The Gajvoron narrow gauge railway is built by the Premičre Société Russe des Chemins de fer á voie étroite, also referred to as the First Russian Supply Railway Company . After it had opened two narrow gauge networks in the northern Baltic Provinces of Russia, the company also started building a narrow gauge network far more to the south, in the Ukraine. This explains the name of the network: Southern Supply Railway.
The Southern Supply Railway was built in several stages. This first line ran from Berdicev to Žitomir and opened in 1896. Three years later, the 195-km long main line Rudnitsa - Gajvoron - Podgoradnaja - Olivopol was opened. This line was isolated from the Berdicev - Žitomir line. In 1900 both lines were connected by the 297 km long north-south mainline Gajvoron - Berdicev. The last noticeable extension during the Tsaristic period was the 83-km long Žitomir - Korosten line. There were also a number of relatively short branch lines (10-40 km) to nearby towns. Eventually the network reached a length of 703 km, making it the most extensive narrow gauge network for public transport in the Soviet Union.
In addition some industrial branch lines of considerable length existed, especially to sugar factories. During the beet-sugar campaign enormous quantities of sugar beet were transported from all over the network to these factories.
In Yemilovka the industrial railway to the Peregonovka sugar mill branches off from the MPS-line Gajvoron-Podgorodnaja. In Yemilovka TU2-071 meets with the sugar factory's works loco TU4-1532.
Photo: Helge Harling.
In 1922 the First Supply Railway Company was nationalised. The train services have been taken over by the ministry of transport (MPS). Afterwards the final extension of the network was opened. This was the 43-km long line from Rudnitsa to Kamenka, across the border to present day Moldova. But at the same time parts of the network were subject to closure or converting to broad gauge.
In 1960 there were still a total of 500 + km of narrow gauge lines. The following lines were operated by the state railways: Gajvoron - Vinnitsa - Berdišev (292 km), Rudnitsa - Gajvoron - Podgoradnaja (188 km), Rudnitsa - Kamenka (43 km) and the branch line Dokhno - Cecelnik (11 km). A passenger service was maintained on all these lines (Rudnica - Kamenka not confirmed). Normally two passenger train pairs a day were running. Between Vinnitsa and Berdišev there was only one daily passenger train pair. The Dokhno - Cecelnik line had mixed trains. On the other lines passenger and freight traffic was separated.
In 1960 the passenger services (including mixed trains) daily required six locomotives. It is estimated that a dozen more locos were needed for the freight trains, not in the last place because freight trains were frequently hauled in double-traction. Including the regular large reserve of 50 to 100%, Gajvoron MPD must have had a fleet of approximately 20-30 locomotives.
The first diesels appeared on the Gajvoron network in the late 1950s. Probably a total of nine engines (TU2-178, 179, 227, 229-232, 263 and 274) have been supplied to the system in 1957-1958. They worked from the depot in Gajvoron and possibly, prior to the regauging of the Vinnica - Gajvoron line, also from Vinnica MPD.
Temporarily also some TU3’s were allocated to Gajvoron MPD, but they soon disappeared. Remarkably, this important narrow gauge system was not fully dieselised and many class GR steam engines remained in service alongside the TU2s.
The classic Gajvoron picture: TU2-071, TU2-263 and GR-280 under the sand-filling installation of Gajvoron MPD in June 1996.
Photo: Helge Harling.
Gajvoron MPD did not go completely diesel before the mid-1970s. In 1972 eight TU2s were transferred to Gajvoron from the closed Zabaikal system: TU2-025, 030, 032, 035, 068, 071, 110 and 119. In addition TU2-011 came to Gajvoron from Estonia, possibly via Vapnjarka. In 1974 two more TU2s arrived in Gajvoron. TU2-168 previously ran in Apšeronsk (Russia/Krasnodar Edge) and TU2-239 in Valmiera (Latvia).
Already in the 1950s the works for the regauging of the Gajvoron - Vinnitsa - Berdišev line started. But the line was not completely broad gauge before the late 1970s. Afterwards the Gajvoron - Podgorodnaja section was also to be regauged. But until today the work is not completed. Parallel to the narrow gauge line there are now two separated broad gauge lines starting from respectively Gajvoron in the west and Podgorodnaja in the east. But the central section of the line between Taužne and Golovanivsk was never finished. So the broad gauge lines are only used for local freight traffic. Through freight traffic from Podgorodnaja to Gajvoron or Rudnitsa as well as the complete passenger service remained using the old narrow gauge line.
In the 1980s there were some minor changes to the TU2-fleet. New locos arriving at Gajvoron were TU2-038 from the Donetsk pioneer railway (1980) and TU2-165 and 168 from the Alapaevsk forestry railway (1982). Now there were over 20 TU2s in Gajvoron, which was probably enough to completely dieselise the meanwhile somewhat shrunken network.
Also TU2-027, 031, 165 and 229 are reported to have been allocated to Gajvoron MPD. But it could not be confirmed since when these have run here or where they came from. It seems in the 1970s also TU2-151 has been acquired by Gajvoron MPD. It previously worked in Valmiera (Latvia). But it is unclear if it has ever been used in the Ukraine, for later it has turned up in Atbasar (Kazakhstan).
In the course of the years the TU2-fleet was reduced more and more:
| number | year | reallocated to |
| TU2-011 | 1982 | (dumped) |
| TU2-025 | 1984 | Novopoltavka |
| TU2-027 | 1990 | (dumped) |
| TU2-035 | 1975 | Beregovo |
| TU2-110 | 1990 | (dumped) |
| TU2-119 | 1986 | (dumped) |
| TU2-166 | 1990 | dumped |
| TU2-168 | 1990 | (dumped) |
| TU2-188 | 1985 | Penza pioneer railway (Russia) |
| TU2-229 | 1990 | (dumped) |
| TU2-239 | ? | (dumped) |
| TU2-274 | 1984 | Novopoltavka |
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union the Ukrainian State Railways (UŽ, region Odessa) have operated the network. Due to the economic crisis almost all industry along the network closed its gates. Hence the traffic volumes fell rapidly. Also, there was almost no money for maintaining the track and rolling stock or even to buy fuel for the class TU2. But most lines remained open as there were almost no alternative means of transportation. However the number of trains was decreased dramatically.
In 1999 there was only one pair a day on the line from Gajvoron to Rudnica (in Ukrainian called Rudnicja). The passenger traffic on the branch line Dokhno - Cecelnik had already ended by then. The Gajvoron - Rudnicja trains were officially mixed trains, which however did not always take freight wagons with them. So most of the time they were composed of a class TU2 and 4 Pafawag passenger coaches. Noticeably until the mid 1990s these mixed trains were composed of 3 or 4 passenger coaches and half a dozen closed bogie freight wagons. In Autumn, when the freight traffic is more intensive, separate freight trains were running.
On the other line, from Gajvoron to Podgorodnaja, traffic was even temporarily suspended in 1999. At least in 2001 there was again one passenger train pair a day to Podgorodnaja. But since summer 2002 this train has run only until halfway the line, to the station of Golovanivsk. This is the terminus of the broad gauge line from Podgorodnaja. The eastern part between Golovanivsk and Podgorodnaja, which ran parallel to the broad gauge line, was effectively closed by this measure.
In 1996 the Rudnicja - Kamenka line was closed, mainly due to political reasons. The line crossed the border to the newly established Republic of Moldova. There used to be intensive freight traffic on this line, noticeably to a cannery, which was connected to the network by a 4-km long branch line from the station of Kamenka. The tracks were lifted on the Ukrainian side of the border in 1999.
TU2-071 with a freight train in front of Rudnicja station in Summer 1998. Photo Marco Moerland.
The remaining TU2s were hardly used anymore due to the reduction of the transport volumes. They are however still the backbone of the motive power of the system. In the mid 1990s the following locos are reported to have been in service on the line: TU2-038, 068, 071, 165, 178, 179, 232 and 263. In 1995/1996 also the modern TU7A-3081 was observed on the line with passenger trains. But by the turn of the century, Gajvoron MPD only used TU2s anymore. Some were still running in the original green livery and even had red stars on the front of the cabins. TU2-038, 071 and 263 also had alternative diagonal striping on the front of the loco. On regular days only two or three TU2s were needed.
Meanwhile in 1993 TU2-031 had been sold to the Shors pioneer railway. This project never materialised and the locos was scrapped in Shors in 1994-1995. TU2-032 was dumped in Gajvoron in 1997. Also TU2-030, TU2-178 and TU2-234 are not in service anymore. They were last spotted at the Gajvoron workshop in 1996. In 1999 TU2-274 came to Gajvoron from the closed Novopoltavka line. It should be noted that this engine was repainted from light blue to green before it was taken into service in Gajvoron.
In 2003 TU2-071 still had diagonal striping on the front of the cabins, which is typical for the Gajvoron system.
On regular days two engines are operational. The shift of a TU2 starts in the morning with the train pair from Gajvoron to Golovanivsk. In the afternoon the same loco hauls the train pair from Gajvoron to Rudnicja. It returns in Gajvoron the next morning. Then it is exchanged for a fresh locomotive, which will haul the Golovanivsk train. On Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays an additional TU2 is needed for the market train from Gajvoron to Rudnicja.
TU2-274 with a mixed train in Grushka station, halfway Gajvoron and Golovanivsk in May 2003. Freight traffic is on a very low level. This was the very first freight train in months.
The same loco, TU2-274, with the evening train from Gajvoron to Rudnicja in Bershad. Normally the loco from the morning train to Golovanivsk also hauls the evening train to Rudnicja. In Bershad it crosses the afternoon market train Rudnicja-Gajvoron, hauled by TU2-179. Where else can one see two regular passenger trains hauled by TU2s today?
Not before early next morning TU2-274 returns back at Gajvoron. On the left hand side TU2-263 with the mixed train to Golovanivsk already awaits departure.
In 2001 TU2-165 was overhauled by the Gajvoron workshop and then send to the Kiev pioneer railway. It never arrived there due to financial problems and was stored in a depot in Kiev. Eventually TU2-165 returned in Gajvoron, presumably in early 2006.
In early 2006 TU2-165 returned from the depot in Kiev. On 14 May 2006 Dmitry Babarika photographed her with a passenger train in Gajvoron station.
Nowadays the following locos are still operational:
| number | last spotted | livery |
| TU2-071 | 2006 | blue with yellow yellow striping |
| TU2-165 | 2006 | light green with yellow striping |
| TU2-179 | 2003 | green with red star |
| TU2-263 | 2003 | green |
| TU2-274 | 2003 | light green |
In autumn 2005 Gajvoron started to repaint her TU2s in the normal blue UZ-livery. TU2-071 was the first engine in this livery. She was photographed by Coen Boerma in May 2006 in Grushka.
