Leoliners
A family of vehicles from HeiterBlick GmbH is known as the Leoliner . The first two prototypes of the type NGTW6 ( low floor - articulated railcar , six axes) were in a period of just ten months from the Leipziger vehicle service enterprises GmbH (LFB), today IFTEC GmbH , develops and went into scheduled service on 1 June 2004 the Leipzig tram line 11E. From 2005 to 2008, another 30 series Leoliners were built for LVB in the factory of the specially outsourced Leoliner Fahrzeug-Bau Leipzig GmbH (FBL) on the Kirow site in Leipzig-Lindenau . They were followed by a further 18 cars in 2010 and 2011. In addition, five Leoliners were produced in 2007 for Halberstädter Verkehrsgesellschaft. Further developments of the product family (bi-directional version, longer vehicles) were intended and partially shown as models at trade shows, but never left the planning phase.
Development and construction of the prototypes
The development of the Leolin began with the consideration of Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB) GmbH to revive a tradition from the beginning of the 20th century and to build their own tram cars due to the high costs of conventional new vehicles on the market and to secure regional jobs. After initially considering a conversion of older, unmodernized Tatra wagons of the types T4D and B4D, including the use of their bogies , the decision was made to develop a completely new low-floor articulated wagon . In February 2003, LVB subsidiary LFB finally received the order to develop and build such a six-axle low-floor articulated multiple unit (NGTW6). At the start of autumn on September 20, 2003, the car with the number 1301, which was largely completed in its shell, was presented to the public. After the completion of the electrical equipment, the first public trip could be carried out in December 2003. In the following months, the car was extensively tested on the route network together with another, already slightly modified prototype. After approval, both cars ran on June 1, 2004 as a double unit for the first time on route 11E ( Wahren - Dölitz ). Due to their car body width of 2.30 m, there were numerous points of conflict with the platforms in the network, which were designed for 2.20 m wide vehicles, so that the cars could only be used on lines 11 and 11E for many years. Only after all stops had been adjusted to the new standard size of 2.30 m could the prototypes be freely used in the network.
In the course of the first general inspection, they were largely adapted to the later production cars, especially in the passenger compartment. Technically and externally, however, they still differ quite significantly from the series cars and can only be electrically coupled with each other, whereby only the combination 1302 + 1301 is possible due to the partial dismantling of the contact attachments. A double traction operation was then only rarely carried out, the cars were usually used individually.
During the summer of 2016, both prototypes were due to retire from regular service, with the 1302 car only being withdrawn in November 2016 and being converted into a driving school car. Car 1301 is still in use, mainly on line 14. It is planned to be used as an LVB service vehicle.
The exit of Siemens and the entry of Kirov
In the course of partial privatization of the LVB subsidiary, half of LFB was sold to Siemens . LVB also hoped to participate in the Leoliner in order to be able to use the Siemens sales network, especially since Siemens had already contributed to the development. Since this company had problems with the Combino series at the same time and wanted to relocate production to the former ČKD Tatra works in Prague, which belong to Siemens, Siemens did not participate in the newly founded subsidiary FBL . Instead, on January 1, 2006, 51% was sold to Kirow Leipzig KE Kranbau Eberswalde AG . On October 1, 2007, the company FBL was renamed HeiterBlick GmbH in order to reposition itself on the market with reference to the extensive references in the conversion and construction of vehicles by the LVB main workshop located in the Leipzig district of Heiterblick.
Series delivery
Leipzig
| NGTW6 / NGTW6-L type 37 (prototypes), 37a, 37b |
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 NGTW6-L (series car with car body retracted at platform height in double traction)
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| Number: | 2 prototypes / 48 series cars |
| Manufacturer: | Mechanics: LFB / FBL / HeiterBlick Electronics: Kiepe Elektrik |
| Year of construction (s): | 2003 / 2005ff. |
| Axis formula : | Bo'2'Bo ' |
| Gauge : | 1458 mm |
| Length: | 22,680 mm |
| Height: | 3690 mm |
| Width: | 2300 mm |
| Trunnion Distance: | 6400 mm or 8160 mm |
| Bogie axle base: | 1600 mm or 1900 mm |
| Empty mass: | 27,082 kg |
| Top speed: | 70 km / h |
| Hourly output : | 4 × 65 kW = 260 kW |
| Control type : | Operating sequence control via microprocessor |
| Motor type: | DKABZ 0305-4A |
| Operating mode: | Furnishing railcar |
| Seats: | 39 |
| Standing room: | 79 |
After successful tests of the two prototypes, the order for the delivery of 30 series vehicles of the type NGTW6-L was placed at the end of 2004, the price of which amounted to around half of comparable vehicles on the market. As a result of the experience gained with the prototypes, the series cars have numerous changes. The car body was drawn in at platform level to 2.20 m, in order to ensure that it can be used freely in the entire network, in contrast to the prototypes. In addition, the front and rear of the vehicles have been redesigned, the outer pivoting doors have been replaced by pivoting sliding doors and the driver's workstation has been completely redesigned. For passengers, the innovations concern a folding ramp for wheelchair users at the second door, a new passenger information system with TFT screens instead of LED displays and more intercoms for the driver. The prototypes received ESW couplings with a contact attachment. While only the front pantograph has to be attached to the prototype in double traction operation, this is no longer possible with the series cars, as the now retractable clutches no longer transmit traction current, so that for the first time in Leipzig two pantographs have to be used. Because it can be folded in, the contact attachment of these couplings is under the mechanical connection.
The Leoliner of the NGTW6-L series with bogie technology and energy-saving three - phase drive control has a low-floor share of 60%. With a vehicle length of around 22 m, it has a total of 39 seats, 20 of which are in the low-floor area, and 80 standing places. The Leoliners can be used both individually and in double traction, with a total length of almost 45 meters, which corresponds to the large Tatra trains used so far.
The first production vehicle was handed over to the Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe on December 6, 2005 . Due to numerous problems, on the one hand with the suppliers and on the other hand with regard to the technical reliability of the vehicles, the original schedule for the delivery of all 30 vehicles by the end of 2007 could not be adhered to. Car 1332 was only handed over to LVB at the end of 2008 as the last vehicle. Nonetheless, LVB ordered a further 18 vehicles of this type in June 2009, of which the first two were put into operation on May 7, 2010. They differ in details from the cars of the first series, of which the colored LED target displays are the most obvious innovation, which were also retrofitted to the vehicles of the first series and the prototypes at least at the front as part of the first general inspection. With the takeover of the 50th Leoliner, delivery was completed in May 2011.
While the two prototypes are run as Type 37 by the LVB, the cars of the first series belong to the Type 37a and those of the second series to the Type 37b. In the beginning, multiple control was only possible with cars of the same type. Since March 2012, however, trains from wagons from both series have also been allowed to be used in regular service, although due to some technical deviations / improvements, the wagons of the second series are to be used as the leading wagons. Only the technically different prototypes are still subject to separate usage restrictions, but are to be withdrawn from regular service shortly.
All 50 cars of this type did not prove to be operationally stable to the extent hoped for over a long period of time. In the first few years, for example, various types of damage (preferably to the bogies) resulted in longer, in extreme cases, several years of parking of individual wagons. To increase operational stability, all wagons have been refurbished gearboxes and converted to a new wheel system since 2011. Although both measures were completed at the end of 2013, various problems continue to limit the availability of the wagons.
The scheduled service of the NGTW6-L is currently carried out as a double traction on the tram lines 3 / 3E (Knautkleeberg - Taucha / Sommerfeld), 7 (Böhlitz-Ehrenberg - Sommerfeld) and 15 (Miltitz - Meusdorf). Solo cars (mainly the two prototypes) are used on line 14 (Plagwitz - Hauptbahnhof - W.-Leuschner-Platz - Plagwitz). On the weekends there are further solo assignments on line 8 (Grünau Nord - Paunsdorf Nord) and on Sundays also on line 2 ((Lausen) - Grünau-Süd - Naunhofer Straße).
- Names of the Leoliners
The NGTW6L (Leoliner) are named after Leipzig districts .
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Halberstadt
| NGTW6-H | |
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 NGTW6-H
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| Number: | 5 railcars |
| Manufacturer: | Mechanics: LFB / FBL Electronics: Kiepe Elektrik |
| Year of construction (s): | 2006 |
| Gauge : | 1000 mm ( meter gauge ) |
| Length: | 21,000 mm |
| Height: | 3690 mm |
| Width: | 2300 mm |
| Trunnion Distance: | 6400 mm or 8160 mm |
| Bogie axle base: | 1600 mm or 1900 mm |
| Empty mass: | 27,100 kg |
| Top speed: | 70 km / h |
| Hourly output : | 4 × 65 kW = 260 kW |
| Control type : | Operating sequence control via microprocessor |
| Motor type: | DKABZ 0305-4A |
| Operating mode: | Furnishing railcar |
| Seats: | 43 |
| Standing room: | 62 |
Halberstädter Verkehrs-GmbH (HVG) was the first external transport company to order five NGTW6-H vehicles, which are 1.6 m shorter and have no rear door . Further differences to the Leipzig version are meter-gauge bogies with external frames and a different internal and external design. In contrast to the Leipzig models, the Halberstadt vehicles also received a low-voltage traction current feed in order to be able to move the vehicles in the workshop area without catenary wires on their own. After the presentation of the first NGTW6-H at the InnoTrans 2006 , it was handed over to the HVG on October 13, 2006 and presented to the public on October 14 at a company fair . The four other vehicles were delivered by February 2007 and have since carried the main load of the local tram operation.
Further development
Another type of the Leoliner vehicle family was planned including an NGTW8 in one and two-directional design. It was an eight-axle, low-floor articulated railcar , consisting of two B-parts of the NGTW6 with a short attached sedan chair. However, due to a lack of demand, all further developments did not get beyond the planning phase.
interested persons
In addition to Leipzig, especially companies in financially disadvantaged countries and those with worn rail networks were advertised as sales markets. Numerous cities or countries such as Alexandria, Bucharest , Stettin or Iran and small German companies such as Gotha or Schöneiche are said to have expressed interest, but no further orders followed. The cooperation with the Alexandria tram, which had already become more specific, also ended in 2011 due to the political upheavals there .
literature
- The “Leoliner” - a new tram from Leipzig. In: Eisenbahn-Revue International . Issue 4/2004, ISSN 1421-2811 , p. 153 f.
Web links
- Product brochure Leoliner (PDF; 567 kB)
- Internet presence of HeiterBlick GmbH
- Description of the electrical equipment of the LeoLiner at vossloh-kiepe.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ LVB page about the new NGTW6 Leoliner vehicles ( memento of the original from May 11, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original dated December 22, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed June 22, 2012.
- ↑ Article «50. LeoLiner in line operation »on LVB page ( Memento of the original from July 7, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
