Stadtbahnwagen B
The LRVs B ( short B-car ) is a regelspuriges high-floor light rail vehicle of the 1973-1999 total of just 470 examples were built, which come in various rail networks in North Rhine -Westphalia for use.
The vehicle was developed by the Düsseldorf wagon factory DUEWAG who also built the most part. In general, these are by 2.65 meters wide and 28 meters long, two-part vehicles on three bogies with six axes. Some vehicles in Dortmund were extended with additional middle parts, these have eight axes.
Development
The late 1960s, the plan was to build a light rail system Rhein-Ruhr between Dusseldorf and Dortmund. The uniform of the vehicle LRVs A was provided, which was planned as a two-car kurzgekuppelter. The supply of traction current should be via a side track. But also a version for the overhead line use as well as with folding stages for forward traffic was discussed.
In the Cologne / Bonn own rail network should arise. There were two special features: Light rail should use the route network of the Cologne-Bonn trains between Cologne and Bonn, which is why the vehicles had to be admitted as a railway vehicle according to the EEO. In the center of Cologne, a tunnel had already been built with narrow curve radii for the tram, should also use the light rail. Federal and state governments refused at that time to participate in the financing, because there the required alignment design of light rail Rhine -Ruhr were not met for the operation of the A- car.
Because of rail cars A failed due to the latter condition, a private vehicle was planned, the rail cars called B. Three prototypes (two in Cologne, one in Bonn) were delivered in 1973. Finally, the LRVs B was adopted as a provisional and first used in Essen from 1977 for the rail network Rhein- Ruhr. The Type A was never built for the light rail along the Rhine and Ruhr. A version with style similar to the planned A- car parameters was realized in 1981 for the light rail Stuttgart under the name DT 8.
The Cologne and Essen cars had thereby get a red / white paint. The Bonn coaches were painted in two shades of green.
The B-car was built in several series. The first version with split front windshield ( B100S ) moves to Cologne ( Series 2000), Bonn ( 74xx to 77xx ) and Essen / Mülheim an der Ruhr ( 50xx series ). At the opening of the Düsseldorf Stadtbahn 1981 12 cars of type B 80 ( 4001-12 ) have been procured in steel through the Rhine railway. These vehicles already had a one-piece windscreen and large target movie baskets and AC drive. The top speed was only 80 km / h A new version with aluminum structure and altered folding stages ( for a more comfortable boarding ) came from 1984 in Dusseldorf used (series 41xx to 42xx ), some with breakfast room ( Rheinbahn Bistro; 4101-4104 ). For these vehicles, the single door was omitted from the driving position to the left in favor of a larger driver space. The vehicles of the pre-production, the doors were subsequently removed. For Duisburg to almost the same type of car was delivered, but in steel construction ( 47xx ). Some were equipped with a dining compartment. Duisburg and Dusseldorf ( there already with the articulated cars (trams ) series GT8S ) also chose the rail painting, but a darker red
From 1983, procured Bonn ( 83xx and 84xx ) and Cologne ( 2100) Other B - series, the more adjusted to the type of Duisburg in execution. A card inserted in Cologne series, which originated in the late 1980s, has only a driver's cab at one end of the car ( 2200 series ) and therefore only runs in double header. From this type the Berlin "Waggon - Union " returned ten vehicles to Cologne. This delivery was in 1993 developed into a new series (2300 ), which again had two cabs. It ajar forms of B- car will be there, also used as an eight-axle version with a middle part in Bochum and Dortmund.
The LRVs B there are similar versions at the city railway in Karlsruhe (see also GT6 -80C, GT8 -80C, GT8-100C/2S ). Also take B-car, partly by underground -like doors equipped, in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara / Mexico. (B- compatibility due to the export hopes the manufacturer ) Furthermore come abroad Railcars with B- parameters in Lausanne / Switzerland, London ( with busbar, part upside today after reconstruction for catenary operation in Essen ), Newcastle upon Tyne / United Kingdom, Pittsburgh, St. Louis / USA, Ankara ( with track) and Bursa / Turkey ( there original DUEWAG - type ) are used. Some Cologne vehicles of the first series were sold to Istanbul in 2007.
Successor
Since the mid- 1990s, the B-car is no longer under development. Various manufacturers offer vehicles with similar parameters to replace aging vehicles.
- Siemens CitySprinter
- Bombardier Flexity Swift ( K5000 )
- Stadler Tango
To date, Bombardier has sold 73 vehicles to Cologne and Bonn, which were delivered in 2002 /2003. The decommissioned in Bonn B-car secured the Dortmunder Stadtwerke in an international bidding contest.
Bochum 2005 ordered six Stadler Tango. Contrary to the original specification, these vehicles can not be combined with the existing B80D. However, it is planned to have modernize their technical systems by Stadler. This would not only extend the life increased to about 40 years, but also created the possibility of using mixed double traction.
Modernization
Due to reductions in vehicle production and dissatisfaction with the successor series, both the Bonner, as well as the Cologne Transport Authority have decided to renounce new acquisitions in the medium term and instead to modernize their oldest B-car comprehensively.
Second position Bonn
Stadtwerke Bonn have with the so-called " second position" of its 25 B-cars of model years 1974 to 1977, which should thus be upgraded for an additional 25 years of operation, started in 2009. For about 1.12 million Euros per vehicle new, regenerative drives are installed, the cab increased, the front of the vehicle and the passenger compartment redesigned. The prototype will be completed in 2009, then to four vehicles to be upgraded every year.
Conversion Cologne
The Cologne transporting enterprises have begun the comprehensive modernization of 28 B-cars built between 1984 and 1985 since 2010. For 1.6 million Euros per vehicle a driver's cab, the interior and the front design to be modernized and installed a heating units. The second cab is omitted in favor of an enlarged passenger compartment, making the vehicles similar to the 2200 series are still only used in double traction. A prototype was manufactured until June 2011, since 2012, seven cars per year to be rebuilt.
B-car in Germany
Legend: 80: Maximum speed 80 km / h 100: Maximum speed 100 km / h C: DC motor having a chopper control D: AC motor S: DC motor with rear derailleur control / 6: six-axle / 8: Achtachser