Another tram on exhibition at Innotrans was the Skoda 36T for the Mannheim
region (RNV). This is a variant of the Smart for Helsinki, but metre gauge
for a system with *15 metre* minimum curve radius. This naturally requires
the bogies to swing some more, too much for a narrow gauge trench aisle,
and there is, as a result, a small section of high floor over the end
bogies. I wonder what the minimum curve radius is in Darmstad?

Like the Stadler tram, this model is available in a number of widths,
lengths, gauges etc. As part of the RNV order, some of them will be the
longest single (non coupled) tramcar on swivelling bogies in the world at
58.6 metres).

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/09/innotrans-trade-fair-in-berlin-sees-a-brand-new-tram-revealed-by-skoda-group.html

Perfect for CSELR in Sydney.

Tony P

On Sunday, 25 September 2022 at 14:56:31 UTC+10 TP wrote:

> This model has been around for a while - I posted about it a couple of

> years back when the first customer was Basel. Like many models from tram

> manufacturers, it's available in different variants regarding length,

> width, track gauge etc. The Basel one is longer, the Halle one shorter.

>

> Basel:

>

> https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/light-rail/baselland-transport-confirms-order-for-25-stadler-lrvs/

>

> Halle:

>

> https://www.railwaypro.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Stadler-tina_halle_wasserturm_3-1536x698.jpg

>

> Darmstad:

> https://www.stadlerrail.com/media/pdf/theag0922e.pdf

>

> It's a similar low floor platform - that is now pretty standard across the

> industry - to the Flexity Swift (Melbourne E) or Skoda Smart (Helsinki,

> Pilsen, Bonn etc).

>

> Whether one can have a low floor throughout a metre gauge low floor is a

> matter of geometry. It depends on the minimum width you need for the aisle

> (typically not less than 500 mm) and the amount of swivel needed to go

> around the system's curves. On a system with tighter curves, it's difficult

> to have an aisle trench through the bogies if they have to swivel too much,

> so, often, you will see a section of high floor over the end bogies which

> have to do the most swinging (sounds like a dance floor!). In Helsinki,

> where this type of tram made its debut, they've managed to maintain a

> stepless aisle right through. In some other cities, they require a high

> floor over the end bogies.

>

> Those steps in the floor of the Darmstad model are because the operator

> wants to prevent wheelchair users trying to move through the tram along the

> narrow aisles where they can get stuck. I would not regard that tram as

> being a true low floor tram, but a low-entry one (low floor at the doors).

> A klutz like me would for sure trip over those little steps every time! Low

> floor means a completely stepless gangway.

>

> Tony P

> On Sunday, 25 September 2022 at 04:44:05 UTC+10mcloug...@... wrote:

>

>>

>>

>> On Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 5:38:09 PM UTC+12

>>mat...@... wrote:

>>

>> > Getting rotating bogies on a 100% low floor metre gauge car would be a

>> challenge, as this makes the 'trench' between the wheel sets particularly

>> narrow.

>>

>> The photos show quite a narrow aisle between the seats, and the article

>> says that despite this being 100pc low-floor, the tram has low steps to the

>> aisles to stop people in wheelchairs trying to get up the aisles and

>> becoming stuck.

>>

>> The article also says the bogies were tested under a Tango tram in

>> Kraków, which sounds OK, except that Kraków's trams are standard gauge,

>> IIRC.

>>

>> dmcl

>>

>