Friday, November 03, 2006

Oradea


It is only 15 km from the Hungarian border to Oraea but it seemed like a different world. Though both notionally communist states Hungary and Romania were persuing very different economic policies. Compared with the other eastern bloc countries Hungary was a bit like China today - and some private enterprise was allowed and the shops were full of goods and there no queues for petrol. Romania was paying off the national debt by making sure there was nothing left for the locals. Food was scarce - even fresh fruit and vegetables in August and buying petrol for the car was a challenge.
1. The first tram I photographed in Romania. One of the 'standard' four wheeters without air conditioning.
2. I think this was the first time I had seen trams operating on dirt roads. I wonder if the EC will pay for it to be surfaced now.
3. The bogie version was far less common. We only saw them here in in Timisoara. Note the bow collectors on the first three pictures.
4. This is a 'Banat' tram built in Timisoara. These were painted yellow in most towns.

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2 comments:

zsizsi said...

1. Tram car's name is (motor+trailer): ITB Vo58+V12 The number is very probably is 63+116 (in December of 1982 this was it's trailer) Location is the historical Centre of Oradea Piata Victoriei (today Piata Unirii) The tram on line 3 turning right (looking from it's side of view) crossing the bridge towards the Theatre
2. 38+121 (on 18.12.1982 this was it's trailer) str. Progresului (today str. Apostol Andrei) a few meters (yards) before the end-loop at 6 Martie Blvd (today Dacia Blvd)
3. tram type Electroputere V54 with trailer ITB V12 coming out from endloop at Iosia (Oradea Vest)
4. Timis2 motor+trailer unit 91+163 at delta junction of routes 1 & 2 with 3 & 4 at Parc 23 August (today Parc 1 Decembrie 1918). The date was around 19 August 1982 isn't it?

zsizsi said...

2. In 1983 the route 3 was closed and these cars operating exclusively on this route were scrapped. The section between Pod Decebal and this loop was used for the route 5 that used the path of route 4 (closed in 1981) that crossed the rebuilded Decebal Bridge (in 1981 it colapsed under the last wheel of a tram due to the high water levels but the tram escaped). The route 5 was served by Timis2 type units till 1990 when it was closed and the lines were lifted out.

4. This colour scheme was adopted by the I.T.T. (Transport Company of Timisoara) and due to this every tram was delivered in this scheme. Exceptions were made for Resita were the stock scheme was blue-white. And on late 80es the scheme changed in grey-dark orange.