Tram-Train

As a tram-train ( regional rail ) refers to the linking of urban road or rail systems with regional railways in rail passenger transport. The goal is to create transition free connections between downtown and the surrounding area. Often there are multi-system vehicles used; in other cases, routes are adapted so that the existing vehicles can pass over into the other system.

The term Tram-Train was doing only coined around the turn of the millennium around, links between trams and railways, however, have existed since the beginning of the 19th century. Apart from passenger freight cars were also delivered via the tram network directly to businesses or picked up from these in many cities.

In addition to permit legal aspects of transfers of the vehicles are to be observed from one mode to another particular technical parameters. These mainly include the dimensions of the tires in conjunction with the frogs of course, also the power system, the loading gauge, the platform heights and safety techniques.

• 4.1 Vehicle Technology
• 4.2 Transport Engineering
• 4.3 Organisation

• 5.1 Germany 5.1.1 Today 5.1.1.1 Karlsruhe
• 5.1.1.2 Saarbrücken
• 5.1.1.3 Kassel
• 5.1.1.4 Chemnitz
• 5.1.1.5 Zwickau
• 5.1.1.6 Nordhausen
• 5.1.1.7 Heidelberg and Mannheim
• 5.1.1.8 Ludwigshafen
• 5.1.1.9 Cologne / Bonn

• 5.1.2.1 Berlin
• 5.1.2.2 Frankfurt am Main
• 5.1.2.3 Stuttgart
• 5.1.2.4 Strausberg
• 5.1.2.5 Pforzheim

• 5.2.1 Today 5.2.1.1 Vienna
• 5.2.1.2 Innsbruck
• 5.2.1.3 Linz

• 5.2.2.1 Pressburger Bahn
• 5.2.2.2 Salzburg
• 5.2.2.3 St. Pölten

• 5.3.1 Basel
• 5.3.2 St. Gallen
• 5.3.3 Zurich
• 5.3.4 Bern
• 5.3.5 Biel

• 5.4.1 Ile- de -France
• 5.4.2 Mulhouse
• 5.4.3 Nantes
• 5.4.4 Lyon

Term

The term tram-train is mainly common in French, sometimes in English-speaking countries. In German-speaking countries there are for such transport systems have different names and terms, such as tram-train ( in the professional world in general and as a name for the project Brunswick in particular), RegioTram (Kassel, in the planning stage in Biel) or Saarbahn (Saarbrücken ).

The term light rail is used in English is broader and refers to any form of rail-mounted passenger that is running either not fully railroad compatible vehicles or rail routes that do not have absolute priority over road traffic, which is usually associated with railway own. He is most likely in German translated by rail.

The term is often used multi-system or dual-system Stadtbahn means that the vehicles of such a transport system in terms of the respective operating systems (such as tram construction and operation order ( BOStrab ) and railway construction and operations (EBO ) ), including the train control systems simultaneously tram - as well as railway vehicles and use different power supplies or systems, or even wheelsets and have solutions for different gauges. The vehicles are thus usually to the Light transport railcars ( LNT ).

Karlsruhe Model

The use of the term "Karlsruhe model " for tram-train systems refers to the region of Karlsruhe, in 1992, a two- rail system in the narrow sense was first introduced to create transfer- and thus attractive urban-rural connections. Previously, the Albtalbahn already been umgespurt and electrified and so integrated as a classic overland tram in the urban tramway system. This line was then extended to a disused for passenger DB line. Today's dual mode operation takes place both on their own routes and from the DB leased lines with only minimal other rail traffic, as well as on DB routes in mixed traffic with other rail traffic. On the old tracks of the Karlsruhe local train later did the line S2 as a modern interurban tram, but which is licensed as a single Karlsruhe S -Bahn line throughout as tram. Thus, the Karlsruhe model is characterized by a flexibility in the choice of the appropriate concepts. Only Diesel-electric drive or hybrid drive from the possible building blocks of a tram-train concept can not be used in Karlsruhe, the Karlsruhe model is thus a purely electric tram-train version.

In Karlsruhe, the system is referred to as light rail and bearing the logo of the S -Bahn, which is an otherwise unusual dependence of the term designed to in Germany otherwise than pure rail (heavy rail) train, where the abbreviation for city high-speed railway is. This based on a technically actually strongly deviating system is based on the similarity of the operation tasks of both systems, city and suburbs and surrounding areas to connect with each other because this aspect of the relationship to the passenger plays a prominent role. These local shortcut is therefore to be understood as a brand.

As the founder of the Karlsruhe model Dieter Ludwig apply on the part of AVG, the VBK and the KVV and Horst Emmerich on the part of DB.

Transport Planning significance

In public transport from agglomerations of regional traffic on railway lines can, in many instances with relatively large travel speeds come up, its stops are often far from sources and destinations of traffic. The construction of new railway lines near train stations connected with targeted particularly in urban areas with high costs. City buses and trams are in turn by their many stops and Allergies by car traffic rather slow.

The dual-system Stadtbahn overcomes this problem by overcoming the system boundaries between the railway and tram, enabling the use of regional railway lines by rail lines that go to the city limits from the railway on the tram network and thus can drive in a tram in the middle of the big cities - the Umsteigezwang for passengers eliminated thereby.

It should be noted that the investments compared to pure road or rail solutions are higher due to the higher demands on the vehicles ( see below), routes and forms of organization. The cost per space can be up to twice as high for tram-train vehicles. An advantage results when using smaller units a more attractive dense clock and a better transfer- development is made possible with more customer-oriented and hold, if track use fees etc. not erode the advantage.

The gauges of railway and tramway system should be identical thereto. Otherwise, multi-rail tracks must be relocated, certain sections fully umgespurt infrastructure side or a gauging of the vehicles are provided in the system change.

Historical development

By the early 20th century, efforts were made with suburban and local railways to organize by a combination of inner-city tram systems a rail-based urban-rural transport (eg in Mannheim and Basel). However, it was at the busy railway lines to small railways or local railways, tramways often a similar operation had so little technical and organizational adjustments were required. Later this operation on municipal by- ( Albtalbahn ) and major railways (Cologne - Bonn railway ) was transferred, with a kind of overland tram service was created by adaptation of the railway lines and the electrification of the power system of the tram to the rules of the Railway Construction and Operating Rules. On all these routes partly a mixed traffic with local, steam or diesel-powered goods Zugen took place.

However, to be able to offer in the relations in which no local railway lines could be used, an attractive public transport, the idea of linking regional lines of the German Railways with the urban tramway network was built in Karlsruhe in the early 1980s ( Karlsruhe model). These routes, however, were already partly electrified with the power system of the Federal Railroad or should continue to be used by (also electric ) trains, so electrification with the current system of tram was excluded. In addition, issues of organizational and legal issues in connection with the operation of municipal light rail vehicles on federal railroad tracks and issues of financial compensation for the use of the track infrastructure had the tracking of rail cars on the railroad tracks, to be clarified. With the help of test drives with a temporary system for two cars converted Karlsruhe tram- car on DB routes 1986, the technical issues have been largely resolved, so that the development standard two system rail cars could be initiated. The clarification of the organizational and legal issues required for some time because the imported in the course of the railway reform rules for non-discriminatory network access did not exist and the operation of another railway company was breaking new ground in passenger traffic on DB tracks.

After clarification of all questions, the construction of a link between road and rail network and modernization of Kraichgaubahn was 1992, the first dual-system Stadtbahn traffic between Karlsruhe and Bretten - Gölshausen be introduced. The great success of this offer - passenger numbers increased within a few weeks to five times - led to a rapid expansion of the dual-system Stadtbahn network in Karlsruhe surrounding areas as well as the establishment of similar transport systems in Saarbrücken, Chemnitz, Mulhouse ( Alsace ), Nordhausen and Cassel. In several cities, the construction of two light rail system is planned, eg in Braunschweig.

Technical and organizational implementation

In order to combine rail and tram systems, vehicle technology, traffic structures and the organization need to be adjusted from a mere Straßen-/Stadtbahnbetrieb. This force the technical differences between the two modes of transport as well as the different operating rules, namely Regulation concerning the construction and operation of the trams in the tram area and the railway construction and operating order and the railway signal order ( ESO) in the railway sector.

Vehicle Technology

For mixed systems, light rail / train, the question of energy supply is central: trams are abundantly supplied with direct current voltage 500-750 volts, operate railways, however, either in the diesel operation without catenary or electrically operated traction power: in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the AC with a voltage of 15 kV and a frequency of 16.7 Hz one therefore needs vehicles that are either designed for both current systems or which may be operating independently of the catenary. For this purpose, three concepts were developed:

• Two system rail cars are out with the electrical equipment for the DC operation also equipped with a transformer, rectifier and system selection and automatic suck so for both current systems. Test runs with a provisionally converted vehicle found place in 1986 in the Karlsruhe area. Such vehicles are now used in Karlsruhe, Saarbrücken and Kassel and in the Ile- de -France region ( 50 Hz ) are used.
• Vehicles with hybrid drive DC / diesel engine operated in the city area electrically, while a diesel engine is switched to the external routes, so that there is a diesel- electric drive. A first such vehicle is created experimentally in Nordhausen by installing a diesel engine in an older trams. Today, standard equipped with a hybrid drive cars operate in Nordhausen and Cassel. Such vehicles usually operate only on non-electrified lines.
• Vehicles with DC drive and battery storage. Experiments with such a drive system found place in 1989 in Karlsruhe, however, were not developed to the production stage.

Trams drive on tracks with tight grooved rails, at intersections and flat grooves are placed in which the wheel runs on the wheel flanges. Railway wheels are wider, so they can be performed on the wheel treads viable even when driving over turnout frogs, whereby the gap between the rail and check rail is greater for railway turnouts than track switches. These substantial differences in the geometry of the tires require adjustments in the mixed Straßenbahn-/Eisenbahnsystemen. The wheel tire of a vehicle that can safely drive on both systems must combine a workable narrow flange with a wide wheel tread. For the vehicles of Albtalbahn and the Cologne - Bonn railway, the early perverse inner-city in a mixed mode with trams, a matching wheel tire had already been developed, which is further developed for the two-system rail vehicles.

The stiffness of tram and railway vehicles is also different: for railway railcar longitudinal stiffness of 1500 kN is required that reaches the tram and light rail vehicles usually only 200-600 kN. Therefore, the use of dual-system Stadtbahn car was allowed until the early 1990s, only on certain routes until 1993 with the so-called LNT Directive ( officially: Specific conditions for the traffic of Light transport railcars ( LNT ) in mixed operation with control vehicles of railway public transport ) a general scheme for the mixed mode light rail / railway was created. She asks, in essence, that vehicles with a stiffness of 1500 kN or less of active safety measures must compensate for the noncompliant frame stiffness. This reach, inter alia, rail cars by the opposite rail vehicles significantly higher braking deceleration. In addition, the LNT Directive limited the maximum speed for easy transport railcars and prohibits their use on lines with top speeds over 160 km / h

Rail cars are wider than urban and tramway vehicles, the use of light rail vehicles on railway lines, therefore, remains a 20-30 cm wide gap between vehicle and platform, which is bridged through technical adjustments. Are usual retractable treads: enabling Karlsruhe city tracks with their optional matching 34 or 55 cm retractable treads both old low road platforms with 1.35 m distance from the track center to low-floor platforms with 34 cm height and 1.58 m spacing and at a central landing platforms keep up with EEO -compliant height of 55 cm in 1.65 m distance. In contrast, Kassel Gleisverschlingungen were created in the platform area, so that the smaller trams can be brought closer to the platform, while the broader railway vehicles use a separate pair of rails in the usual distance to the platform.

Two system rail vehicles must be fitted with safety techniques, both of roads as of railways, so they have next to the inductive switch control of the trams, the usual in the railway sector Inductive command. The radio system must be designed to operate radio tram and train radio for.

Transport Engineering

Tram and rail network must be connected by transition routes first and foremost. Under certain circumstances, we built on this link, the power system separation point. Separation points are 50 to 200 m long electroless catenary sections that are driving circuit-and seemed mutually electrically isolated by section insulators against the two adjacent power systems. You must be traversed with momentum. If a vehicle inadvertently de-energized section are, so DC is temporarily fed, with which the vehicle can leave the section again. They shall also happy with a slight slope, so the slope descending alone can put a broken-down vehicle is in motion. The system separation point does not necessarily coincide with the legal boundary between the railway and tram system.

Organization

The driving and operating personnel must be trained both as a driver after BOStrab as well as according to EBO. The light rail be operated transport company must be approved by BOStrab as according to EBO.

Previously, to create even specific legal, organizational and financial arrangements to enable the operation of a third party transport company at the federal railway tracks for the operation of a rail on railway tracks. These were generalized in Germany with the railway reform, so that today no more individual arrangements are necessary.

Areas of application

Germany

Today

Karlsruhe

→ Main article: Stadtbahn Karlsruhe and Heilbronn Stadtbahn

In Karlsruhe, the two light rail system has been gradually developed:

• Since 1959, operate tramcars on the Albtalbahn, a local railway line that was changed in their Umspurung of 8800 to 750 volts DC and linked to the tram network. In 1966, according to the same pattern and the railway line Busenbach - Ittersbach.
• Since 1979, operate tramcars on the standard gauge from the beginning, but not originally electrified Hardt Railway, also under DC catenary. At that time, the track still belonged to the route network of the German Federal Railways, but was operated by only a few freight delivery stops.
• Since 1991, two-system rail cars drove as commuter trains of the German Federal Railways between Karlsruhe and Pforzheim Hbf, first exclusively under AC overhead line and according to EBO.
• In 1992, the first two- rail system was opened to Bretten - Gölshausen in mixed traffic under direct and alternating current overhead line on the test operation in the 1980s.

The Karlsruhe network has expanded to over 400 kilometers of track length. In addition to the Karlsruhe tram network and the regional railway lines and Heilbronn, Bad Wildbad own city routes were in Wörth am Rhein, created to be operated at 750 volts direct current and therefore have their own system change places.

Saarbrucken

→ Main article: Saarbahn

In Saarbrücken, a new urban rail system opened in 1997, which includes in addition to a newly built tram route in Saarbrücken city center and a cross-border, electrified railway line to Sarreguemines / Sarreguemines. This line has now been extended by Riegelsberg and Walpershofen where it pivots on the former railway line to Lebach - Jabach until after Heusweiler. The construction of a second line between Saarlouis and Sankt Ingbert was provisionally postponed for financial reasons. As in Saarbrücken no existing tram service had to be taken into account, the Saarbahn could waive Kompromissradreifen and also used on the city routes tires as well as command and groove widths according to EBO.

Kassel

In Kassel since 28 May 1995 tram ride vehicles under direct current overhead line on the former route of the Kassel- Naumburg railway to Baunatal - Großenritte, which is also used by freight and of the museum railway " Hessencourrier ". Since June 8, 2001, the former Kassel Forest Kappeler path is traveled by Helsa, the extension of the Losse Valley Railway to Hessisch Lichtenau was opened on 28 January 2006. Since 10 June 2001, a RegioTram forward operation took place on the track Warburg Kassel Hbf.

Since 8 May 2005, the new RegioTram vehicles driving on the track Kassel - Hofgeismar - Warburg and since January 2006 on the route Kassel - Lossetal. The route Kassel - Melsungen was officially inaugurated on 23 June 2006 and the route Kassel -. Wolfhagen On 27 January 2007 Through the tunnel under the main railway station in Kassel is the RegioTram permanently connected to the Kassel tram network. The construction work began on this Hauptbahnhof ( Kulturbahnhof ) on 12 August 2005. The tunnel under the main station was opened on August 19, 2007, since September 16, go four RegioTram lines through this tunnel in the city center of Kassel. This is thus a first combination of tram and S-Bahn.

Chemnitz

Since 2002, operating in Chemnitz city trains on the railway line to Stollberg ( Erzgeb. ). For this, the railway line was electrified with direct current. The introduction of light rail operation is planned on three other railway lines in the Chemnitz surrounding areas to Burgstädt, Mittweida and Hainichen as well as a new line to Limbach- Oberfrohna, where hybrid vehicles are to be used.

Zwickau

In Zwickau solution go DMUs Vogtlandbahn over to the tram network Zwickau. About the main train station, they operate on a siding and a dreischienig developed tram route to the city center. Unlike the rest of the tram-train models go in Zwickau only slightly adapted classic mainline vehicles, they were retrofitted, for example, turn signals, on comparatively expensive made-up tram infrastructure.

Nordhausen

In the Thuringian town of Nordhausen meterspurige urban tram operation was also connected to the meter-gauge Harzquerbahn. It operate hybrid streetcar Combino Duo until after Ilfeld on the route of the Harz narrow gauge railway.

Heidelberg and Mannheim

Today as a ring line Mannheim - Heidelberg - Weinheim - Four Home - powered Mannheim train goes in a round trip four times between BOStrab and ESBO.

Ludwigshafen

The well - Rhine Haardtbahn named range in the Vorderpfalz was opened in 1913. It begins in Bad Durkheim and goes into Oggersheim in the tram network of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. Operationally, it is currently (as of 2013) after crossing of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim with the stitch line Mannheim -Käfertal - Heddesheim the Upper Rhine Railway linked.

Cologne / Bonn

The converted to a tram-train without multi-system technique stretches of Cologne - Bonn railway connecting the two networks of rail Cologne and Bonn Stadtbahn, with the latter, the SSB is also in the Bonn / Siegburg linked. In addition, the EEO operated by railway line between Cologne and Frechen the former Cologne - Frechen- Benzelrather Railway ( KFBE ) is integrated into Cologne city railway network. In addition, a new dual - system tram line from Hauptbahnhof Bonn Airport Cologne / Bonn on the Kennedy Bridge and system change at Bonn- Vilich in discussion.

Former

Berlin

The tram line 120, which on 11 November 1929 to 1945 between applicants Spandau West (now Berlin- Spandau) and Hennig village perverse used partially tracks the Bötzow web. Because only electric tram went there, no change of the voltage was held. The line was put into operation after the war not again, all track systems (railway and tram) were shut down and partially degraded.

Frankfurt am Main

The northern route branches of the U -Bahn Frankfurt, ie U1 to Ginnheim, the U2 to Bad Homburg - Gonzenheim and U3 after Hohemark were initially - the subway went into operation in 1968 - from Heddernheim as railway licensed according to EBO, as took place in this area until 1983 freight. This so-called subway line A is a relic of the former Frankfurt local railway, of which today's subway operating company Stadtwerke transport company Frankfurt am Main in 1955 took over a portion of the routes.

Stuttgart

On the Stuttgart Filderstadt plateau drove up in the 1980s meter gauge trams and standard gauge freight trains on shared three rail tracks. This was the case on the Stuttgart- Degerloch -Stuttgart- Möhringen, Stuttgart -Möhringen -Stuttgart- Hohenheim and Stuttgart -Möhringen -Stuttgart -Vaihingen. This had (SSB ) taken once from the private Filderbahn Society ( FBG), the Stuttgart trams AG. On the route Degerlocher only one of the two directional tracks was performed dreischienig, a freight train was traveling so the trams had to dodge this on the wrong track in left-hand traffic.

Strausberg

The Strausberg Railway, now a tram, was formerly licensed as a railroad. It drove while conventional streetcars in mixed traffic with freight trains. The former possessed a mixed profile with 115 mm wide tires.

Pforzheim

In Pforzheim perverted 1911-1964 coming from the direction Ittersbach Broad Pforzheimer small train earlier from the district Brötzingen on the tracks of the tram Pforzheim to the city center. While two tracks were meterspurig, but had different voltages. Pending the harmonization of the electricity system in 1931, the trains in train were therefore drawn in the urban area of electric locomotives of the street railway company.

Austria

Today

Vienna

From Baden Coming from the traits of the Vienna local railway (WLB ) Go -operated local railway Vienna -Baden since their opening in the 19th century on the network of tram Vienna. On the local railway section of the project is on the top line to a slightly higher voltage than in the urban network. In the mixing operation section lie in the continuous main tracks to ensure uninterrupted running edge points with moving wing rails.

Innsbruck

In the Tyrol opened in 1904 and chartered as a local train Stubaitalbahn was associated in 1983 with the also meter-gauge tram network Innsbruck. Since then, the trains from the Stubai Valley - about her former terminus on the outskirts addition - consistently in the center of Innsbruck. With the conversion originally operated at 3000 volts AC Stubaitalbahn had to be converted to the normal in city mains 900 volts direct current.

Linz

In Linz the traits of Pöstlingbergbahn been running since 2009 on its former endpoint in Urfahr addition to the main central square of Linz. Previously, the route of the cable car was adapted to the standard parts of the tram Linz, ie 1000 umgespurt to 900 millimeters and changed from rod to Einholmstromabnehmerbetrieb.

In addition, was opened in 1913, the local railway Ebelsberg -St. Florian from 1929 connected in Ebelsberg with the Linz tram. However, the railcar Florianerbahn could not go to the tram network, because they were too wide. In turn, it appeared the local railway company too costly tram car to rent for the use of and to St. Florian. However, there was in the summer of 1929 and the summer of 1930 on the occasion of the Bruckner Festival Concerts at St. Florian continuous sidecar between Linz and St. Florian. In 1938 the local train was eventually rededicated in a tram before due to a shortening of the line E in 1973 lost their connection to the tram network, and finally in 1974 its operations wholly ceased.

Former

Pressburger Bahn

The former Pressburg Railway once ran from the city centers of Vienna and Bratislava, formerly Pressburg. The 60 -kilometer route was designed in the urban areas of Vienna and Bratislava as a tram. In Bratislava also shared by tram Bratislava there were used three-rail track, in Vienna, however, only level at-grade intersections with the city tram. A special feature of this early dual-system operation, the overland route was electrified with alternating current ( 16 ⅔ Hz, 16,500 volts), the city routes, however, with 600 volts and 550 volts DC.

Salzburg

In the center of Salzburg Salzburg region, the tram told her earlier tracks with the local railway Salzburg slope Enderstein. In the Community section, the local railway trains operated only with 800 volts direct current, instead of the usual on the overland sections voltage of 1000 volts.

St. Pölten

The standard gauge tramway Opened in 1911, St. Pölten owned numerous sidings, on which freight cars, the state railway were delivered and picked up. For this, the grooved rails were 60 millimeters wide on the mixed mode routes, while those were only 32 millimeters wide on the pure passenger sections. 1976 ended the electric street railway operation, but the connection Glanzstoff factory on the Duke Burger Street was still until its closure in 2008 operated with a ÖBB diesel locomotive or a Unimog.

Switzerland

Basel

The of the Basel traffic operations (BVB ) powered Basel tram network is closely linked with the four leading into the countryside Railroads Basel- Aesch, Basel -Dornach, Basel- Pratteln and Basel- digger village, operated by the Basel Land transport ( BLT). While the former three are linked from the beginning with the urban network, the harvester villages route was adapted only in the years 1982-1984 for operation with trams and connected to the city network.

St. Gallen

The Trogenerbahn drives within the city of St. Gallen as a double-track -developed tram on grooved rails of the road space, in this case they used partly also the tracks of the 1957 set tram St. Gallen. The trains have this, turn signals and a bell. From the outskirts of the trains to Trogen, however, on its own line and with a higher voltage to the Dodge they cross one another - as in the Swiss railway usual - in the left-hand traffic.

Zurich

The operated at 1200 volts DC Forchbahn wrong direction from Esslingen coming from the Zurich suburbs with a voltage of only 600 volts on the network of tram Zurich. She uses this in the urban area the infrastructure of the Zurich Public Transport ( VBZ) and is - integrated as S18 in the network of S -Bahn Zurich - the only Zurich tram line.

Bern

The trains of the railway line Bern -Worb village, which is operated by the Regional Bern-Solothurn (RBS ), drive already from the beginning to the center of the Swiss capital. Since 2010, they go beyond the diameter line 6 to Fischermätteli. In turn, since access specially adapted classic trams from the urban society Bernmobil Worb.

Biel

In the city of Berne Biel there are plans for a RegioTram that a newly created from the Biel- Täuffelen -ins -Bahn and the city of Biel should consist traversing tram line ( RegioTram agglomeration Biel / Bienne ). 2013 referendum on the necessary loans will be held; the construction itself is estimated for 2016-2020.

France

Ile- de -France

The French state railway has started in November 2006, a light rail operation in the Paris area with rail cars on the electrified railway line between Aulnay -sous -Bois and Bondy. Although referred to as a tram T4, shall state the busy railroad property of RFF. The route can not be navigated by "normal" railway vehicles, as tram signals are used and the loading gauge has been reduced.

Also under construction routes between North Tangentielle Sartrouville and Noisy- le -Sec and Tangential Ouest between Saint- Germain -en- Laye and Saint- Cyr will be operated according to the Tram-Train principle.

Mulhouse

In Mulhouse in Alsace since December 2010 a two tram-train system in operation. This connects the Mülhauser station forecourt with Thann Saint -Jacques. The fair is jointly operated by the SNCF and Soléa, the Mülhausener transport companies. The trunk is used by Siemens Avanto vehicles. The vehicles use the tram network Mulhouse up after Lutterbach, then the tracks of the railway Lutter Bach Kruth.

Nantes

In the region of Nantes, a tram-train system is under construction. For use of the vehicles come Citadis Dualis Alstom.

Nantes- Clisson Since 15 June 2011, the Tram-Train runs from Nantes to Clisson, on St Sébastien Pas Enchantés, St Sébastien Frêne Rond, Vertou, La Haie Fouassière and Le Pallet. In September 2011, all compounds were taken over by the tram-train. The journey time is 29 minutes. The investments in the amount of 6.55 million euros were taken over 97 percent of the region, three percent controls the SNCF at. Currently there is no connection by tram from Nantes, this is to follow at a later date.

Nantes- Châteaubriant This railway line with a length of 62 kilometers, was taken in 1877 by the Compagnie du Chemin de fer de Paris à Orléans ( PO) in operation and decommissioned in 1980 chemins de fer français of national (SNCF) by the successor company Société. Since 2001 there were plans to reactivate the route, 2008, the resumption of railway operations was decided on the basis of a Tram -Trains. The extensive restructuring measures (renovation of bridges, renovation of the track bed, rail, signaling devices and Improvement of stations or stops) could be completed in 2013; the electrification of the line lasted until June 2013 After extensive test drives the route Nantes was -. Châteaubriant with a total of 11 stops taken on February 28, 2014 again. Thus the northeastern hinterland is better connected with the metropolis. A trip from Nantes to Châteaubriant lasts about an hour.

The total investment for this route are estimated at around 207 million euros. 53 million euros will be spent on rolling stock. The Pays de la Loire region, the Loire -Atlantique, the French State, the EU contribute to the cost of funding, SNCF and the metropolitan area of ​​Nantes.

In the city of Nantes is run between the station and the tram Babinière operation ( that is, with 1.5 kV DC ), the speed limit is there 70 km / h; the route Babinière - Châteaubriant is alternating current ( 25 kV, 50 Hz) operated at speeds of up to 100 km / h

Are used 24 Citadis Dualis trains from Alstom. Each set offers 250 traveler place and has about 100 seats. The trains are delivered part of an order of 200 Dualis trains by SNCF on demJahr 2007.

Lyon

The tram - train de l' Ouest Lyonnais opens up the western part of the Greater Lyon. Since December 8, 2012 connect Tram -Trains Citadis Dualis series the Lyon Saint -Paul Station with Brignais, Sain -Bel, Lozanne. The expansion of routes ( electrification, renewal of the superstructure ) and the purchase of vehicles has cost a total of 294.7 million euros. The operation is provided by SNCF. There are yet no connection to the tram network.

Spain

Since 2006, the FGV put a on the route from Alicante to El Campello Tram -Train tracks Vossloh similar to those used in Saarbrücken. Since 10 May 2007, also part of the tunnel route in the city center in operation.

Italy

2009 an extension of the operating since 2006 Stadtbahn Sassari has been opened; Since then run the joint type cars AnsaldoBreda Sirio also adjacent to the narrow-gauge train to Sassari, Sassari, between the stations and Santa Maria di Pisa.

Netherlands

• Randstadrail (The Hague, Rotterdam, The Hague - Zoetermeer / Bleiswijk ).

Czechia

Opened in the years 1925 to 1927 railway Ostrava- Svinov - Kyjovice - Budišovice, a private local train was 1947/48 electrified and integrated into the network of tram Ostrava. Since the 1970 made ​​capping the connection to the state railway is a pure Tramway. The same fate befell the adjacent railway line Ostrava- Svinov - Klimkovice. This was already in 1912, was in 1926 part of the tram network and was eventually converted to bus in 1977.

Furthermore, in 1905, opened railway line Brno- Lisen Černovice - that is since 1943 part of the tram Brno.

Planned systems

In Gijón, Spain a 3.5 km City Tunnel is ( Metrotren project) built to direct the S-Bahn national railway RENFE and the meter-gauge electric trains of the operator feve to the other end of town. By laying of three rail tracks, the tunnel is suitable for both meter gauge, as well as typical broad-gauge railcars. The track will serve as the subway, but technically served by trains of different gauges, of which only the railcar of feve have tram character.

Rupture - - From 2016 the tram-train to Strasbourg Piémont des Vosges Strasbourg connect the inner city with the cities of Molsheim, Gresswiller and Barr. On the route Alstom Citadis Dualis are to be used. Considering the introduction of similar systems is also available in Grenoble. From 2008, also a 40 km line on the island of Reunion was to be built, this project was abandoned because it would have 80 million euros will cost more.

In Brunswick, the establishment of a regional light rail system with hybrid cars with the end points of Salzgitter, Goslar, Bad Harzburg, Schoeppenstedt, Gifhorn center and Uelzen was planned. First sections of the Brunswick tram network have already been equipped with a dual gauge track for this. After new calculations showed that the project is unprofitable, it has now moved away from the concept of a regional light rail system and is now pursuing a cheaper variant in which one renounces hybrid vehicles. Also the lead through the center of Braunschweig is no longer sought. See also: Transport in Braunschweig, Braunschweig regional light rail

In Bremen, there is an extension of line 8 from Huchting in Lower Saxony Weyhe ( without power system change ) in planning. The plans for a new line of 11 Oberneuland to Delmenhorst were abandoned in favor of the Regio -S -Bahn Bremen / Lower Saxony.

The city of Rostock is also planning the combination of tram and railway lines. Definitive decisions have not yet fallen in both cities. In Frankfurt, the construction of a Tangentialstrecke from Bad Homburg to Neu-Isenburg on maximum and the airport in the form of a two- rail system is being considered under the name West Regional tangent.

Other cities where two-system light rail will be introduced, tramtrain Neckar -Alb in Tübingen, Liberec / Reichenberg are ( routes to Zittau, Tanvald / Tannwald and Jelenia Góra / Hirschberg in the Giant Mountains ) Most / Brüx ( route Žatec / Saaz ), Ostrava / Ostrava and Potsdam ( distance to the airport Berlin- Schönefeld Ludwigsfelde ). Concrete plans that are controversial yet because of funding, there are also in Kiel, where until 1985 the tram was abolished. In discussion is an extension of the S -Bahn Salzburg to tramtrain Salzburg, Bavaria and Upper Austria

A number of preliminary studies have been made in particular in the 1990s in Europe and worldwide. However, the first euphoric expectations of multi-system technologies are not fully met. the use of Tram- Trains is not a panacea for solving traffic problems. Track availability, routing, operation and financing must be secured, which was not always fulfilled or complied with. In Bavaria are comparable transport concepts under the name " urban-rural track " developed.