Tatra KT4

KT4 is the model designation for a set- articulated railcar of the Czechoslovak tram manufacturer CKD Tatra.

Types

Between 1975 and 1997 a total of 1801 vehicles were built from CKD, which were used in four states at that time. KT4 is kloubová tramvaj ( articulated tram ) with four axes. According to the force from the mid-1970s types nomenclature of the manufacturer, the full type name is actually KT4A2. However, since there was no design variants such as during subsequent T6 from the supertype KT4, accounted for the addition of " A2". The technical equipment was equal to either the revised version of the type T4 ( accelerator), or the type T6A2 ( Thyristor ). The two 1972 -built prototypes were initially tested in Prague, and from 1974 in Potsdam, where they were used from 1975 to 1989 in regular service. One of them is still preserved in Potsdam as a historic railcar.

KT4D

Under the name KT4D were car to Berlin, Brandenburg, Cottbus, Erfurt, Frankfurt ( Oder), Gera, Gotha, Görlitz, Leipzig, Plauen, Zwickau Potsdam and delivered; According to Schön, oak came only after the turn surplus cars from Cottbus. Although the KT4D was meant constructively for winding and mountainous routes, Berlin received most vehicles. Here was a high demand for new vehicles since Berlin had not participated in the procurement program for the type T4D/B4D.

KT4D in Berlin

KT4D in Brandenburg an der Havel

KT4D in Erfurt

KT4D in Frankfurt ( Oder)

KT4D in Gera

KT4D in Gotha

KT4D in Görlitz

KT4D in Plauen

KT4D in Potsdam

At the SRS

KT4D in Zwickau

The KT4 vehicles can be used as a solo vehicle, double or triple traction. Triple Traction in plan operation, there is only in Erfurt and gave it for a few months (autumn 1989 to spring 1990 ) in Cottbus. In Erfurt, the cars were also in tail - to - tail - traction in regularly scheduled service to serve a route without turning loop can. Except in Berlin, where 99 railcars with thyristor ( TV3 ) were used, all the cars from the factory had the conventional accelerator control and are thus similar to technically the same type T4D. The cars for Plauen and Zwickau received a revised gear ratios to cope with the local extreme slopes can; therefore, its top speed is only 55 km / h The car with a standard transmission is within the manufacturer's instructions 65 km / h It, however, higher speeds were down. So reached vehicles of this type on the star route in Potsdam with their railway banked curves typical speeds of approximately 80 km / h

The cars are still in almost all the cities in which they were delivered, in active use plan. An exception is Leipzig, where in 1984 gave all cars in Berlin. This was due to the insufficient capacity of a KT4D double header against T4D -scale trains ( triple tractions of KT4D could not take place due to small sized power supply), which is why we refrained from further purchases of this type and available for only eight did not maintain a separate service line. Meanwhile one of these railcars in the Historic Train Station Leipzig- Möckern has returned. In Cottbus 26 KT4D were modernized and converted into KTNF6 (see below) and submitted the remaining vehicles except Tw 65. For all companies, the vehicles were modernized after the turn. While they are primarily at smaller businesses in the longer term part of everyday life, they have been partially replaced in the larger cities by low floor vehicles and resigned from the service. Many of these vehicles have been found in Eastern Europe a second home and there are certainly even longer dominate the skyline.

KT4Dm in Frankfurt / Oder

KT4Dm in Gera

Tw 301, a KT4D mod in Gotha 2005

The two current color schemes in Görlitz

Modernized KT4D in Plauen

KT4Dm double header in Potsdam

KT4DC from Zwickau

KT4D 82 in Galaţi, before Berlin

KT4Dm in Szczecin, ex Berlin

Ex - Potsdam KT4D in the Hungarian city of Szeged

KT4D 128 in Tallinn, before he associated in Cottbus

Modernization in Gotha

The Tatras used in Gotha and on the Thüringerwaldbahn type KT4D of 1981 and 1982 have all been modernized between 1997 and 2000, it was almost the entire electrical equipment replaced. Since then, the term is used KT4D mod (mod for modernized ) for these vehicles.

KTNF6 and KTNF8

Some of the modernized KT4D units in Brandenburg, Cottbus and Gera were provided with a low-floor midsection, which was inserted between the two halves of cars and extended the vehicles to eight meters. Tallinn also had provided some tracks with low-floor midsection. Since the vehicles have become about ten tons heavier by the reconstruction, all tracks, the anchor of the traction motors (higher number of turns in a smaller cross section ) have been re- wrapped, so that the engine power of 45 increased to 50 to 54 kilowatts.

Depending on the number of axes the tags as KTNF6 (Brandenburg [ Havel ], Cottbus ) or as KTNF8 ( Gera ) were referred to, in Tallinn as KT6T. Compared to an expensive new purchase of low-floor vehicles, this option was particularly attractive because the at that time not yet obsolete vehicles continue to be used and yet the passenger friendliness could be enhanced by the low-floor area. The middle part of KTNF6 is made of fiberglass -reinforced plastic, a development of Schindler Waggon. The steer U-shaped gekröpfen axes with loose wheels are a development of FIAT -SIG. The middle part has 17 seats and space for wheelchairs, prams, bicycles and luggage.

KTNF6 in Cottbus

KT6T in Tallinn

KT4SU

Due to the success of the KT4 in the GDR, the Soviet Union from 1980 also ordered this car type. Previously drove from 1976 two prototypes in the Ukrainian city of Lviv today. Although no difference to the KT4D was the vehicles delivered to the USSR were called KT4SU. A total of 415 units were delivered to the street railway companies in Evpatoria, Kaliningrad, Lviv, Liepāja, Pyatigorsk, Vinnitsa and Zhitomir.

In the tram in Tallinn twelve cars were equipped with dual-axis analog Cottbus Brandenburg and low-floor middle parts of Mittenwalder equipment construction.

KT4YU

From 1980 KT4YU were delivered to the tram and the tram Belgrade Zagreb. During the complete inventory against the KT4YU was replaced in Belgrade, the wrong car in Zagreb next to older cars, the type T4YU. 1997 Belgrade was the last produced KT4. Of the many Belgrade vehicles were extensively modernized with indigenous technology, also the last production series vehicles are now updated.

KT4YUBM in Belgrade

Tatra KT4YU in Zagreb

KT4K

In 1991, a total of 50 cars were delivered as KT4K to the tram in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. After a few years of use the car, however, was the joint removed due to technical problems in the People's Republic of China, the two car body halves were welded into one unit. It emerged very long four axles.