A Kadikoy Tram Story | How I scraped my Knees

(Pictured) Siemens 1934 built tram for # 20  Kadikoy-Moda line.

Mavi Boncuk |

I was instructed by my father later on how to jump safely from a moving streetcar. From then on I was a pro.

My previous try was while riding the Kadikoy -Hasanpasa[1] line and I ended up with scraped knees and palms. 

TIP: Use right leg first, hold the bar and be prepared to run little bit. if you use left leg the right leg will come from behind and trip you.

MY MISTAKE: I asked permission and money to go to movies and jumped (ON MY OWN WITH NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OR INSTRUCTION) from the moving streetcar instead of waiting  a for the tram stop 100 meters away.

IMMINENT DANGER: A car driving on the curb lane could hit me. Luckily it did not. 

THE EVERLASTING IMAGE:  My father's panic and horror in his face at the back platform. 

AT THE MOVIES: My knees and palms throbbed thru the double bill at Sureyya movie house.

[1] In 1966, the tram service between Kadıköy - Hasanpaşa and Kadıköy - Üsküdar was abolished. Kadıköy - Hasanpaşa trams decorated with laurel branches carried their last passengers free of charge. Bus services replaced the trams.

(Pictured) Siemens 1934 built tram for # 20  Kadikoy-Moda line.

 Can be seen at The Rahmi M Koç Museum

TRAMS in KADIKOY

On the Anatolian side, the first studies started in 1927. First, the Üsküdar-Bağlarbaşı-Kısıklı line was put into service in 1928. A year later, Bağlarbaşı-Haydarpaşa and Üsküdar-Haydarpaşa lines started to serve.

The authorities, who saw that the trams were profitable, opened the Bostancı, Moda and Feneryolu lines in the following periods. With the agreement signed between Nafia Deputy Recep and Istanbul Şehremini Hamit Bey on July 2, 1928, the right to operate the tram in the area between Üsküdar, Kadıköy and Beykoz and Anadolu Feneri was transferred to Üsküdar and the Airport Public Trams Company. As contracted; Uskudar - Haydarpasa; Karacaahmet - Bağlarbaşı; Haydarpasa - Kadikoy; It was decided to operate the Kadıköy - Kızıltoprak - Feneryolu and Kadıköy - Moda lines for 5 years.

Apart from these lines; It organized optional flights on Kadıköy-Gazhane, Feneryolu - Fenerbahçe, Feneryolu - Bostancı, Üsküdar - Beykoz, Kadıköy - Acıbadem - K.Çamlıca lines and Gazhane-Merdivenköy, Merdivenköy - Erenköy, Caddebostan-Bostancı lines. Trams with line number 4 were run to Bostancı, 6 to Fenerbahçe, 8 to Hasanpaşa and 20 to Moda. The line number 12 Kadıköy - Üsküdar also took off from Kadıköy and ended its flight over Selimiye - Karacaahmet - Tunisia - Ahmediye, its last stop in Üsküdar.

(Pictured) Üsküdar-Kadıköy tram crossing the Haydarpaşa Bridge.