Tramways in Poznań

Tramways in Poznań - a tram system operated by Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne w Poznaniu Sp. z o.o. ("Public Transport Company in Poznań Ltd."). Currently it has 20 daytime lines, one night line, and one tourist line served by historical vehicles. The tram system consists of about 66km of standard gauge (1435 mm) track. With a few exceptions routes consist of two tracks.

In local Poznań dialect trams are called "bimby" (pl.), "bimba" (sing).

History

The idea of trams in Poznań was brought to fruition by two businessmen from Berlin: Otto Reymer and Otto Masch. After receiving concessions from the town authorities on 30 July, 1880 they began running a horse tram in Poznań. On the next day the first regular line transported passengers from the Main Train Station via ul. Św. Marcin/St. Martin Str., ul. Rycerska/Ritter Str. (today ul. Ratajczaka), Pl. Wilhelmowski/Wilhelms Platz (currently Plac Wolności) to Rynek/Ring (currently Stary Rynek _en. Old Market). The route was soon lengthened from Rynek/Ring to ul. Butelska/Büttel Str. (now ul. Woźna), ul. Wielkie Garbary/Grosse Gerber Str. (currently ul. Garbary), Chwaliszewo to Ostrów Tumski. At the same time a branch was built via ul. Wiktorii/Victoria Str. (modern ul. Gwarna and ul. Mielżyńskiego), Plac Królewski/Königs Platz (currently Pl. Cyryla Ratajskiego), ul. Fryderykowska/Friedrich Str. (modern ul. 23 Lutego), Al. Wilhelmowskie/Wilhelms Al. (currently Al. Marcinkowskiego), ul. Seekta/Seekt Str. (modern ul. Solna) and Wolnica, ul. Małe Garbary/Kleine Gerber Str., ul. Szewska, ul. Szeroka/Breite Str. (currently ul. Wielka) to ul. Wielkie Garbary/Grosse Gerber Str. (modern ul. Garbary) where it joined the older route.

Despite the need for modern public transport in the city, after a few weeks the company found itself on the edge of bankruptcy. There were two reasons for this: firstly the branch route had too few passengers, and secondly all the signs in the trams were only in German, leading to a boycoty by the Polish majority. The finacially troubled company was bought by the Poznań Horse Railway Society ( _pl. Poznańskie Towarzystwo Kolei Konnej, _de. Posener Pferde-Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft), which obtained a concession and monopoly on tram transportation in the city. At that time there were only 20 cars in service.

In September 1880 the Society bought part of the site of the former train station in Jeżyce/Jersitz suburb, where a tram depot was built (currently it is the oldest tram depot still in service in Poland). In 1896 two new routes were built. The first ran from Rynek/Ring (now Stary Rynek), via ul. Wrocławska/Breslauer Str., Pl. Piotra/Peters Platz (now Pl. Wiosny Ludów), ul. Półwiejska to Brama Wildecka/Wilda Thor. The second went from the tram depot on ul. Gajowa, through ul. Zwierzyniecka/Zoologisher Str., ul. Jadwigi/Hedwigs Str. (modern ul. Kraszewskiego) to Rynek Jeżycki/Jersitz Markt, after one year extended via ul. Wielka Berlińska/Grosse Berliner Str. (modern ul. Dąbrowskiego) to the chemical factory on ul. Polna/Feld Str. Both routes were already built to carry heavier electric cars.

On 6 March, 1898 horse trams were replaced by electric ones. At this time there were three lines:
* white - like the old horse tram from the train station via Rynek/Ring to Ostrów Tumski
* red - from Rynek Jeżycki/Jersitz Markt via ul. Jadwigi/Hedwigs Str., ul. Zwierzyniecka/Zoologischer Str., ul. Św. Marcin/St. Martin Str. and along the old horse tram route to Rynek/Ring and Brama Wildecka/Wilda Thor
* yellow - from the train station like the white line but only as far as the intersection of ul. Szeroka/Breite Str. and ul. Wielkie Garbary/Grosse Gerber Str.In April a fourth line was added:
* green - from Rynek/Ring via ul. Św. Marcin/St. Martin Str. and the new route on ul. Głogowska/Gloger Str. to Górczyn suburb (today's intersection of ul. Głogowska and ul. Kosynierska).A ticket cost 10 or 20 pfennigs and after 11 pm the price was doubled. In 1899 a second track was added to the routes on Rynek/Ring and ul. Wielka Berlińska/Grosse Berliner Str. (modern ul. Dąbrowskiego).

Before World War I the tram network was extended to the Municipal Slaughterhouse on ul. Wielkie Garbary/Grosse Gerber Str., to Plac Sapieżyński/Sapeicha Platz (today Plac Wielkopolski), to Brama Dębińska/Eichwald Thor (currently the intersection of ul. Strzelecka and Krakowska), to Śródka, Sołacz and Dębiec (to the Cegielski Factory). New routes were also built in the centre of the city, including overpasses over the railway tracks: Most Teatralny and Most Dworcowy.

Between the wars new routes were built to Golęcin, Dębiec (extension of existing tracks), Dębina (to the public beach on the bank of the Warta), Ogrody, Grunwald and Winiary. In this same period some routes in the narrow streets of the Old Town were closed. A planned route to to Główna was cancelled due to the opening in 1930 of a trolleybus line there.

During the battle of Poznań in 1945, most of the cars and tracks were destroyed. Tram transportation was partially restored two years after the war, in 1947, though only on the left bank of the Warta. The tracks in the old town were not rebuilt, but a new route was laid via Plac Bernardyński.

The first post-war tram on the right bank appeared in 1952, when the new Marchlewski Bridge was opened (now called Most Królowej Jadwigi).

In the following years new routes connecting different districts and bypassing the centre of city were built:
* 1955-1957 via ul. Marchlewskiego (now ul. Królowej Jadwigi)
* 1968-1973 via ul. Przybyszewskiego, ul. Reymonta and ul. Hetmańska
* 1974-1977 from Plac Wielkopolski via ul. Małe Garbary, ul. Estkowskiego to Rondo Śródka.
* 1983-1985 from os. Lecha via ul. Jedności Słowiańskiej (today Chartowo and Żegrze) to ul. Hetmańska Also some lines to peripheral districts were built:
* 1949-1950 to the communal cemetery in Junikowo
* 1957-1964 via ul. Pułaskiego and ul. Winogrady to ul. Wilczak (a branch to ul. Serbska was added in 1974)
* 1955 from Rataje to the Stomil Factory in Starołęka, in 1967 extended to 'Poznań Starołęka' train station
* 1959 to Zawady via Śródka with a branch to os. Warszawskie, extended in 1974 to Miłostowo
* 1979 to Chartowo and Osiedle Lecha
* 1980 to Winiary and ul. Piątkowska

A revolution for public transport in Poznań was brought about by the opening in 1997 of the 6.1 km long Poznański Szybki Tramwaj ( _en. Poznań Fast Tram) route, nicknamed "Pestka" by locals. Currently there are several plans for extension of the network, at different stages of preparation. Of great importance for tram transportation in Poznań was the general strategy for city development from 1994. According to this document trams are to serve as the fundamental mode of transport in the city. Since then, during renovations of streets and traffic lights, trams have been given right of way at intersections.

The newest route was opened on 14 August, 2007. It is the first section of the so-called Ratajski Szybki Tramwaj ( _en. Rataje Fast Tram). The new route connects Plac Wiosny Ludów via ul. Podgórna, ul. Dowbora Muśnickiego, ul. Mostowa, Most św. Rocha and ul. Kórnicka to ul. Jana Pawła II.

Cars

In regular service:
*Konstal 105Na (including Konstal 105NaD)
*Konstal 105N/2
*Beijnes 3G (Beynes 3G)
*Düwag GT6 (type M)
*Düwag GT8 (type N)
*Tatra RT6N1
*Siemens Combino

Bi-directional cars, useful during track work, when loops are not available:
*Konstal 105NaDK
*Düwag GT8ZR (type O)

Historical cars:
*horse car Herbrand B3/H0 build in 1880 (several times rebuilt)
*Konstal N upgraded to Konstal 4NJ (with similarly upgraded Konstal ND attachment)
*Konstal 102N
*Konstal 102Na
*Konstal 13N
*Konstal 105N

Cars awaiting renovation:
*Konstal N

Tram lines

Plans for further extension

Cureently in Poznań there are several plans to extend the tram network; some of them are only conceptions, others are under construction:
*extension of route form os. Lecha alongside ul. Piaśnicka to the M1 Franowo retail park, with a depot at the end, the so-called Ratajski Szybki Tramwaj
*extension of route from Ogrody along ul. Dąbrowskiego to al. Polska with new tram/bus station at the end of the route
*extension of Poznański Szybki Tramwaj under Most Teatralny to Poznań Główny train station and connection with the rest of the tram network in the area of Dworzec Zachodni
*extension of route from Zawady alongside ul. Zawady and ul. Główna to train station Poznań Wschód
*extension of route from Dębiec via ul. 28. Czerwca 1956 r. to os. Dębina
*new route via ul. Ratajczaka, Pl. Cyryla Ratajskiego, ul. Solna and ul. Nowowiejskiego
*new route to os. Kopernika alongside ul. Arciszewskiego and ul. Pogodna and new route on ul. Szpitalna and ul. Grochowska
*new route form Rondo Żegrze to ul. Falista
*new route from ul. Garbary through ul. Szelągowska and ul. Naramowickiej to Naramowice connected with existing line to ul. Wilczak

ources

* [http://www.mpk.poznan.pl/historia_mpk.html Official site of MPK Poznań]
*Maria Trzeciakowska, Lech Trzeciakowski, W" dziewiętnastowiecznym Poznaniu. Życie codzienne miasta 1815-1914", Poznań 1982, Wydawnictwo Poznańskie ISBN 83-210-0316-8
*Jerzy Topolski, Lech Trzeciakowski (red) "Dzieje Poznania, tom II cz. 1 1793-1918, Warszawa-Poznań" 1994, Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe ISBN 83-01-11393-6
*Jerzy Topolski, Lech Trzeciakowski (red) "Dzieje Poznania, tom II cz. 2 1918-1945, Warszawa-Poznań" 1998, Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe ISBN 83-01-12401-6