TB Be 4/8

TB Be 4/8
AB Be 4/8 33 at the St. Gallen Marktplatz stop
Numbering:	31-32, 33-35
Number:	2 + 3
Manufacturer:	Stadler Rail Altenrhein
Year of construction (s):	2004, 2008
Axis formula :	2'B 0 'B 0 ' 2 '
Gauge :	1000 mm ( meter gauge )
Length over coupling:	37.324 m
Height:	3650 mm
Width:	2400 mm
Bogie axle base:	1860 mm (drive rotation) 1700 mm (running rotation)
Service mass:	43.8 t (tare)
Top speed:	80 km / h
Short term output:	Driving / braking: 640/1696 kW (1000 V) 440/1212 kW (600 V)
Starting tractive effort:	90 kN
Braking force:	90 kN
Wheel diameter:	680 mm (new)
Power system :	1000 V = , 600 V =
Seats:	86 (+ 6 folding seats)
Standing room:	100 (4 people / m²)
Floor height:	350 mm (entrance) 876 mm (high floor)
Low floor:	58%
Particularities:	400 kN longitudinal pressure force 25 m min. Curve radius

The Be 4/8 of the Trogenerbahn (TB) are three-part tram -like electric low-floor articulated trains that the manufacturer Stadler Rail built for the St. Gallen – Speicher – Trogen route , with the local trains running as trams in the area of ​​the city ​​of St. Gallen . As a result of the merger of the TB, the Be 4/8 31–32 came to the Appenzeller Bahnen (AB) in 2006 , which purchased three more trains. With the opening of the Appenzell – St. Gallen – Trogen , the five trains will be sold to Transports Publics Neuchâtelois (transN) in 2018, which will operate them on the Neuchâtel Place Pury – Boudry light rail line .

Together with the two-part Be 4/6 of the Forchbahn, which were built at the same time and with which they correspond in many parts, the local trains are considered to be the forerunners of the Tango tram family .

Starting position

Project of a GTW Be 2/6 for the Trogenerbahn

Be 4/8 34 of the Trogenerbahn at the Black Bear.

As early as 1997, the Trogenerbahn wanted to purchase two Stadler GTW , which was rejected by the Federal Office of Transport with regard to the Riethüsli tunnel planned at the time and the possible passage to Teufen . In 2000 two new multiple units could then be put out to tender. The delay made it possible to procure more suitable vehicles with four instead of two drive axles for the steep stretch of the Trogenerbahn .

The Trogenerbahn trains run in downtown St. Gallen as a tram with a contact line voltage of 600 volts direct current and on the overland route on their own track structure according to the rules of rail operations, whereby the voltage of the contact line was 1000 volts until 2018. Because of the numerous road crossings, a box strength of 400 kN is required, about twice as high as that typical for trams. Because of the longer travel time than with a tram, passengers expect greater comfort with more comfortable seats, but fewer doors are sufficient. Traditional bogies are used instead of loose wheel sets in order to achieve a smooth run and taking into account the winter snow conditions , which, however, makes a 100 percent low-floor proportion impossible. The concept of the articulated railcar with the two semi-mounted end cars made it possible to increase the low-floor section and the adhesive weight of the driven middle car, which is particularly desirable for the TB with a 76 ‰ gradient. Most of the technical equipment of the low-floor vehicles was housed on the roof. Components that must be easily accessible to the staff are located under the seats.

technology

Train crossing in Schwarzer Bären. Since the delivery of the second series, the regular service of the Trogenerbahn can be completely covered with the low-floor vehicles Be 4/8.

In contrast to the successor Tango vehicles, the car bodies including the driver's cabs are still made in the aluminum construction of the GTW family (1st – 3rd generation). For manufacturing reasons, the four end cars were built in the spring of 2003 following the Forchbahn Be 4/6 and temporarily stored until delivery in autumn 2004. In the region of the end front laterally at the bottom of stainless steel glued elements in order to collisions with road vehicles repair without welding permit. The Schwab coupling is only required for towing and special trips. It can be retracted manually and covered with a screwed cover to protect other road users. The bogies were specially developed for the Trogener and Forchbahn family of vehicles and were also used on the Bogestra Tango trams in Bochum . The bogies are connected to the car body via a slewing ring . Thanks to air suspension, they have excellent running properties. As is customary in local transport vehicles, the wheel sets have a rubber layer between the wheel disc and wheel tire .

Each motor bogie has a power converter located on the roof. With regard to the power supply, the traction power is limited and does not reach the power of the electric brake . Nevertheless, the local trains used on steep routes are very efficient.

The Be 4/8 have a combined recuperation and resistance brake . If the network is capable of receiving it, it works as a recuperation brake. At low speeds, the vehicle control unit also activates the compressed air brake , with each wheel set having a brake disc . Every bogie is equipped with a magnetic rail brake for emergencies . The spring-loaded brake on each wheel set of the motor bogies and on each of the running bogies serves as a holding brake . Because of the very steep gradients, sanding is direction-selective.

Both passenger compartments and driver's cabs have air conditioning.

Sale to the transN

After the opening of the Appenzell – St. Gallen – Trogen , the Appenzeller Bahnen no longer have any use for the five Be 4/8, because the overhead line voltage of the Trogen line is adapted to that of the St. Gallen – Appenzell line and increased to 1500 volts. Because of the intersections with the trolleybus, the voltage of 600 volts in the inner city area remains unchanged. The trains that have not yet been written off were sold to Transports Publics Neuchâtelois (transN) in 2018 for use on the Neuchâtel Place Pury – Boudry light rail line .

Names

Be 4/8 32 as S12 St. Gallen – Trogen

first series
No.	Surname
31	The St. Gallen in
32	The Appenzeller in

second series
No.	Surname
33	Storage
34	Trogen
35	Depth

literature

• Heinz Iwainsky, Roland Zimmermann: Electric multiple units Be 4/8 31 - 32 for the Trogenerbahn. In: Swiss Railway Review. No. 7/2005, pp. 324-329.
• Felix Hasler, Heinz Iwainsky, Gaudenz Burkart, Manfred Nachbaur: New electric Be 4/6 multiple units for Forchbahn AG. In: Swiss Railway Review. No. 2/2005, pp. 66-73.
• * Jürg Aeschlimann, Hans Waldburger: St. Gallen – Speicher – Trogen tram; The Trogenerbahn . Prellbock Druck & Verlag, Leissigen 2003, ISBN 3-907579-24-0 , pp. 117–118 and 157
• Theo Weiss: Stadler - From the tunnel locomotive to the double-decker train. Minirex, Lucerne 2010, ISBN 978-3-907014-33-2 , pp. 117-120.
• Fabian Scheeder: St. Gallen DML not before the end of 2018 - Be 4/8 to Neuchâtel. In: Swiss Railway Review. No. 4/2015, p. 168.

Web links

• AB Be 4/8. To: [e-mail] , accessed on August 1, 2018