Variobahn
The Variobahn ( also Variotram ) is a low-floor tram vehicle type multi-link design with floating midsection. By modularizing the Variobahn is available for use on railway lines in various lengths, car widths and gauges, as a one- or two-way vehicle and equipment according to EBO, as used in Chemnitz Model and in the Upper Rhine Railway Company.
The first car was built in 1993 as a prototype and used in Chemnitz as car number 601.
The drive is gearless at some plants with water- cooled asynchronous wheel hub.
- 2.1 Chemnitz
- 2.2 Rhein -Neckar 2.2.1 Upper Rhine Railway
- 2.2.2 Heidelberg
- 2.2.3 Mannheim
- 2.2.4 Ludwigshafen
Development
The original development goes back to ABB Henschel, which merged in 1996 and 2001 merged with Adtranz, Bombardier Transportation. Stadler Pankow took over as part of this merger, not only the modern assembly plant in Berlin- Pankow, but also received the license to distribute and construction of Variobahn.
ABB Henschel and Adtranz
ABB Henschel developed the prototype of the Variobahn for Chemnitz, which was tested there in 1993. The series vehicles followed in the years 1998 to 2001. Prototype in Chemnitz was retrofitted with an interim revision with air conditioning, as they also have the series vehicles.
In the design very similar cars were held also delivered to the Upper Rhine Railway and to Sydney. A single prototype went to Duisburg, but this was only there for a short time in regular service. A series of 40 vehicles, which was built in cooperation with the Finnish manufacturer Transtech, went to Helsinki.
Bombardier
Following the acquisition of Adtranz by Bombardier, the product Variobahn was issued on antitrust grounds. The license for the distribution and construction received the Stadler Pankow GmbH. The Variobahn could no longer be actively marketed by Bombardier. For all deliveries made after 2001 Bombardier is option encashment, which had been agreed in the framework of orders at the former Adtranz.
Stadler Rail
In 2000, the modern assembly plant in Pankow should be closed after only four years of operation. To obtain the location and the existing know -how, a joint venture between Adtranz and Stadler was founded, which was disbanded as part of the acquisition of Adtranz by Bombardier in 2001. Stadler Rail took over the work at 100%. This hundred percent takeover some license agreements were made - this also affected the Variobahn.
Since 2001, the Variobahn of Stadler Pankow GmbH is designed, developed and built. The marketing of the successful tram vehicle type lies solely with Stadler. The success of the Variobahn turned one in 2005. The first orders from the cities of Bochum, Nuremberg and Munich filled the order books. Graz, Mainz and Potsdam followed.
Stadler took the concept and developed a new style. For this they received in 2006, with the contract for the Bogestra, also the Design Award.
Operators and application areas
Chemnitz
In addition to the prototype vehicle number 601, the Chemnitz Transport Co. operates 13 other facility block (type 6NGT -LDE, Betriebsnr. 601-614 ) and ten bi-directional block (type 6NGT - LDZ, No. 901-910 ). The City-Bahn Chemnitz has six cars of the type NGT6 - LDZ (No. 411-416 ) that are maintained in the CVAG. The cars of the City-Bahn are equipped with automatic train control ( inductive magnet I60R ), train radio and a horn. In addition, they reach 80 km / h to 10 km / h higher maximum speed when compared to the normal light rail car.
Rhein- Neckar
The first Vario cars in traffic region Rhein- Neckar procured the Upper Rhine Railway (OEG ) from 1996 (see the corresponding subsection).
In 1998, the then independent transit services in Mannheim ( MVV Transport AG), Ludwigshafen took (VBL ), Upper Rhine Railway (OEG ) and Heidelberg (HSB ) the advance for the purchase of a common vehicle type. Compared to a OEG Variobahn the year of construction 1996, the Siemens Combino prototype and the Darmstadt cars 9864 manufacturer Alstom were tested on various tracks of all businesses involved.
The results of test drives conducted in December 1998 on the order of 36 first Vario tracks of a common type, the manufacturer ADtranz according to a common specification.
In terms of network-wide applicability, the width of the car was compared to the first OEG Vario tracks from 1996 withdrawn by ten centimeters to 2.4 meters. The jointly ordered cars bear the name Rhein- Neckar- Variobahn, the exterior design was redesigned. With the abbreviation RNV for the vehicles the name of the time not yet existent common transport operation was anticipated. They are divided into four types by different car lengths ( five-piece or seven parts ) and run as a single and two- car direction (see sections Upper Rhine Railway, Heidelberg, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen).
With the appointment of the first vehicles as well as extensive options were agreed on other vehicles with the manufacturer ADtranz. In two option deliveries until the end of 2013 a total of 83 vehicles were produced. As the legal successor of ADtranz both the initial delivery as well as the option of the manufacturer Bombardier deliveries were made at the factory Bautzen.
Although the RNV had celebrated the delivery of 71 Rhein-Neckar- Vario railways in 2010, the vehicle No. 4149 arrived at that time not in the Rhine -Neckar-Triangle. It was shipped directly from the factory in the fall of 2010 Bautzen to Augsburg. There, the car was used as a test vehicle for contactless energy transfer according to the PRIMOVE system. He was appropriately equipped for this purpose by Bombardier. After completion of the tests the car should be returned to the production version built and delivered to the RNV. Since he has been damaged at the factory Bautzen during the flood in August 2010, he has not been taken over by the RNV. In 2013, he was nevertheless delivered to Mannheim, but remain the property of the manufacturer that uses it temporarily for testing purposes. Outside these times, he is the RNV as driving school cars available, for which he was equipped. To distinguish them from the line vehicles, he received the differing operating number 4349th
On April 5, 2011, RNV was the redemption of a renewed option order over eleven other vehicles of the type RNV6ZR known to a twelfth car was included in this production series as a replacement for the first uncommitted car 4149.
During the 36 vehicles in the first delivery were not yet delivered in the " house colors " of each transport, the delivery option all vehicles in the RNV paint was white / orange / blue. All vehicles of the second and third options deliveries are equipped with energy saving Mitrac Energy Saver manufacturer Bombardier.
Upper Rhine Railway
As of 1996, the then independent of the Upper Rhine Railway Company ( OEG ) operational designation V6 received six five -piece bi-directional vehicles for transport in the city triangle of Mannheim / Heidelberg / Weinheim with the car numbers 117-122. You are in the exterior design very similar to the Chemnitz vehicles, but differ from them by the gauge (1000 mm), the lower vehicle width (2.5 meters) and the application of continuous axes in the drive chassis. These vehicles are now on the RNV line 5 and on the road sections between Mannheim Main Station and MA- Neuhermsheim / MA Neuostheim and occasionally between MA -Käfertal and Heddesheim used.
By ordering the Rhein- Neckar- Vario cars in 1998, the OEG received from 2003, ten five-part, 30.5 meters long bi-directional carriage of the Rhein- Neckar- type ( car numbers 123-132, company name RNV6ZR ). The first option costs ( car numbers 133-142 ) came from 2006, ten more vehicles in the inventory. The eight cars of second option delivery from 2009 ( car numbers 4143-4150 ) were procured by the successor company RNV and are equipped with energy saving MITRAC Energy Saver .. Contrary to the order of the car 4149 was not initially delivered to RNV, as he at the factory had suffered flood damage in Bautzen. He served instead temporarily in Augsburg as a testbed for contactless energy transfer after Primove system. The third and last option Delivery 2013 twelve other vehicles were delivered from January to July ( car numbers 4151-4162 ). One of these vehicles was built as a replacement for the first uncommitted car 4149.
The only sub- type of the Rhein- Neckar- Vario tracks have the car type RNV6ZR via automatic Scharfenberg couplers for train formation. According to their site used the car numbers of the money raised by OEG vehicles were now a 4 prefixed in the common numbering of the RNV ( car number 4117-4142 ).
The application area of these vehicles is - together with the three Mannheimer cars of the same type (No. 5761-5763 ) focuses on the RNV line 5 in single and double traction. Operations throughout the rest of RNV - line network are possible and usual.
Heidelberg
By ordering the Rhein- Neckar- Vario cars in 1998, the tram, Heidelberg received from 2003, eight seven-part, just under 40 meters long bi-directional carriage of the Rhein- Neckar- type ( car numbers 273-280, company name RNV8ZR ).
From December 2009, a further eight Vario tracks from the second delivery option ( car numbers 3281-3288 ) with the energy storage system MITRAC Energy Saver were put into operation in Heidelberg. They were obtained by the successor company RNV.
The vehicles with energy storage devices may communicate over a short distance without catenary and then relate their driving power from the energy storage capacitors. A suitably equipped stretch is planned for a new line in the University of Heidelberg in the " Neuenheimer Feld ". Currently, the possibility of catenary lots operation but is not yet being used as planned. According to their site used was the car numbers of the first eight Heidelberger vehicles now a 3 prepended to the common numbering of the RNV ( car numbers 3273-3280 ).
Mannheim
For use in the city grid in Mannheim / Ludwigshafen MVV Transport AG ten seven- way vehicles of about 42 meters in length received from the common order of the Rhein- Neckar- type ( car numbers 701-710, company name RNV8ER ). Carriage 701 was taken as the first vehicle of the type common on 1 August 2002 in Mannheim- Seckenheim OEG train station during a ceremony in reception and unloaded.
Three identical cars (No. 711-713 ) are taken from the first option and delivery were taken in May 2007. This delivery also come from three five-part, 30.5 meters long bi-directional vehicles by type RNV6ZR ( car No. 761-763 ), which are identical to the paths provided to the OEG and are used with these in the pool.
The second option delivery from 2010 taken from the chariots No. 5714-5716, which were obtained by the successor company RNV. Like the other cars of this delivery they are equipped with energy saving MITRAC Energy Saver. According to their site used were the car numbers of the money raised by MVV transport AG vehicles in the common numbering of the RNV now a 5 prefixed ( car number 5701-5713 and 5761-5763 ). The field of application of the seven -car trains are mainly the RNV lines 1, 3 and 4 inserts on all remaining lines in the transport area Mannheim / Ludwigshafen (except line 5) are possible.
Ludwigshafen
For use in the city grid in Mannheim / Ludwigshafen transport companies Ludwigshafen received am Rhein GmbH in 2003 out of the common order of the Rhein- Neckar- type eight five-part way vehicles of approximately 30.5 meters in length ( car numbers 215-222, company name RNV6ER ). Deliveries of this type of option orders are not carried out so far.
According to their site used was the car numbers of the money raised by VBL vehicles now a 2 prefixed in the common numbering of the RNV ( car number 2215-2222 ). The vehicles come in all traffic area Mannheim / Ludwigshafen on all lines except lines 4 and 5, are used.
Bochum / Gelsenkirchen
The Bochum- Gelsenkirchen trams AG ( Bogestra ) has ordered thirty vehicles. On 5 March 2008 Stadler Rail delivered the first of 30 tracks for the Vario Bogestra from the maintenance workshop Gelsenkirchen; In December 2011, the last of these thirty railcar was delivered. In addition, an option for 15 additional vehicles were redeemed, the delivery started in 2013.
Nuremberg
At the VAG Nürnberg total of eight vehicles have been delivered. As in Munich, the vehicles, however, be taken out of service again because of licensing problems had. Now they are back in action
Munich
The MVG Munich has so far ordered a total of 14 vehicles. The first Munich coach No. 2301 was presented at the InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin in September 2008 and should be delivered in the same year. However, the Vario rail car reached Munich until 11 March 2009. On 19 March 2009, denoted as S 1.4 train from Munich Mayor Christian Ude was presented to the public. On 19 July 2010 the vehicles were due to lack of authorization until further use. The timetable change in December 2011, the government of Upper Bavaria granted a short-term temporary authorization to operate. Due to technical problems at the wheels, the trains had to be taken already in March 2012 re- decommissioned. The rubber body between the tire and wheel disc warn of all paths for cracks and are deemed claims series. The MVG is therefore planning an option for further orders not to use. A preliminary approval was granted until 31 May 2013.
In order to test one of the 14 ordered Variobahn - car was ordered with additional energy storage of the MVG, which was delivered by 2010. With this memory, it should be possible to cover a distance of 900-1000 meters without catenary. This is to enable the construction of the northern bypass through the English garden without installation of an overhead line. However, without the approval to take place for the Vario tracks also no test mode, in which it especially comes to the strong gradients in the North tangent section. A battery operating on level ground about 18.98 km was successfully completed on 23 May 2011 at Velten, confirmed the world record.
Graz
In 2007, the City of Graz by the Holding Graz lines became a new customer. By 2015, to be delivered in several installments to Graz 45 Vario railway carriage. Currently six Vario cars in Graz are in use. Here problems concerning significantly higher vibrations and noise emissions compared to the previous tram sets the Graz lines have occurred, which have been studied together with the supplier Stadler since the beginning of 2011. As a result of the investigation the following measures to reduce the vibration and noise were decided: Softer primary and secondary springs in the running chassis, new wheels with softer damping characteristics and a new damping system in the form of dynamic damper elements and replacement of the metal elements of the linkage to polyurethane elements. The first such repaired vehicle will be tested until the spring of 2012, with all probation Grazer Variobahn cars are retooled and delivered changed.
Potsdam
The Supervisory Board of ViP Potsdam GmbH decided in October 2008 to buy the 18 Vario railway carriage. Ten vehicles were delivered beginning in the first half of 2011, initially, for the remaining eight vehicles has the ViP an option. The first vehicle was on 13 May 2011 has übernommen.Die at a ceremonial " roll-in " option for the next batch of four other vehicles, the ViP accessed in summer 2011 deadline. The retrieval of the missing batch of four other vehicles was announced on January 26, 2012 by ViP CEO Martin Grießner. He is expected in summer 2012.
Mainz
Signed is the contract with the Mainz transport company for the delivery of nine vehicles from September 2011 and an option on six more vehicles which comes into play at a realization of the planned network expansion. The appointment was made in cooperation with the Graz lines, thus the Mainz were able to secure a price advantage, which made it all possible, the new acquisition. The first vehicle reached on the night of 8 to September 9, 2011 the depot, the Mainzer transport company. It is since the 19th December 2011 at the line bet.
London
On August 18, 2011, Transport for London, the signing of the contract worth 16.3 million pounds over 6 Variobahn vehicles for the rail network Tramlink Croydon in the south of the city known. The 32 m long vehicles are similar to those of light rail mountains. The first vehicle to be delivered in early 2012 and in the spring go into operation. The first three sets are branched off of a redeemed option for Bergen.
Type overview
* 1 Vehicle type: ER = set-up vehicle, ZR = bi-directional vehicle * 2 low-floor