Variotram
Encyclopedia
Variotram is a German-designed articulated low-floor
tram
model. Since its introduction in 1993, the Variotram 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.
Operators include the Bergen Light Rail
, Chemnitzer Verkehrs AG, Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr
, the Helsinki Tramway
, the Rhine Neckar Area
Tramway and the Metro Light Rail
of Sydney.
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 Heidelberger Straßen- und Bergbahn, who bought 8 trams for the Heidelberg Tramway, and in 2001–07 Mannheimer Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft, that bought 16 trams for the Mannheim Tramway. That same year, the Metro Light Rail
of Sydney
, Australia, took delivery of seven trams. These were built in Dandenong, Victoria
, Australia.
Forty Variotrams were delivered to Helsinki City Transport
(HKL), Finland, between 1998 and 2003 for use on the Helsinki tram
way, at a cost of €
76 million. In service the Variotram was found to be ill-suited for Helsinki's tram network, and the trams have suffered from numerous technical problems. Often less than half of the trams have been in working condition.
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. 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. 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.
where Bombardier would divest the Variotram division to Stadler Rail of Switzerland.
Stadler has secured contracts for delivering 8 trams to Verkehrsbetriebe Ludwigshafen am Rhein for use on the Ludwigshafen Tramway. 30 trams to Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen
for the Bochum–Gelsenkirchen Tramway, 8 trams to Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft Nürnberg for the Nuremberg Tramway, 14 trams for Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft for the Munich tramway
, 12 trams for Hordaland County Municipality
for the Bergen Light Rail
, 45 trams for Graz AG Verkehrsbetriebe for the Graz Tramway and 19 trams for Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam for the Potsdam Tramway
. As of 2009, 254 trams have been ordered, with an additional 110 on option. A unit costs about €2.5 million.
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 (7.5 ft), 2.4 metres (7.9 ft), 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) and 2.65 metres (8.7 ft). The length varies with either three, four, five or seven articulated modules. The floor height is 350 millimetres (13.8 in) over the rail. The seating and standing arrangements are flexible, and the trams feature 1350 millimetres (53.1 in) wide doors. The tram has hub motors on all wheels, thus eliminating the need for axle
s and bogie
s. 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.
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. Trams are built modally, such that they can later be rebuilt extended. 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 kW motors, or eight or twelve wheels with 45 kW motors. Of the models built so far, the length has varied from 24.4 to 42.8 m (80.1 to 140.4 ) (Helsinki and Mannheim, respectively). Similarly, tare weight varies from 35 to 50 t (34.4 to 49.2 ). Seating capacity varies between 38 (Graz) and 100 (Heidelberg), while standing capacity peaks at 193 for the Duisburg version.
Low-floor tram
A low-floor tram is a tram that has no stair steps between one or more entrances and part or all of the passenger cabin. The low-floor design improves the accessibility of the tram for the public, and also may provide larger windows and more airspace....
tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
model. Since its introduction in 1993, the Variotram has been manufactured variously by ABB, Adtranz
Adtranz
ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation , commonly known under its brand Adtranz, was a multi-national rail transport equipment manufacturer with facilities concentrated in Europe and the USA....
, Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
, and since 2001 by Stadler Rail
Stadler Rail
Stadler Rail AG , based in Bussnang, Switzerland, is a Swiss manufacturer of rail passenger cars.In 1942 Ernst Stadler founded the Stadler Engineering Office which later became Stadler Rail.- Factories :...
. As of 2009, 254 trams have been ordered, with an additional 110 on option. A unit costs about €2.5 million.
Operators include the Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Bergen, Norway. The first stage of the project is a fifteen-station, stretch between the city center and Nesttun, which opened on 22 June 2010...
, Chemnitzer Verkehrs AG, Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr
Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr
The Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr is the public transport association covering the area of the Rhine-Ruhr megalopolis in Germany...
, the Helsinki Tramway
Helsinki tram
The Helsinki tram network forms part of the Helsinki public transport system organised by Helsinki Regional Transport Authority and operated by Helsinki City Transport in the Finnish capital city of Helsinki. The trams are the main means of transport in the city centre. 56.6 million trips were made...
, the Rhine Neckar Area
Rhine Neckar Area
The Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region , often referred to as Rhein-Neckar-Triangle is a polycentric metropolitan region located in south western Germany, between the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region to the North and the Stuttgart Region to the South-East.Rhine-Neckar has a population of some 2.4 million...
Tramway and the Metro Light Rail
Metro Light Rail
The Metro Light Rail is the only currently operating light rail line in Sydney. The line opened on 31 August 1997, mostly along the route of an unused goods railway line, to serve the redeveloped inner-city areas of Darling Harbour, Ultimo and Pyrmont, and was extended in 2000 to serve some of...
of Sydney.
History
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 Stadtbahn of Germany, operated by Chemnitzer Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft. 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 Chemnitzer Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft 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, operated by Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft, but serial production was never initiated for Duisburg.In 1996, six trams were delivered to serve on the light rail between Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
and Weinheim
Weinheim
Weinheim is a town in the north west of the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany with 43 000 inhabitants, approximately 15 km north of Heidelberg and 10 km northeast of Mannheim. Together with these cities, it makes up the Rhine-Neckar triangle...
, Germany, operated by Oberrheinischen Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft. From 2001 to 2007, it ordered additional 20 trams. These were supplemented in 2002 by Heidelberger Straßen- und Bergbahn, who bought 8 trams for the Heidelberg Tramway, and in 2001–07 Mannheimer Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft, that bought 16 trams for the Mannheim Tramway. That same year, the Metro Light Rail
Metro Light Rail
The Metro Light Rail is the only currently operating light rail line in Sydney. The line opened on 31 August 1997, mostly along the route of an unused goods railway line, to serve the redeveloped inner-city areas of Darling Harbour, Ultimo and Pyrmont, and was extended in 2000 to serve some of...
of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia, took delivery of seven trams. These were built in Dandenong, Victoria
Dandenong, Victoria
Dandenong is a suburb and major urban centre in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Situated on Dandenong Creek and mostly flat land at the foothills of Mount Dandenong, it is the main administrative centre for the City of...
, Australia.
Helsinki
Helsinki City Transport
Helsinki City Transport or HKL is the official city-owned public transport company in Helsinki, Finland. It operates the Helsinki metro, Helsinki tram and ferry boat traffic...
(HKL), Finland, between 1998 and 2003 for use on the Helsinki tram
Helsinki tram
The Helsinki tram network forms part of the Helsinki public transport system organised by Helsinki Regional Transport Authority and operated by Helsinki City Transport in the Finnish capital city of Helsinki. The trams are the main means of transport in the city centre. 56.6 million trips were made...
way, at a cost of €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
76 million. In service the Variotram was found to be ill-suited for Helsinki's tram network, and the trams have suffered from numerous technical problems. Often less than half of the trams have been in working condition.
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. 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. 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
VR Group
VR or VR Group is a state-owned railway company in Finland. Formerly known as Suomen Valtion Rautatiet until 1922 and Valtionrautatiet / Statsjärnvägarna until 1995...
electric locomotive workshop in Pasilan Konepaja.
Stadler
Following the acquisition of Adtranz by Bombardier, an agreement was reached between Bombardier and the European CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
where Bombardier would divest the Variotram division to Stadler Rail of Switzerland.
Stadler has secured contracts for delivering 8 trams to Verkehrsbetriebe Ludwigshafen am Rhein for use on the Ludwigshafen Tramway. 30 trams to Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen
BOGESTRA
The Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen AG is a public transport operator in the Ruhr area, most notably in the cities of Bochum, Gelsenkirchen and Herne, and is integrated in the Rhine-Ruhr Stadtbahn network.-See also:* List of rapid transit systems...
for the Bochum–Gelsenkirchen Tramway, 8 trams to Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft Nürnberg for the Nuremberg Tramway, 14 trams for Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft for the Munich tramway
Munich Tramway
The Munich tramway is the tramway network for the city of Munich in Germany. Today it is operated by the municipally owned Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft and is known officially and colloquially as the Tram...
, 12 trams for Hordaland County Municipality
Hordaland county municipality
Hordaland County Municipality is the regional governing administration of Hordaland, Norway. The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 46 upper secondary schools, with 17,000 pupils...
for the Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail
Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Bergen, Norway. The first stage of the project is a fifteen-station, stretch between the city center and Nesttun, which opened on 22 June 2010...
, 45 trams for Graz AG Verkehrsbetriebe for the Graz Tramway and 19 trams for Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam for the Potsdam Tramway
Potsdam Tramway
The Potsdam tram network is the tram system of the German city of Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg. It is owned by the public citizen company Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam and included in the fare zone "C" of the Berliner public transport area.-History:The network opened on 12 May 1880: It was an...
. As of 2009, 254 trams have been ordered, with an additional 110 on option. A unit costs about €2.5 million.
Specifications
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
can be standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
or metre gauge
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
. Width options include 2.3 metres (7.5 ft), 2.4 metres (7.9 ft), 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) and 2.65 metres (8.7 ft). The length varies with either three, four, five or seven articulated modules. The floor height is 350 millimetres (13.8 in) over the rail. The seating and standing arrangements are flexible, and the trams feature 1350 millimetres (53.1 in) wide doors. The tram has hub motors on all wheels, thus eliminating the need for axle
Axle
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle...
s and bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
s. 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.
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. Trams are built modally, such that they can later be rebuilt extended. 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 kW motors, or eight or twelve wheels with 45 kW motors. Of the models built so far, the length has varied from 24.4 to 42.8 m (80.1 to 140.4 ) (Helsinki and Mannheim, respectively). Similarly, tare weight varies from 35 to 50 t (34.4 to 49.2 ). Seating capacity varies between 38 (Graz) and 100 (Heidelberg), while standing capacity peaks at 193 for the Duisburg version.
Production
| 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 (8.7 ft) | Standard | Uni | 89 | 123 | 8 x 45 kW | |
| 10 | 2000 | Bi | 74 | 124 | |||||||
| City-Bahn Chemnitz | City-Bahn Chemnitz | 6 | 2001 | ||||||||
| Mannheim Tramway | MVV Verkehr | 6 | 1996 | 32.2 m (105.6 ft) | 2.5 m (8.2 ft) | Meter | Bi | 90 | 100 | 4 x 95 kW | |
| 16 | 2002–07 | 42.7 m (140.1 ft) | 2.4 m (7.9 ft) | Uni | 129 | 130 | 6 x 95 kW | ||||
| 20 | 30.5 m (100.1 ft) | Bi | 80 | 90 | 4 x 95 kW | ||||||
| Duisberg Stadtbahn | Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft | 1 | 1996 | 33.8 m (110.9 ft) | 2.3 m (7.5 ft) | Standard | Bi | 38 | 193 | 8 x 45 KW | |
| Metro Light Rail Metro Light Rail The Metro Light Rail is the only currently operating light rail line in Sydney. The line opened on 31 August 1997, mostly along the route of an unused goods railway line, to serve the redeveloped inner-city areas of Darling Harbour, Ultimo and Pyrmont, and was extended in 2000 to serve some of... |
Metro Transport Sydney | 7 | 1997–98 | 28 m (91.9 ft) | 2.65 m (8.7 ft) | Standard | Bi | 74 | 143 | 8 x 45 kW | |
| Helsinki Tramway Helsinki tram The Helsinki tram network forms part of the Helsinki public transport system organised by Helsinki Regional Transport Authority and operated by Helsinki City Transport in the Finnish capital city of Helsinki. The trams are the main means of transport in the city centre. 56.6 million trips were made... |
Helsinki City Transport Helsinki City Transport Helsinki City Transport or HKL is the official city-owned public transport company in Helsinki, Finland. It operates the Helsinki metro, Helsinki tram and ferry boat traffic... |
40 | 1998–2004 | 24.4 m (80.1 ft) | 2.3 m (7.5 ft) | Meter | Uni | 55 | 80 | 8 x 45 kW | |
| Heidelberg Tramway | Heidelberger Straßen- und Bergbahn | 8 | 2002 | 39.4 m (129.3 ft) | 2.4 m (7.9 ft) | Meter | Bi | 100 | 130 | 6 x 95 kW | |
| Ludwigshafen Tramway | Verkehrsbetriebe Ludwigshafen am Rhein | 8 | 2003 | 30.5 m (100.1 ft) | 2.4 m (7.9 ft) | Meter | Uni | 88 | 90 | 4 x 95 kW | |
| Bochum–Gelsenkirchen Tramway | Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen BOGESTRA The Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahnen AG is a public transport operator in the Ruhr area, most notably in the cities of Bochum, Gelsenkirchen and Herne, and is integrated in the Rhine-Ruhr Stadtbahn network.-See also:* List of rapid transit systems... |
30 | 2007–11 | 29.6 m (97.1 ft) | 2.3 m (7.5 ft) | Meter | Bi | 68 | 120 | 8 x 45 kW | |
| Nuremberg Tramway | Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft Nürnberg | 8 | 2007 | 33.8 m (110.9 ft) | 2.3 m (7.5 ft) | Standard | Uni | 87 | 147 | 8 x 45 kW | |
| Munich tramway Munich Tramway The Munich tramway is the tramway network for the city of Munich in Germany. Today it is operated by the municipally owned Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft and is known officially and colloquially as the Tram... |
Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft | 14 | 2008–11 | 33.8 m (110.9 ft) | 2.3 m (7.5 ft) | Standard | Uni | 87 | 147 | 8 x 45 kW | |
| Bergen Light Rail Bergen Light Rail Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Bergen, Norway. The first stage of the project is a fifteen-station, stretch between the city center and Nesttun, which opened on 22 June 2010... |
Hordaland County Municipality Hordaland county municipality Hordaland County Municipality is the regional governing administration of Hordaland, Norway. The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 46 upper secondary schools, with 17,000 pupils... |
12 | 2009–10 | 32.2 m (105.6 ft) | 2.65 m (8.7 ft) | Standard | Bi | 84 | 128 | 8 x 45 kW | |
| Graz Tramway | Graz AG Verkehrsbetriebe | 45 | 2009– | 27 m (88.6 ft) | 2.3 m (7.5 ft) | Standard | Uni | 38 | 113 | 8 x 45 kW | |
| Potsdam Tramway Potsdam Tramway The Potsdam tram network is the tram system of the German city of Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg. It is owned by the public citizen company Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam and included in the fare zone "C" of the Berliner public transport area.-History:The network opened on 12 May 1880: It was an... |
Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam | 18 | 2010– | 32.2 m (105.6 ft) | — | Standard | — | — | — | — | |
| Tramlink Tramlink Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000... |
Transport for London Transport for London Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London... |
6 | winter 2011– | 32 m (105 ft) | Standard | Bi |