Kazakh tramway set for comeback

Temirtau is a city in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan (population 210 000), built on a coal field and known for its steelmaking. 

 

Following the acquisition of the ArcelorMittal steelworks by Kazakh company Qarmet in December 2023, the new owner wishes to re-open the tramline that carried workers from the city to the steel producing plant. 

 

The 11km tramway was built for this purpose in 1959 when the steelworks opened but was closed by the owner in February 2023, after some time operating for shift changes only, because the city council would not contribute to infrastructure renewal; 30km of new track and overhead is required, plus a fleet of 10 trams. 

 

The Mayor has now said the city will be involved in the re-opening project to help with pollution, including from the fleet of buses that is presently used to carry the workers. 

 

The tramway operated a fleet of Ust-Katav KTM-5 trams dating from the 1980s, boosted in 2010 by 12 1979 Tatra KT4D acquired from Potsdam in Germany.