Variobahn

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Variotram on the Sydney light rail network

The Variobahn, formerly known as the Variotram, is a German-designed articulated low-floor tram model. Since its introduction in 1993, the Variobahn has been manufactured variously by ABB, Adtranz, Bombardier Transportation, and since 2001 by Stadler Rail. As of 2009, 254 trams have been ordered, with an additional 110 on option. A unit costs about €2.5 million.[1][2]

Operators include the Bergen Light Rail, the Chemnitz Tramway, Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr, the Helsinki Tramway, the Rhine Neckar Area Tramway, London Tramlink and the Sydney light rail network.

History

Variotram in Nuremberg, Germany

Prototypes and early deliveries

The Variotram was first developed by ABB Asea Brown Boveri at Henschel and a prototype was launched in 1993 for the Chemnitz tramway in Germany, operated by Chemnitzer Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft (CVAG). The serial delivery, with minor modifications, was made between 1998 and 2001—bringing the total number of units for Chemnitz to thirty. Of these, twenty-four were operated by CVAG and six by City-Bahn Chemnitz. In 1995, ABB's train division merged to become Adtranz. One prototype the following year sold to the Duisburg Stadtbahn, but serial production was never initiated for Duisburg.[1]

In 1996, six trams were delivered to serve on the light rail between Mannheim, Heidelberg and Weinheim, Germany, operated by Oberrheinischen Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft. From 2001 to 2007, it ordered additional 20 trams. These were supplemented in 2002 by 8 trams for the Heidelberg Tramway, and in 2001–07 by 16 trams for the Mannheim Tramway.[1] That same year (1996), the Sydney light rail system, in Australia, took delivery of seven trams, which were built in Dandenong, Victoria.[3][4]

Helsinki

Variotram in Helsinki, Finland

Forty Variotrams were delivered to Helsinki City Transport (HKL), Finland, between 1998 and 2003 for use on the Helsinki tramway, at a cost of €76 million.[5] In service the Variotram was found to be ill-suited for Helsinki's tram network, and the trams have suffered from numerous technical problems. Before 2009 often less than half of the trams have been in working condition.[6][7]

HKL considered returning the trams to Bombardier as unsatisfactory, but after a long series of negotiations a compromise was reached in May 2007, when the responsibility for maintaining the trams was transferred to Bombardier.[7] The contract agreed in May 2007 states that, from May 2008 onwards, if more than four Variotrams in Helsinki are not in operational condition, Bombardier must pay a daily fine to the HKL for every non-operational tram. If more than eight trams are in non-operational condition, HKL has the right to cancel the contract and return the trams to Bombardier, who are obliged to return the €76 million that HKL paid for the trams.[7] In order to cope with the requirements of the agreement, Bombardier established its own maintenance workshop in Helsinki in mid-2008, located in premises of the former VR Group electric locomotive workshop in Pasilan Konepaja.[8]

Stadler

Stadler built Variobahn for the Bergen Light Rail.
Variobahn on London's Tramlink network

Following the acquisition of Adtranz by Bombardier, an agreement was reached between Bombardier and the European Commission where Bombardier would divest the Variotram division to Stadler Rail of Switzerland.[9]

Stadler has since secured contracts for delivering 8 Variobahn trams for use on the Ludwigshafen tramway, 30 trams for the Bochum–Gelsenkirchen tramway, 8 trams for the Nuremberg tramway,[1] 14 trams for the Munich tramway,[10] 12 trams for the Bergen Light Rail, 45 trams for the Graz tramway, 19 trams for the Potsdam tramway,[2] and 6 trams for the Croydon Tramlink in London.[11]

As of 2009, 254 trams have been ordered, with an additional 110 on option. A unit costs about €2.5 million.[1]

Specifications

Variobahn in Mannheim, Germany

The Variotram is a low-floor light rail tram designed for city center operation. Since customers both consist of existing and new systems, and their specifications vary, the Variotram has flexibility in specifications. It can be built as single or bi-directional, with 70 or 100% low floor. Rail gauge can be standard gauge or metre gauge. Width options include 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in), 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in), 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) and 2.65 metres (8 ft 8 in). The length varies with either three, four, five or seven articulated modules. The floor height is 350 millimetres (14 in) over the rail. The seating and standing arrangements are flexible, and the trams feature 1,350 millimetres (53 in) wide doors. The tram has hub motors on all wheels, thus eliminating the need for axles and bogies. These compact motors are the key to the low-floor concept, since they can be placed under the seating. This allows the full length of the tram to be step-free accessible from the platforms.[12]

Several of the configurations of the trams are customizable to fit each tramway. In addition to the four possible widths and choice of gauge, the trams can be custom built for the necessary length.[1] Trams are built modally, such that they can later be rebuilt extended.[13] All trams built so far have five modules and twelve wheels. The trams are available with four motor settings: four or six wheels powered with 95-kilowatt (127 hp) motors, or eight or twelve wheels with 45-kilowatt (60 hp) motors. Of the models built so far, the length has varied from 24.4 to 42.8 metres (80 to 140 ft) (Helsinki and Mannheim, respectively). Similarly, tare weight varies from 35 to 50 tonnes (34 to 49 long tons; 39 to 55 short tons). Seating capacity varies between 38 (Graz) and 100 (Heidelberg), while standing capacity peaks at 193 for the Duisburg version.[1]

Production

Variotram on the Bochum Stadtbahn U35 line, the only production on a high-floor version
System Owner Quantity Delivery Length Width Gauge Operation Seats Standing Maximum power
kW 		Ref
Chemnitz Stadtbahn Chemnitzer Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft 14 1993–2000 31.4 m (103 ft) 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) Standard Uni 89 123 8 x 45 kW [14][15]
10 2000 Bi 74 124
City-Bahn Chemnitz City-Bahn Chemnitz 6 2001
Mannheim Tramway MVV Verkehr 6 1996 32.2 m (106 ft) 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) Meter Bi 90 100 4 x 95 kW[1]
16 2002–07 42.7 m (140 ft) 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) Uni 129 130 6 x 95 kW
20 30.5 m (100 ft) Bi 80 90 4 x 95 kW
Duisberg Stadtbahn Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft 1 1996 33.8 m (111 ft) 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) Standard Bi 38 193 8 x 45 KW [3][16]
Inner West Light Rail Transport for New South Wales 7 1997–98 28.0 m (91.9 ft) 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) Standard Bi 74 143 8 x 45 kW [3][4]
Helsinki Tramway Helsinki City Transport 40 1998–2004 24.4 m (80 ft) 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) Meter Uni 55 80 8 x 45 kW [5]
Heidelberg Tramway Heidelberger Straßen- und Bergbahn 8 2002 39.4 m (129 ft) 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) Meter Bi 100 130 6 x 95 kW [3][16]
Ludwigshafen Tramway Verkehrsbetriebe Ludwigshafen am Rhein 8 2003 30.5 m (100 ft) 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) Meter Uni 88 90 4 x 95 kW [1]
Bochum–Gelsenkirchen Tramway Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen 30 2007–11 29.6 m (97 ft) 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) Meter Bi 68 120 8 x 45 kW [17]
Bochum Stadtbahn Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen 30 2007–11 29.6 m (97 ft) 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) Meter Bi 68 120 8 x 45 kW align=center
Nuremberg Tramway Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft Nürnberg 8 2007 33.8 m (111 ft) 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) Standard Uni 87 147 8 x 45 kW [1]
Munich tramway Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft 14 2008–11 33.8 m (111 ft) 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) Standard Uni 87 147 8 x 45 kW [10][18]
Bergen Light Rail Hordaland County Municipality 16 2009–12 32.2 m (106 ft) 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) Standard Bi 84 128 8 x 45 kW [13][19]
Graz Tramway Graz AG Verkehrsbetriebe 45 2009– 27.0 m (88.6 ft) 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) Standard Uni 38 113 8 x 45 kW [20]
Potsdam Tramway Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam 18 2010– 32.2 m (106 ft) 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) Standard Uni 57 118 8 x 45 kW [2][21][22]
Tramlink Transport for London 6 2012 32 m (105 ft) 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) Standard Bi 72 134 [23]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Stadler Rail. "Referenzliste Variobahn". Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Der ViP will die Variobahn". Potsdamer Neuste Nachrichten (in German). 11 October 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Metro Transport Sydney. "Technical Details and All That Stuff...". Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Sydney Light Rail Construction and Extension". Railway Technology. Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "HKL: Motor trams 201 - 240 Variotram". Finnish Tramway Society. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 27 June 2008. 
  6. ↑ Alku, Antero (6 May 2007). "Variobahn". Kaupunkiliikenne.net (in Finnish). Retrieved 27 June 2008. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Salonen, Juha (24 August 2007). "Vikojen vaivaamat raitiovaunut pysyvät Helsingin liikenteessä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 27 June 2008. 
  8. ↑ Finnish Tramway Society. "Tram repair shop: Bombardier Transportation" (in Finnish). Retrieved 29 August 2008. 
  9. ↑ Bombardier (3 April 2001). "Bombardier Welcomes the European Commission Approval of the Acquisition of Adtranz". Marketwire. Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Variobahn – eine neue Tram für München". Oekonews (in German). 2 April 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  11. ↑ "London Tramlink prepares to put new trams into service". Railway Gazette International. 15 February 2012. 
  12. ↑ Stadler. "Variobahn" (in German). Retrieved 2012-09-24. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Schmincke, Jimmy (2007). "Nye sporvogner til Bergen". På Sporet (in Norwegian) 132: 4–10. 
  14. ↑ City-Bahn Chemnitz. "Die Variobahn NGT6-LDZ" (in German). Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  15. ↑ Stadler Rail. "Chemnitzer Verkehrs-AG (CVAG), Deutschland" (in German). Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Stadler Rail. "Stadtbahn Duisburg (DVG) , Deutschland" (in German). Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  17. ↑ Stadler Rail. "Niederflur Straßenbahn Typ Variobahn" (in German). Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  18. ↑ Stadler Rail. "Niederflurstraßenbahn Typ Variobahn für die Stadtwerke München GmbH (SWM)" (in German). Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  19. ↑ Stadler Rail. "Low-floor light rail vehicle, type Variobahn for Bybanen, Norway". Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  20. ↑ Stadler Rail. "Low-floor tramway, type Variobahn for the Graz AG, Austria" (in German). Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  21. ↑ "Potsdam bestellt 19 Straßenbahnen bei Stadler". Potsdamer Neuste Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 3 April 2009. 
  22. ↑ "Variobahn Potsdam". Stadler GmbH (in German). Retrieved 20 March 2012. 
  23. ↑ "Stadler wins London Tramlink tram order". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 18 August 2011. 
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