The small town of Vapnjarka is situated on the main line Vinnitsa - Odessa. From the Vapnjarka main station a narrow gauge line ran straight to the west. After 17 km the trains reached the station of Tomapol (Tsekinovka). There used to be a 4-km long branch line connecting the village of Tomapol with its railway station. The main narrow gauge line continued to the west and ended in Jampol. This is a small town on the River Dnjestr, which is nowadays the border to Moldova. The Vapnjarka - Jampol narrow gauge line was 56 km long. The line was opened around 1923 (according to other sources in 1944). It was a public railway operated by the MPS (after 1991 U).
Sketch of the Vapnjarka system
(click on the map for a better view).
There also used to be another narrow gauge line from Vapnjarka. It ran to Kapuchani, 25 km east of Vapnjarka. It was freight-only and had a seperate narrow gauge station on the east side of Vapnjarka station. It was connected to the Vapnjarka - Jampol system via a track leading through a tunnel under the broad gauge line. Via this track locos could run to and from the Vapnjarka narrow gauge depot, which was on the west side of the station.
This picture shows that Vapnjarka MPD had a sizeable TU2-fleet. Photo: M. Helme.
Only in 1972 Vapnjarka went diesel with a sizeable TU2 allocation. In this year 9 class TU2 were transferred from Estonia to Vapnjarka. They had running numbers 007, 009, 011, 095, 100, 133, 135, 137 and 262. Two of them (TU2-011 and 137) were probably directly reallocated to respectively Gajvoron and the Rovno pioneer railway. The other six have actually run on the line to Jampol. Around the same time TU2-180 was obtained from Margutsek MPD. Finally in 1974 TU2-154 came to Vapnjarka. It previously ran on the Paneveys system in Lithuania.
The TU2 replaced the steam traction although the last steam engine (GR-023) was taken out of service only in 1981, nine years after the arrival of the class TU2. In the 1980s the class TU2 were the only motive power on the line. In 1984 engines TU2-007 and TU2-095 were diverted to Novopoltavka.
TU2-137, TU2-135 and some dumped class GR steam locos around the Vapnjarka shed on 19 June 1982. Photo: M. Helme.
TU2-133 shunting in Vapnjarka on 19 June 1982. Photo: M. Helme.
TU2-100 with a freight train near Vapnjarka on 19 June 1982. Photo: M. Helme.
On 19 June 1982 TU2-100 was photographed in Tomashpol station, hauling a mixed train from Jampol to Vapnjarka. Note the many freight wagons standing in this stations, as well as the water tower in te background. Photo: M. Helme.
TU2-154 with a freight train near Jampol on 19 June 1982. Photo: M. Helme.
TU2-100 shunting in Jampol station on 19 June 1982. Photo: M. Helme.
Around 1990 a large fleet of approximately 17 new class TU7A was allocated to Vapnjarka MPD. These took over the duties if the TU2s.
Afterwards TU2-137 was diverted to the Rovno pioneer railway and TU2-180 went to the Gajvoron main workshop, were it was cut. In June 1996 still six TU2s with running numbers TU2-009, 100, 133, 135, 154 and 262 could be observed at the depot. Most of them appeard to be dumped. It seems only TU2-135 was still in working order. The next year TU2-009, 135, 154 and 262 (but probably also 100 and 133) were brought to the Gajvoron main repair workshop, where they were cut.
From left to right: TU7A-3079, TU2-262 an unknown TU7 and TU2-009 dumped in front of the Vapnjarka shed on 19 June 1996. Photo: Helge Harling.
A better view of the dumped TU2-009. Photo: Helge Harling.
TU2-154 and two other TU2s (probabaly TU2-100 and 133) dumped at the Vapnjarka MPD on 19 June 1996. Photo: Helge Harling.
TU2-135 was probably one of the alst active TU2s in Vapnjarka. It is seen shunting at the southern narrow gauge station in Vapnjarka on 19 June 1996. Photo: Helge Harling.
Already in the 1980s the eastern line to Kapuchani closed. The passenger traffic on the line to Jampol officially ended in 1996. But one daily mixed train pair kept running between Vapnjarka and Jampol. Even in 1998 TU7A-3195 was spotted with a mixed train to Jampol. But in 1999 the curtian finally fell for this line. It was completely dismantled the following year. The TU7A-s have been transferred to the wagon workshop in Gajvoron, where they could still be observed in May 2003.
Novopoltavka
This is the last remainder of the narrow gauge railways built by the Germans in the Second World War. Soon after the Germans had occupied the Ukraine they started to use the new territory in an economical way. Their main interest were the cornfields. But because of the poor condition of the road system transporting the harvest to granaries or broad gauge railway stations was very difficult. So it was decided to build a large number of narrow gauge economy railways (Wirtschaftsbahnen in German).
Amongst others the Germans planned two narrow gauge railways starting at the broad gauge railway station of Novopoltavka, on the main line from Nikolajev to Dolinskaja. One narrow gauge line ran to Lenino (40 km), the other one via Belaja Kriniza to Kotshkarovka (120 km). The gauge was 600 mm. The lines were opened in 1942/1943. Six class HF110C steam engines with numbers 11030, 11033, 11035, 11037, 11040 and 11041 anre known to have been working here.
After the War the MPS took over the management of parts of the network, though at least of the 32-km long Novopoltavka - Vladimirovka section, including the class HF110C steam engines. The line was operated by the Odessa railway. The manager of the line had an office at Nikolajev station.
According to local staff Novopoltavka - Vladimirovka was regauged to 750mm in 1969. The line had a public passenger service of local importance, which was not shown in the national MPS-timetable. The railway's main task was the transportation of grain from the agricultural complex (elevator') in Vladimirovka to the bread factory in Novopoltavka.
The elevator in Vladimirovka was the only freight customer of the line. TU2-274 is seen here shunting at the elevator. In the background a small shed for the class MD54 shunter used here. Photo: Karl Landskröner.
TU2-274 shunting at the Vladimirovka elevator, seen from the other side. The terminus of the passenger trains is outside the premisses, near the high trees in the background. Photo: Karl Landskröner.
Four class Kp4 steam engines from Kazakhstan have been used since the line was regauged. In 1978 they were replaced by four class GR steam locos (277, 280, 315 and 334) from Gajvoron MPD. In fact, this line has been the last one using GRs. The TU2s could not replace the steam engines, because in winter frequently parts of the line were flooded. The electrical transmission motors in the carts of a TU2 would get in touch with the water and short-circuit.
Apparently the flooding had been controlled by 1984. In that year the GRs were finally replaced by four TU2s. Vapnjarka MPD handed over TU2-007 and TU2-095 and Gajvoron MPD TU2-025 and TU2-274. By May 1998 these four engines were still in Novopoltavka. At least TU2-274 was operational then.
In 1985 the trains were running only seasonally, that is not every day and not every week. They had 5-6 Pafawag class 3Aw type passenger coaches. In Summer 1998 there were only two passenger train pairs a week between Novopoltavka and Vladimirovka, running in the night from Friday to Saturday and on Sunday evening. These trains were composed of 4 Pafawag coaches. The freight traffic had already ended earlier, presumably in the mid-1990s.
On Sunday 24 May 1998 TU2-274 hauled the passager train from Vladimirovka to Novopoltavka, seen here in Novopoltavka. Photo: Karl Landskröner.
After the arrival of the passenger train, TU2-274 pushes the coaches back into the triangle, towards the depot. Photo: Karl Landskröner.
TU2-274 at the depot on 24 May 1998. Only the right-hand track is narrow gauge. Note the dumped TU2s, standing immediately right of the shed Photo: Karl Landskröner.
In 1999 the Ukrainian State Railways (UZ) closed Novopoltavka - Vladimirovka. Subsequently TU2-007 and TU2-274 went to Gajvoron. There is not trace anymore of TU2-025 and TU2-095. The tracks were lifted in 1999.
Two pictures of what was probably the only special train for railway enthusiast which ever ran here (on 26 May 1998). It is seen here on the only bridge of the line.
Photo: Karl Landskröner.
The line traversed an uninhabited and flat countryside. Photo: Karl Landskröner.
The small town of Vapnjarka is situated on the main line Vinnitsa - Odessa. From the Vapnjarka main station a narrow gauge line ran straight to the west. After 17 km the trains reached the station of Tomapol (Tsekinovka). There used to be a 4-km long branch line connecting the village of Tomapol with its railway station. The main narrow gauge line continued to the west and ended in Jampol. This is a small town on the River Dnjestr, which is nowadays the border to Moldova. The Vapnjarka - Jampol narrow gauge line was 56 km long. The line was opened around 1923 (according to other sources in 1944). It was a public railway operated by the MPS (after 1991 U).
