Tatra T4
| Tatra T4 / B4 | |
|---|---|
 T4D in Dresden; left in delivery condition, right modernized
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| Number: | 2635 railcar 874 sidecar |
| Manufacturer: | ČKD Tatra Mountains |
| Year of construction (s): | 1967-1987 |
| Length: | 14,000 mm |
| Height: | 3063 mm |
| Width: | 2200 mm |
| Trunnion Distance: | 6400 mm |
| Bogie axle base: | 1900 mm |
| Top speed: | 55-65 km / h (depending on the version) |
| Hourly output : | 4 × 44 kW = 176 kW |
| Motor type: | TE 022B |
| Operating mode: | Furniture trolley |
| Seats: | 1 + 1 seating: 20 (T4) 22 (B4) 1 + 2 seating: 26 (T4) 28 (B4) |
| Standing room: | Max. 115 (for 8 people / m²) |
T4 is the type designation for a tram motor vehicle made by the Czechoslovak manufacturer ČKD Tatra . Except for the car body width, the T4 are largely identical to the T3 . The difference can be seen in the area of the first and last door, the T3 are drawn in significantly more at these points. The T4 is the most common type of tram supplied by Tatra to the GDR. The subtype delivered to the GDR was designated as T4D . Further sub-types were delivered to the Soviet Union ( T4SU ), Romania ( T4R ) and Yugoslavia ( T4YU ). Appropriate sidecars were also built for the GDR and Yugoslavia , which were given the designation B4D and B4YU .
history
The T4 was developed at the urging of the GDR , after the GDR had stopped tram production in favor of the import of Tatra trams due to the COMECON resolutions that had been made. Because of the smaller track center distances, however, the use of the 2.50 meter wide T3 was not possible in many cities . The first three railcars of the type T3 (6401, 6402, 6405) arrived in Dresden for testing in 1964, but the use of this type was only possible to a very limited extent in regular service because it was too wide. Thus the demand for narrower vehicles arose. In 1967 the T4D prototype was tested in Prague. In the same year it came to Dresden for further testing. Series production began in 1968.
T4D / B4D
In the GDR this type was used by the Dresden , Halle (Saale) , Leipzig and Magdeburg transport companies . In 1 + 2 seating it offered 26 or 28 seats (T4 / B4) and max. 115 standing places (with eight people per square meter); the cars delivered to Leipzig until 1978 (car numbers up to 1893/635) and all cars delivered to Magdeburg had 6 fewer seats due to their 1 + 1 seating. In the years from 1968 to 1986, 1766 powered rail vehicles and 789 sidecars were delivered to the GDR. Various combinations were possible, of which the large train consisting of two railcars and a sidecar is the most common variant. The Dresden and Halle transport companies took on the red / ivory paintwork based on the Prague model. In Leipzig and Magdeburg, the ivory coating that was introduced in the 1920s was retained, in Leipzig with a blue and in Magdeburg with a green trim.
classic Tatra train in Halle
Leipzig
Large train in Magdeburg
Z-T4D from Halle after conversion to a pantograph
Bidirectional operation
With the retirement of older bidirectional cars, the transport companies no longer had suitable vehicles to at least partially maintain tram operation on the affected routes during construction work, since the T4D / B4D were only available as pure one-way cars.
Rear-to-rear traction
With two rear-to-rear coupled railcars, a provisional bidirectional operation with T4D cars could be implemented in a relatively simple manner; For this, however, additional taillights had to be installed on the front of both railcars and the electrical system had to be adapted so that the rear railcar was controlled in reverse by the leading railcar. The asymmetrically occupied contact attachments of the Scharfenberg couplings were left in the folded-back position and connected with an adapter placed in between. The disadvantage here, however, was that only the forward-moving railcar could be used for passengers. Although this variant was more of a temporary measure, line 15 of the Halle tram (Stadtverkehr Merseburg) was served with such sets for years.
In Leipzig and Dresden, occasionally converted sidecars (see B4D-W) were placed in between to expand capacity.
False bidirectional car
At the Magdeburger Verkehrsbetriebe, several T4Ds were given a second driver's cab at the rear, so that these cars could be used as bidirectional cars with one-sided door arrangement. The car body was not changed, but additional headlights and taillights were installed and the number of seats was reduced by the second driver's cab. This was particularly advantageous for routes on your own track structure without changing tracks. In regular operation (i.e. in one-way operation), these cars ran in second place behind a T4D, which had no additional driver's cab, but retrofitted rear lights at the front. In regular operation, these cars mostly ran in large trains; in bidirectional operation, they could only be used in double traction or as a single multiple unit.
The following railcars were converted: 1004, 1005, 1006, 1008, 1011, 1016, 1019, 1025, 1030, 1156, 1182, 1206, 1208, 1212
Z-T4D bidirectional railcar
VE Verkehrsbetriebe Halle (today HAVAG ) needed bidirectional cars for the Merseburg line 15 in the 1980s (see also: Overland Railway Halle – Bad Dürrenberg ), as it had two head ends at the time. After older bidirectional cars were phased out, T4D cars have been used here regularly with inefficient rear-to-rear traction since the late 1970s. When asked by the manufacturer ČKD Praha, however, they saw no possibility of developing a 2.2 meter wide bidirectional car based on T4D or converting a T4D. So in 1983 the company decided to do this on its own.
The railcars 901 and 902 were converted. They were the first two T4Ds in Halle, built in 1969. During the conversion, each car received a second pantograph (only for switch control), a second driver's cab with cabin, and two doors on the left. The previous third door on the right-hand side was removed because the space for the driver's cab was required. In contrast to the fake two-way railcars in Magdeburg, the two cars also received real driver's cab fronts with target sign boxes at the B ends. In addition, because of the asymmetrical car bodies, it was necessary to make the new (left-hand) center door and the side window to the left of it minimally smaller, which made repairs later difficult.
In 1999 both cars were subjected to a general inspection. Among other things, the additional pantographs were removed, new door panels were installed and the cars were again painted in classic red and ivory; In addition, both cars could be coupled to one another on the B-sides and thus also used in double traction.
The 901 car is now number 900 and belongs to the holdings of the Halle Tram Museum ; The 902 car came to the National Tramway Museum Crich (England) in 2005, for which it received standard gauge bogies and the pantograph was raised.
Bidirectional large train T4D-W / B4D-W
After the unsuccessful request to ČKD Praha, VE Verkehrsbetriebe Halle decided in 1986 to build a complete two-way train, which was also known as a "large turning train". The 1030, 1031 and 150 cars were selected for this. Similar to the T4D-Z, the railcars 1030/1031 received two doors on each side, but no second driver's cab. The side car 150 only had doors at the ends of the car on the left, a central door was left out on this side. There were also no taillights on the front, as it was only intended to be used between the two T4D-W in bidirectional operation. The train was mainly used in rush hour traffic in the Merseburg area and as a shuttle train for construction work. In the original configuration, the train had a permanently installed power supply cable between the railcars, so that the rear railcar could drive without being ironed. In the last few years of operation, both railcars only rarely ran with the sidecar placed in between, this was sometimes still used as a one-way sidecar in large trains. All three cars were sold to Arad (Romania), where they are only used in one-way operation.
Similarly, vehicles in Dresden (Tw 222 801/802/805/806, Bw 273 001-004) and Leipzig (Bw 547, LVB type 65b) were converted for bidirectional operation. The Dresden railcars only had three-leaf doors on the left and could also be combined with T4D cars to form two-way trains (e.g. as a two-way large train for shuttle operation on a track with one-sided exit: T4D - B4D-W - T4D-W). In Leipzig only the side car 547 was converted, so that of three cars in the train set, only the two front cars could be used by the passengers.
T4SU
The narrow-gauge tram companies of the Soviet Union (gauges 1000 and 1067 mm) were also supplied with Tatra wagons after the tram production at VEB Waggonbau Gotha , which had previously supplied these companies , was discontinued . With the exception of Pyatigorsk , the narrower T4SU version was chosen, while the wide and standard-gauge trams (if supplied by ČKD Tatra) were supplied with T3SU. Like the other SU types, a closed driver's cab was also installed here. There was no sidecar for the T4SU.
T4R
The vehicles of the type T4R produced for Romania do not differ technically or structurally from the Soviet ones. Due to their narrower car body width, they were better suited for most Romanian networks than the wider T3R , which was only supplied to the Galați tram . A total of five Romanian cities ordered the T4R between 1973 and 1981. In addition to Galați, where both variants were ultimately to be found, this affected Arad , Brăila , Bucharest and Iași . Ultimately, the start of Timiș 2 or V3A mass production prevented the delivery of further Czechoslovak cars to Romania. The last T4R are in use in the capital Bucharest, in all other cities they have been replaced by various types of used vehicles procured from Germany.
T4YU / B4YU
The Yugoslav T4 / B4 were delivered from 1967. The pre-series car 111 delivered for the Belgrade tram had the electrical equipment of the T4D, but had a trolley pantograph. Car 111 only had two doors, one in the front and one in the middle. As with the Tatra K2, the railcar had corrugated side walls. It was painted green. The railcar came back to Prague a short time later after a serious accident and from then on was used for children's tours, the sidecar was refurbished and adapted for operation in Halle (Saale) . The vehicles delivered to the Zagreb tram also correspond to the T4D / B4D. As a rule, only two-car trains run in Zagreb. The Belgrade production cars, however, received the electrical equipment of the T4SU.
Tatra T4R of the Bucharest tram
Tatra T4R of the Iasi tram
Tatra T4YU / B4YU in Zagreb, Croatia
Tatra T4SU in Tallinn
modernization
After the fall of the Wall , all German operations began to modernize the T4D wagons.
Tatra modernization in Dresden
The Dresden transport company began working on a modernization concept very quickly. For this purpose, the railcar 222 557 was used as a prototype, henceforth referred to as the T4D-M. Among other things, this received a modern passenger information system, a new coat of paint in the city colors and a revised design in the passenger compartment. However, the technical differences to the later production cars prevented them from being used effectively in operation.
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Based on the experience gained with the 222 557, the first series of modernized wagons was created in the years 1992 to 1994, which from then on bore the designation T4D-MS ("Modernization Series"). These cars kept the accelerator control, so they could be coupled with the non-modernized vehicles.
After gaining experience with the TV8 thyristor control from Cegelec , it was decided to convert further T4Ds. Both non-modernized cars and some T4D-MS were equipped with the thyristor control and henceforth referred to as T4D-MT. The "MT" stands for "modernization with thyristor control". This meant that they could no longer be electrically coupled to the railcars with accelerator controls.
At the end of the modernization program, a few more T4Ds were modernized, but instead of the full driver's cab they only received an auxiliary drive switch. These side cars were to be used behind fully equipped T4D-MT, they were given the designation TB4D-MS. The first two converted railcars kept the accelerator control, but they were also equipped with the thyristor control after a short time. All later converted railcars received them immediately. Due to this change, the type designation was later standardized and shortened to TB4D.
In addition to the multiple units , sidecars were also modernized in the same way and designated as B4D-MS. After the modernization was completed, some non-modernized railcars were equipped with an on-board computer and radio data transmission so that they could still be used in the network for a few years. These were called T4D-MI ("Modernization IBIS "). The reason for this was that the use in the network now required these systems, but the replacement of the vehicles could not take place immediately. A few cars received a small adjustment to the modernized vehicles shortly before the turn of the millennium.
In total, the DVB's own workshops produced 121 T4D-MS (90 of which were converted into T4D-MT), 95 T4D-MT (90 of which were converted from T4D-MS), 55 TB4D and 65 B4D-MS.
The modernization and upgrading made it possible to improve comfort for passengers and operating staff. In 2010 they said goodbye to the Tatra missions on regular line courses with an official celebration. Thereafter, twelve T4D-MT railcars and six TB4D railcars remained in the fleet for selective use. In recent years, several main inspections were carried out again, four railcars and five railcars were completely overhauled between 2016 and 2018 for long-term use. Currently, the vehicles whose deadline has expired only receive a short-term extension. How long the cars will be kept is uncertain, as the Dresden transport company is planning to order new tram cars. Until then, the Tatras will continue to operate on reinforcement courses to cover school transport, passenger transport at major events and now and then on regular scheduled courses with long-term use (last line 8 in 2018) or as a replacement vehicle for defective vehicles. All other wagons were either sold to other Eastern European countries, where some of them are still in use, or, however, increasingly scrapped in recent years, most recently in two large campaigns at the old Tolkewitz depot and at a scrap dealer in the north of Dresden.
Tatra modernization in Halle
Between 1991 and 1994, 82 multiple units and 41 sidecars were modernized into T4D-C and B4D-C. The main focus was on the PCC control to reduce power consumption and improve the approach values. In the spring of 1990, the train from No. 1150 and 1151 as well as from Bw 200 was brought to Mittenwald's equipment manufacturing facility. There it received a chopper control from AEG as well as a special white paint. The roof was covered with panels, the folding doors were similar to those of the DUEWAG trams. The sample train was later adapted to the series trains - but always retained its AEG special paint scheme.
In the series vehicles, the destination indicators were changed, the bogies were replaced with new ones with Megi springs (from AEG, later from DWA ), the Scharfenberg couplings were replaced with those with an E-part, and external pivoting doors were installed. The vehicles were painted in red / silver gray.
In the first series from October 1991 to February 1992, 10 large trains were converted in Mittenwalde. They received the taillights from the Wartburg 353 and the marker lights from the last T4D series from 1986, and new seats were installed in the interior.
In the second series from March 1992 to March 1994, 31 large trains were converted. These received different taillights and marker lights, a new interior with bird seats and light barriers in the door area. Later, electrically driven single-arm pantographs from Stemann were also installed.
In a third modernization variant, the vehicles that had already been modernized were rebuilt directly in Halle during the main inspections from 1998 to 2005. The driver's cab was enlarged and an air conditioning system installed, which meant that the first door leaf had to be removed. A passenger information system was installed in the interior. The vehicles also received the new color scheme in red / light gray.
T4D-C sample after adjustment to the series status
T4D-C of the second series
and Tw 1156 of the third series
Tatra modernization in Leipzig
After the fall of the Wall, the Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe was faced with the need to modernize the existing Tatra cars, some of which were only three years old. For this purpose, only wagons with the longest possible remaining useful life were selected, where the modernization could be carried out inexpensively as part of their first general inspection. This affected 97 multiple units and 45 side cars, which were modernized between 1991 and 1995. The two prototypes were put into operation in the spring of 1992 after nine months of work.
In the wagons, both the technical components and the passenger compartment have been modernized. Improvements in the passenger compartment of the car included, among other things, the installation of an automatic stop display and announcement, the replacement of sliding windows and skylights with hinged windows, partially upholstered seating, thermostat-controlled heating and the installation of side light strips with fluorescent tubes on the roof slopes instead of the incandescent bulbs that are prone to failure. The entire interior was now presented in dark brown tones. The changes to the car body were primarily noticeable through the installation of enlarged automatic line and destination indicators on the front and door sides as well as new angular headlights and taillights. In addition, the intake opening for the fans was relocated to the lower side skirt, so that a smooth outer skin was created on the non-door side. The side walls were given an anti-drumming coating to reduce noise. The vehicles were also given a new paint job similar to the T6 / B6 in Olympic blue and ivory. The working conditions for the driver could also be improved. In addition to a closed driver's cab with air conditioning, these improvements also included a fundamentally revised driver's desk and an adjustable ergonomic seat. The equipment cabinet was integrated into the rear wall of the cab. The renovations in the technical area concerned the replacement of the rotating converter with a static converter on the roof and the installation of two quieter three-phase fans instead of the noisy motor generator. The bogies have also been extensively revised. They received LHB bogie frames, metal-rubber suspension and, on some of the wagons, rubber-sprung wheels of the Bochum 54 type and wheel flange lubrication. This type of modernization was given to all railcars of the number series 2101-2197 until 1995 and were henceforth designated as T4D-M1 (type 33c).
Similarly, the sidecars were modernized, whereby the installation of a quick-release hydrostatic oil pressure brake with anti-skid protection should be mentioned, which should avoid overbraking the sidecars and the formation of flat spots. The sidecars converted to B4D-M were grouped in the number series 729-773 (type 65c).
After completing the first stage of modernization in 1995, the decision was made to continue the program in a slimmed-down manner. A further 70 railcars and 30 sidecars were planned for modernization. While the conversion of the railcars (series 2030-2099) was tackled straight away, a further modernization of sidecars was dispensed with in favor of a later procurement of low-floor sidecars. For financial reasons, the modifications to the bogies, the installation of a driver's air conditioning and the replacement of the engine generator had to be omitted in this second series. Deviating from this, however, nine cars received a small static converter on the roof and were grouped under the number series 2091-2099 (type 33e), while the remaining cars were given the numbers 2030-2090 (type 33d). The modernization of this car (T4D-M2) was completed in 1998. Initially, the cars of the second modernization stage could not run in front of sidecars. Unrestricted use was only possible after the sidecars were able to supply themselves by installing another converter. Because of the lack of a driver's air-conditioning system, the 33d cars should generally run behind cars from the first conversion series. The installation of static converters in all T4D-M2 could be completed by the end of 2002, so that the cars 2030-2099 could be combined again in the 33d type.
After a chopper control developed by LVB and ABB was ready for series production, it was installed in the already modernized and still to be modernized railcars from 1996 onwards. In the years that followed, a shunting switch was retrofitted in the rear of all motor coaches and sidecars, while the Bochum wheels were replaced with original Tatra wheels when new tires were installed. Due to accident damage, three new railcars were built later, so that the last modernized line vehicle was not completed until 2000. In 2001/2002, all wagons were equipped with bogie panels to reduce noise. Since 2000, all cars have been visually refreshed as part of general inspections. Since then, the interior has predominantly been presented in light gray tones, and the external appearance has been adapted to the blue / yellow paintwork of the NGT8.
As part of a general inspection, the floor of four sidecars between the bogies was lowered to the height of modern low-floor wagons from 2002 and provided with an additional double folding door. These wagons were advertised as "mobile bicycles" and accordingly fitted with bicycle racks in the interior. This concept did not prove its worth, mainly due to tariff reasons, which is why the cars were dismantled into normal line trailer cars at the end of 2004. Here, two seats have now been built into the low-floor area. Four further sidecars were converted accordingly to increase the number of low-floor cars, so that since the beginning of 2005 eight B4D-NF (791–798, type 65d) have been available. The first wagons were parked and scrapped around 2010. Since 2017, all B4D sidecars except for car 700 of the city tour train “Gläserner Leipziger”, type 65g, have been decommissioned.
After the soccer World Cup in 2006, the removal of the first modernized wagons began due to the addition of more low-floor wagons. By the end of 2008, 21 T4D-M2 and 15 B4D-M had already been parked, which were subsequently sold to Sofia or scrapped. Additional additions to new vehicles enabled the removal of the remaining high-floor B4D-M and some T4D-M2 in 2011 and 2012. Further stoppages are currently not possible due to a lack of financial means to renew the vehicle fleet, so that main inspections have been carried out on Tatra wagons again since mid-2012, although the end of the general inspection and the stoppage of the remaining wagons until 2017 were announced in January 2010. Against this background, it is now very likely that the Tatra wagons will be used in scheduled services well beyond 2020. In January 2014, 126 railcars and 5 trailer cars were available for regular service, and a further 7 railcars were on reserve.
Leipzig T4D-M1 (first series, type 33c)
B4D-M converted into a low-floor sidecar
T4D-M1 No. 2168 in use in Leipzig
Tatra modernization in Magdeburg
In Magdeburg, the most noticeable modernization measures are the removal of the roof ventilation flaps, the installation of roof advertising boards, new exterior and interior target displays, the installation of new flashing lights and a change in the seating. First of all, all "Mod cars" were painted green / gray and provided with red decorative stripes. With the introduction of the NGT8D , the colors were changed to light gray / green, and the decorative stripes were moved at the height of the bumpers. A chopper control was only installed in a large T4D train (1168-1169-2113). Instead of the generator, the T4D 1235 only has a static converter and two external fans, which are required to cool the traction motors and the accelerator.
modernized T4D train in Magdeburg
Current situation
Unmodernized T4Ds have meanwhile been decommissioned in Germany. They were last used in Leipzig in the summer of 2006. Cars from Halle drive today in Kaliningrad ( Russia ) and Romania . Vehicles from Dresden, Leipzig and Magdeburg reached Pyongyang ( North Korea ), Romania and Russia.
In Dresden, a large part of the modernized T4D has already been replaced by new low-floor wagons. Tatra sidecars have disappeared from the cityscape for several years. The official Tatra farewell took place in summer 2010. Only low-floor multiple units are in use today in night traffic and on weekends.
A different solution is used in Leipzig; Here the low-floor share is increased by carrying sidecars, some new buildings, some also converted B4Ds. In Leipzig, too, the T4D-M have almost disappeared from the weekend and evening traffic, but they still provide a large part of the courses on weekdays.
The first 15 T4D-M and 15 B4D-M from Leipzig were handed over to Sofia in 2010 .
The experience with the T4D-M flowed into the development of the Leoliner in Leipzig , so that something of the T4D will also roll through Leipzig after he has finished his duties.
In Magdeburg, the last T4D were retired from planning on October 18, 2012.
Former Tatra T4D from Halle in Arad ..
... Sofia , ...
... and Kaliningrad
Web links
- www.tatrabahn.de
- www.rsag-online.de
- Information page on the T4
- Gerhard Rieskamp: Modernized Tatra T4D-M (Type 33c, d, e). ( Memento from October 23, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ↑ T3 - The Tatra Age begins . In: DVB Info . No. 01 , 2010, p. 22 .
- ↑ Magdeburg local traffic page, car park list. Retrieved December 15, 2012 .
- ↑ Andreas Günther, Sergei Tarkhov, Christian Blank: Tram Atlas Romania 2004 . Working group Blickpunkt Straßenbahn e. V., Berlin 2004, ISBN 3-926524-23-5 .
- ↑ strassenbahn-halle.de. Vehicle technology T4D-C / B4D-C. Matthias Pietschmann, accessed April 15, 2011 .
- ↑ Sabine Winkler: In 9 months to the end of the project. Successful delivery of 30 vehicles to Sofia. IFTEC GmbH & Co.KG, October 5, 2010, accessed on April 22, 2011 (delivery of T4D-M to Sofia).
- ^ Tatra-Tw say goodbye to the planned operation . In: Tram magazine . Issue 12, 2012, p. 8-9 .