PJSC "Krukovka Carriage Works" is located in the Poltava region of Ukraine, the city of Kremenchug. This is one of the largest engineering industries in the country, specializing in the production of railway rolling stock. In Soviet times, self-propelled pontoons of various modifications were also made here.
Creature
Krukovka Carriage Works was founded in 1869 as a workshop for the repair of railway cars. The work was started even before the completion of construction in the unfinished buildings of the enterprise on June 15, 1898, and the first products were delivered to the Kharkov-Nikolaev Railway on August 1, 1900. Before the revolution, the team consisted of 400 workers who monthly serviced up to 140 cars for various purposes.
In the name of revolution
During the Civil War, provoked by the revolution, the workshops were abandoned. In 1919, less than half of the machines worked. There was no fuel, materials, tools.
In 1921, production resumed, until the end of the year 44 first-class cars were produced. In the same year, a factory-apprenticeship school with a four-year term of study was opened to train specialists at the Kryukovsky Car-Building Plant. The first Soviet workshop director was Nikolai Abramovich Kozhevnikov.
During the years 1924-1925, workers carried out repairs of 7,304 wagons. At this time, the plant employed more than 1,500 workers and 200 employees. A mobile steam crane appeared, and electric welding production was established.
30s
By a resolution of the Labor and Defense Council of March 6, 1930, the workshops were transferred to the Supreme Economic Council. In the new department, the company was renamed into Kryukovsky Car Building Plant. The main specialization was the construction of 22-ton biaxial platforms. The first of them was released in November 1933. And already during the next 1934, 8,000 20-ton platforms were produced, of which 5,000 were equipped with automatic brakes. Every day, the plant produced 22 wagons.
In 1932, the reconstruction of the KVSZ began. A new blacksmith shop was laid , the rigging area was updated. At the same time, the plant mastered the production of the first four-axle open-top wagon in the USSR with a carrying capacity of 60 tons designed by Peter Travin.
In 1935, the Kryukovsky plant produced more than 5,900 platforms and 1,800 wagons. Production was the second most important among the car-building enterprises of the USSR. In 1936, KVSZ continued to increase production rates: the plan for the production of open wagons was almost tripled compared to 1935 to 7,000 units.
The Great Patriotic War
A month after the outbreak of the war, in the middle of July 1941, the evacuation of the Krukovka Car-Building Plant to Perm began. At a new location, production of high-explosive bombs was launched.
After the liberation of Kremenchug, the restoration of the enterprise began. During 1944, at the same time as the reconstruction of the workshops, the plant carried out orders of the 2nd Ukrainian Front. Workers participated in the restoration of the railway bridge across the Dnieper.
In 1945, the KVSZ began serial production of 60-ton open wagons: the first one was solemnly laid down on November 21, 1945, and on November 28, car No. 1040731 left the stream.
Post-war development
By 1948, the plant reached pre-war production volumes. In 1954-1955, on the instructions of the Ministry of Transport Engineering, the department of the chief designer of the plant designed a four-axle gondola-type gondola with a carrying capacity of 40 tons. The wagons of the Krukovka Car Building Plant were intended for the transport of coal, ore, timber, metal, equipment, as well as bulk cargo. The first 40-ton was built in 1956.
Particular pride of the factory workers was the development of unique 93-ton gondola cars. The incredible achievement of Kremenchug engineers was awarded the Gold Medal of the World Industrial Exhibition, held in 1958 in Brussels. The gondola car was developed in two versions: with and without a brake booth and a hand brake. For the first time in the USSR, a torsion mechanism was used on this car to facilitate the work of loaders. According to their technical characteristics, the new products significantly exceeded the four-axis counterparts existing at that time and made it possible to form trains of 8,000 tons without processing station tracks. In the future, the three-axle trolley of these cars became the basis for the production of superheavy 6- and 8-axle cars.
In 1959, a new 90-ton dump gondola car was designed in Kryukovo to transport coal and other bulk cargo. In 1960 - a 100-ton gondola for transportation of iron ore. In the same year, the plant was given the task of starting production of wagons for the transportation of cement, a prototype was tested in 1963. In 1963 KVSZ mastered the production of bridge cranes. In 1966 - all-metal bunkers for bulk transportation of legumes and other goods.
In parallel with railway rolling stock, the enterprise manufactured ferry-fast cars, self-propelled ferries and amphibious transporters for the army. They were produced from the 50s of the XX century until 2011. During this time, about 20 models of similar equipment were developed.
Nowadays
In 1993, the company was reorganized into Krukovka Carriage Works OJSC. Over the following years, production developed at a rapid pace. In 2002, the KVSZ was the first in Ukraine to produce a high-speed train, now known as the Capital Express.
In 2013, the plant took 10th place in terms of managerial innovations in the ranking of high-tech enterprises in the engineering sector of Ukraine. Today, the organization is actively working to create subway trains on an asynchronous traction drive, which should replace conventional trains.
Products
Kryukovsky plant produces:
- freight gondola cars;
- platforms;
- bunker, covered wagons;
- tanks;
- spare parts, carts, wheelsets;
- passenger of all types;
- dining cars;
- high-speed class "Intercity";
- international standard RIC.
In total, the collective mastered the production of 48 models of passenger cars.
Krukovka Carriages: reviews
According to the operators, KVSZ produces high-quality products that meet international standards. In recent years, many foreign companies, mainly European ones, have appeared among customers. Foreign partners are attracted by the optimal ratio of price, quality and comfort.