-floor tramcars that now dominate Moscow’s transportation, so it was demolished and replaced with a new hall that resembles the original design from 1909. The new hall even allows the modern trams to turn around.
Only the historic administrative building was preserved and renovated. Once completed, the depot awaits the modern trams that will be relocated from overcrowded depots elsewhere. A total of 60 trams are expected to be moved here. Before the renovation, the Apakow Depot was the smallest in Moscow, while the other five depots had over 100 of the 30-meter-long trams.
The first post-war model of the Soviet streetcars, the KTM1 with its matching trailer, was in service from 1947 to 1961. This well-restored train is now on display in its new home. The collection of the Moscow Tram Museum will also be housed at the Apakow Depot.
The Moscow Tramway has a long history, dating back to 1874 when the horse-drawn tramway was converted to electric power. The original depot no longer exists, making the Apakow Depot the oldest still in operation, which started operations in 1909.
The Moscow Tramway had its golden age in the 1930s, when it transported 1.9 billion passengers in 2,475 vehicles in 1934, just a year before the metro became a competitor. The network reached its maximum length of 560 kilometers in 1944.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Moscow wanted to follow Paris and London in abandoning the outdated mode of transportation, but in the 1970s, there was a change of heart and new lines were built. Under the first post-Soviet mayor Yuri Luskov, the tramway had to make way for additional lanes and the network was reduced to just 180 kilometers.
Luskov also planned to sell two tram and trolleybus depots to real estate developers, but luckily for the tramway, he was fired before he could develop the Apakow Depot site into luxury apartments. He eventually died in exile in Latvia, but the depot has been given a new lease on life.
Today, the Moscow Tramway is on the upswing again. The entire network has been overhauled, modern trams are in operation and several short new line extensions have been built. More are planned. Currently, 640,000 passengers use the 35 reliable tram lines daily, as many as in Cologne.
Nowadays, every tramcar displays the symbol of its former rival, the metro. The Moscow Tramway was recently merged with the metro operation to create a unified network and improve quality. Only time will tell if this move will achieve the desired results.