Tram Derails in Volgograd, Halting Traffic

On the morning of January 20 in Volgograd, on 51st Guards Street in the Zhilgorodok residential area, a tram car derailed. The incident paralyzed traffic on this section, which still has not undergone major repairs to the tracks and contact network.

Local residents were the first to report the incident. According to them, the car derailed on the stretch between stops «Polyclinic No. 18» and «Youth Center».

One eyewitness wrote:

Good morning! In Zhilgorodok, between the 18th polyclinic and the Youth Center, the front of the tram fell off, most likely trams won«t go towards the center, residents report. Those waiting for trams 5 and 10 towards the center can stop waiting. Collapse!

Photos from the accident site show that the tram car is unnaturally tilted forward. Presumably, the cause of the incident was the derailment of the front bogie.

The Volgograd city administration promptly responded to the incident. It was confirmed that the accident involved a tram car operating on route No. 5. Specialists are currently on site working to restore the car to the tracks and investigate the causes of the derailment. To minimize inconvenience, trams heading to Zhilgorodok are temporarily rerouted and turning around at the loop near Khorosheva Street.

According to provided data, the car involved in the incident has a long service history. It was manufactured in 1978, assigned to depot No. 2, and is still in use on the line. The last repair of this unit was conducted in March 2018 at the depot.