Ultra low floor
The ULF (abbreviation for Ultra Low Floor , English for "zero-hall") is a low-floor - tram vehicle that of Siemens Rail Systems for the Wiener Linien has been developed. The ULF is characterized by its axle-free running gear and one of the lowest entry heights for trams in the world. Other tram vehicles constructed without axles (with a different wheel arrangement) are Variobahn , Combino , Cobra-Tram and TMK 2200 . A total of 342 ULF trains were built for Vienna and Oradea between 1994 and 2017.
Development of the vehicle type
The Viennese ULF
In 1989 the City of Vienna decided to procure low-floor trams, the interiors of which should not have steps, platforms or ramps that are too steep. For the first test purposes, in the same year an E 1 railcar was equipped with a three-phase drive, which was used in passenger service from 1992. A consortium of the companies Simmering-Graz-Pauker (SGP) (now Siemens ) and ELIN EBG Traction ( subsidiary of VA Tech , which in turn was also taken over by Siemens) then developed a new type of vehicle concept that was to be tested in a test vehicle . Therefore at a C 2 - sidecar used a low-floor center portion along with the novel joint portals, to an e 1 coupled railcars and tested in the network. The construction, which was initially unpowered, was subsequently equipped with its own drive motors and presented to the public in 1991. The successful test drives prompted SGP and Elin to replace the front sidecar section with a fully functional head section so that the now expanded test vehicle could henceforth be operated independently. This headboard was designed by Porsche Design .
In 1992 the decision in favor of the new vehicle type was announced, which went into production in 1994 with the construction of the prototype cars (a short and a long train). The first car was handed over to Wiener Linien in March 1995, which then subjected it to further test and acceptance runs. SGP also made further changes to the train. The official rollout of ULF no. 1 (short train, type A) and 601 (long train, type B) were on May 18, 1995. The exterior design of the vehicles was again designed by Porsche Design and refined compared to that of the test vehicle . However, the designers did not focus on an aerodynamic shape, rather the "flexibility" of the construction was to be worked out. The appearance of the trains remained essentially unchanged over the entire production period. Only car 1 originally had a modified paint scheme with a higher proportion of gray. Both trains were then used in regular passenger service. In November 1996, Wiener Linien finally commissioned SGP to build the series cars, although the first train could not be handed over until the end of 1997. Further delays followed in the course of the approval process, which only came to an end around a year later when it went into operation. The two prototype cars were brought to series production by 2002, which was like building new trains.
Before the first tranche was fully delivered in 2005 (150 units in total), the transport company ordered a further 150 cars of the same type. Delivery of the second series to Wiener Linien began on January 18, 2007. They were both visually and technically revised. From the passenger's point of view, the installation of a temperature reduction system, a new interior and improved destination displays should be emphasized. Regardless of this, changes were made to the vehicles during the ongoing delivery of both tranches (see the sections on Equipment and Vehicle Technology ). However, the lengthy approval procedures delayed the commissioning of the trains again. After the new short trains (listed as type A 1 ), the first new long trains (type B 1 ) finally came into the inventory in 2009 . As early as 2004, the option for a further 150 ULF tram cars was secured, of which only 30 long trains were ultimately ordered.
The last ULF (No. 801) was handed over to Wiener Linien at the end of June 2017. Including the two prototypes, a total of 332 trains of this type were built for Vienna.
Short ULF (Type A) of the first generation in Vienna
Langer ULF (Type B) of the first generation in Vienna
Short ULF (Type A 1 ) of the second generation in Vienna
Langer ULF (Type B 1 ) of the second generation in Vienna
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successor
In autumn 2013, Wiener Linien put the procurement of the next generation of vehicles out to tender. At the end of 2014, the order for 119 units of the Bombardier Flexity was announced. The delivery is to take place in the years 2018 to 2026. The order, with an order volume of 562 million euros, also includes a maintenance contract and an option for a further 37 units. The award was preceded by an unsuccessful complaint by the losing company Siemens against the decision at the Vienna Administrative Court. Like the Flexity Berlin, the Flexity Vienna is a custom-made, custom-made product with an entry height of 215 mm. Only long trains with a length of 34 meters were ordered.
The ULF in other cities
Following the InnoTrans 2004 in Berlin, the car exhibited there drove a few days for demonstration purposes in the Berlin tram network . In addition, in 2005 two ULFs were on the road for a few days on the Graz tram for test purposes, and in 2001 a train on the Munich tram . A train was also presented at the UITP Light Rail Congress 2004 in Dresden.
In January 2008, the Romanian transport company Oradea Transport Local was the first city besides Vienna to decide to purchase ten ULF vehicles for the Oradea tram . The trains were taken from the current production for Vienna and thus correspond entirely to the Type A 1 used there . They were delivered in 2008 and 2009. The order was worth around 27.5 million euros.
Vehicle technology
The ULF is a consistently low-floor one-way vehicle . The floor of the vehicle interior is so low that it is roughly level with the sidewalk , provided that it has a curb . The entrance is 197 millimeters above the upper edge of the rail , the continuous floor of the car 220 millimeters above the upper edge of the rail, i.e. around 100 millimeters lower than in conventional low-floor vehicles.
The low entry height and the consistently low floor of the vehicle over the entire length of the vehicle make it impossible to use axles that connect the wheels on both sides of the vehicle. Instead, a completely redesigned chassis was developed in which the axles had to be replaced by electronic control of the traction motors. The auxiliary units of the railcar are mostly housed on the car roof. The entire vehicle consists of a sequence of so-called modules (car body segments) and portals (articulated connections), with the individual modules being articulated to one another. One module is suspended from a portal, the next is attached to it. The bow and stern portal are rotatably suspended. The drive motors are not installed under the car body in bogies as in other rail vehicles , but are arranged vertically on both outer sides of the portal frame. (see the picture on the right) The individual wheels are driven by angular gears. The short train is driven by six drive motors (on the central portals and on the rear portal), the long train by eight drive motors (on the central portals) each with 60 kW (first series) and 52 kW (second series). SGP engineer Leopold Lenk came up with the idea for these portal trolleys, which are designed as an inverted “U”.
All ULF trains can feed a good part of the energy gained during braking back into the network; Their drive motors act as generators and convert the kinetic energy into electrical energy. From 2001, the cars were factory-fitted with a third headlight , exterior mirror (on the door side) and a second pair of indicators.
The second delivery series from ULF brought both visual and technical innovations with it. The new sets have, for example, air-cooled instead of water-cooled motors, smoke detectors and temperature sensors, as well as new headlights . The interior has also been redesigned. The latest cars in the second tranche (from A 1 number 92 and B 1 number 755) were also delivered as standard without a glass pane on the rear wall of the driver's cab. At the same time, however, numerous conversions were carried out on the sets during operation. For example, they were successively provided with video surveillance. In order to get closer to the vehicles of the second tranche, types A and B were also equipped with plastic seats and orange-colored inside and outside displays. Types A 1 and B 1 also received improved displays in orange. Optical and acoustic door locking devices have also been retrofitted in all trains. Up to car number 772, the sets were equipped with a hydraulic level control that permanently controls a previously defined entry height and adjusts it if necessary. In addition to the standard height of 197 mm, the system also made it possible to drive at the so-called "winter level" (240 mm). This error-prone technology is no longer used in the younger cars in favor of normal suspension; the entry height of these trains is a uniform 225 mm. Since January 2016, four units (cars 768-771) have been in use for test purposes with external cameras instead of rear-view mirrors.
Technical specifications
| Data | Type | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. | B. | A 1 | B 1 | |
| Wheel alignment | 1 '+ A' + A '+ A' | 1 '+ A' + A '+ A' + A '+ 1' | 1 '+ A' + A '+ A' | 1 '+ A' + A '+ A' + A '+ 1' |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm | 1,435 mm | ||
| Vehicle length | 24,210 mm | 35,470 mm | 24,210 mm | 35,470 mm |
| Vehicle width | 2,400 mm | 2,400 mm | ||
| Vehicle height above SOK | 3,615 mm | 3,615 mm | ||
| Low-floor portion | 100% | 100% | ||
| Undercarriages | radially controlled gantry trolleys |
radially controlled gantry trolleys |
||
| Max. Axle load | <12 t | <12 t | ||
| Empty weight | 30 t | 43 t | 30 t | 43 t |
| Top speed | 70 km / h | 70 km / h | ||
| Max. Starting acceleration | 1.4 m / s² | 1.3 m / s² | ||
| Max. Braking delay | 3.0 m / s² | 1.8 m / s² | ||
| Supply voltage | 600 V DC | 600 V DC | ||
| Drive power | 6 × 60 kW | 8 × 60 kW | 6 × 52 kW | 8 × 52 kW |
Furnishing
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Each module has a double-leaf swing-sliding door, type A having five and type B seven doors. A stop request can only be made directly at the respective door button. All doors can also be opened centrally from the driver's seat. To make it easier for wheelchair users to get in, an electric ramp was originally built into the front door. In addition, the first module could be completely lowered using the hydraulics. The automatic ramps and the kneeling function were later expanded in favor of manual folding ramps; younger vehicles were equipped accordingly from the start.
The passenger information is provided via loudspeakers and digital displays, which are installed both outside and inside. Outside, the line number and destination are shown on the displays , while inside the final station and the requested stopping point are also shown. Depending on the delivery period, these are designed in LCD, flip-dot, flip-dot / LED or pure LED technology. So-called info screens (passenger television) are also installed in individual trains . Most of these monitors are provided with editorial content; However, the names of the next stops are also shown, including transfer connections. A machine in the second module offers the option to sell tickets ; Ticket validators are located in every second portal.
Walls, ceilings and joint passages were clad with white plastic panels, with the ceiling elements being perforated for better sound insulation. The seats, which were kept in red in the original equipment, were provided with a textile cover, but have now mostly been exchanged for plastic shells. This model was already installed ex works in the second generation cars. In order to better counteract the external signs of wear and tear, the interior of the second series was also given dark adhesive instead of light cast compound floors and gray wall coverings. The handrails were painted completely in yellow and are intended to make orientation easier for the visually impaired.
In the middle modules there are places for prams on both sides of the doors , a wheelchair space is provided in the first module behind the driver's seat. Since the interior of the car is otherwise fully seated and a classic multi-purpose compartment is missing, individual seats have been expanded in the long trains since 2012 (in the second module and in the rear).
With types A and B, the interior is illuminated by two, and with types A 1 and B 1 by one strip of light, which is due to the greater space required by the air conditioning. The wagons of the first series have heating, which is largely supplied by the recovered braking energy; the sets of the second generation were equipped with a temperature reduction system. One air conditioner is available for each module for heating and cooling.
The driver's seat is in a closed cabin and is raised compared to the passenger compartment. It was designed according to ergonomic principles. Thus, setpoint generator and frequently used function keys in the armrests integrated. There is an auxiliary driver's cab at the rear of the vehicle for maneuvering.
Interior of the first vehicle series (Type B)
Interior of the second vehicle series (Type B 1 )
| Type | Seats | Standing room | stroller | Wheelchairs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A / A 1 | 42 | 94 | 3 | 1 |
| B / B 1 1 | 66 | 141 | 5 | 1 |
Car stand
Vienna
At Wiener Linien's request, the vehicle type was delivered in two lengths, the so-called short train (24 meters long, type A) and the long train (35 meters long, type B). Wiener Linien acquired their 332 cars as follows:
| series | Type year of construction |
numbering | number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prototypes | Short train type A 1995 |
1 | 1 |
| Long train type B 1995 |
601 | 1 | |
| First series | Short train type A 1997-2005 |
2-51 | 50 |
| Long train type B 1998-2005 |
602-701 | 100 | |
| second series | Short train type A 1 2006-2015 |
52-131 | 80 |
| Long train type B 1 2009–2017 |
702-801 | 100 | |
| Total number | 332 | ||
Oradea
The trains used in Oradea correspond optically and technically to the Viennese type A 1 .
| Type year of construction |
numbering | number |
|---|---|---|
| Short train type A 1 2008/2009 |
50-59 | 10 |
| Total number | 10 | |
Criticism and problems
The audit court report “Maintenance and repair of low-floor trams” dealt with the design-related high maintenance intensity of the ULF wagon type. The subject was checked on a random basis in the period under review from 2007 to 2009.
The auditors came to the conclusion "that the problem of the frequent malfunctions and defects (especially with regard to the portal chassis, the hydraulics, the converters, the sand spreading devices and the wheels), the inconsistent maintenance plans as well as the unresolved guarantee issues and the resulting follow-up costs and consequences (e.g. long standing times, low-floor trams of the ULF type that are not ready for use to the extent of around 25%) too little importance was attached. "
In the years 2008 to 2011 there were also incidents of fire and smoke in the trains, with no one injured. In this context, the Wiener Zeitung quoted a technician who was not named, who attributed these incidents to a “fundamental design flaw”: “It happens all the time at the ULF. Sometimes only hydraulic oil leaks out, sometimes there is smoke - and sometimes even real fires. ”As a result, the underlying defects were rectified in all vehicles. In view of the events, the Ministry of Transport again pointed out the lack of escape through the windows and the explosive nature of a fire due to the high plastic content of the furniture.
Furthermore, the hydraulic pumps, hoses and cylinders, which ensured that the ULF could adapt to the level depending on the season, were expanded in recent years, as these were too prone to repair. Fixed, rigid iron rods inside the ULF were used instead, which meant that the ULF can no longer score with its lowest entry height, since the difference in level is now 240 mm, as described above, since the trains are now permanently on the "winter level" are.
Web links
- Overcome the height An article with several pages (Ulf-Story) and many pictures about the Viennese ULF
- ULF Detailed explanation of the development of the prototypes up to series production with many pictures
- Low-floor tram SGP ULF information brochure on the ULF from May 1995
- Audit office report on the maintenance and repair of the low-floor tram type ULF
- Maintenance of a ULF tram on the Wiener Linien YouTube channel
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b A cityscape starts rolling from January 20, 2008
- ↑ No new ULFs: New order for pumice advertised . Courier. October 29, 2013.
- ↑ Wiener Linien: Bombardier receives order for the new Bim generation , the Standard, December 1, 2014
- ↑ The new Flexity pumice will be on the way from 2018 , Kurier, February 2, 2015
- ↑ Bim deal: Siemens flashed off with objection . ORF report from January 22nd, 2015
- ↑ Helmut Dité: Wiener ULF also in Oradea , Wiener Zeitung , January 15, 2008, accessed on November 7, 2013
- ↑ Ernst Lassbacher: ULF in Romania , in: Stadtverkehr, June 2008 edition, page 51
- ↑ Brake energy recovery at Wiener Linien from April 24, 2012
- ↑ Bim drives with cameras instead of side mirrors from March 8, 2016
- ↑ Low-floor tramway SGP ULF (data sheet for the first generation) ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed July 2, 2017
- ↑ siemens.com - ULF tram system (second generation data sheet) , accessed on July 2, 2017
- ^ Court of Auditors report on the ULF, p. 2
- ↑ Tramway in full fire. Wiener Zeitung, accessed on July 30, 2009 .
- ↑ Tram fire: ULFs will be rebuilt from August 13, 2009
- ↑ Fire broke out in the tram on December 9, 2011
- ↑ Court of Auditors report on the ULF, p. 11
