On May 8, 2026, a vibrant event — the SCIENTIFIC PICNIC — took place at several locations in the city of Reshetylivka. The event was organized by the National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute.” The Department of Electric Transport and Diesel Locomotive Engineering (ETT) actively participated in all key activities.
At 11:00 a.m., the official opening ceremony of the picnic took place. Following welcoming speeches by representatives of the university and the city council, the ETT Department began its work in the “RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTS” zone (located on the площадка in front of the lyceum).
Our staff set up an interactive stand that immediately attracted the attention of school students, teachers, and parents. Visitors to the picnic had the opportunity to:
- See mini-models of electric locomotives in action — demonstrations of traction motor operation, braking systems, and couplings caused genuine excitement among the children.
- Explore a diesel locomotive model — department representatives explained the operating principles of the diesel generator, electric transmission, and wheelsets. Many visitors understood for the first time the difference between a diesel locomotive and an electric locomotive.
The “INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE” zone (also located in front of the lyceum) was integrated with our stand. Here, we held a series of mini-lectures titled “5 Minutes About Electric Traction.” The largest number of questions concerned whether electric vehicles could completely replace trains, and department representatives provided comprehensive answers.
- Throughout the event, many quizzes were also held — we prepared a separate set of questions dedicated to the history of Kharkiv electric transport, the first diesel locomotives, and modern technologies. The quiz lasted throughout the day. Winners received prizes including themed books, NTU “KhPI” branded notebooks, and sweets. In total, more than 50 people participated in the quiz.
- Sports competitions (sports ground) — department representatives together with school students organized the relay race “Traction Force vs. Motion Resistance.” Participants simulated locomotive operation while overcoming an improvised “incline.” This activity generated considerable interest and successfully combined sports with physics.
- Lecture for city teachers (Room 28, vestibule) — representatives of NTU “KhPI” departments delivered lectures under the general theme “The Country Will Be Rebuilt by Polytechnic Engineers.” Physics, mathematics, and labor training teachers from different schools of the Reshetylivka community attended the lectures. All participants received teaching materials and participation certificates.
The Scientific Picnic in Reshetylivka became an extremely successful event, particularly for the Department of Electric Transport and Diesel Locomotive Engineering.
We express our gratitude to the organizers from NTU “KhPI,” the administration of the city of Reshetylivka, the teachers, and everyone who visited our location. Together, we demonstrated that science is engaging, modern, and essential for the future.
