Flexity Berlin
| Industry | Transportation manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Hennigsdorf , Germany |
| Products | Flexity Berlin tram |
The Bombardier Flexity Berlin is a tram specifically engineered for the Berlin tram system, developed by Bombardier Transportation during the late 2000s. It is part of the Bombardier Flexity series, featuring a fully low-floor design.[1]
Overview
Derived from earlier Adtranz Incentro models, the Flexity Berlin features a modular construction. The Berlin public transport company Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) commissioned four prototype variants for evaluation: lengths of 30 and 40 metres, each available in either single-ended or double-ended configurations. The shorter versions consist of five modules, while the longer ones include seven. The cab and door layouts can be bidirectional (with two driver cabs) or unidirectional (one cab), depending on operational requirements. These initial units were showcased at the InnoTrans 2008 exhibition, with designs tailored specifically for Berlin.[2]
Pending successful trials, Bombardier's manufacturing facility in Hennigsdorf planned to produce an additional 206 vehicles, allowing BVG to phase out 452 older high-floor ČKD Tatra KT4 trams that are shorter and frequently coupled in pairs.[2]
In 2009, BVG placed a first order for 99 trams scheduled for delivery beginning in May 2011.[3] Deliveries commenced on 5 September 2011. BVG intended to acquire another 33 trams following 2017.[3]
A subsequent order for 39 extended-length trams was made in June 2012 to finalize the replacement of all Tatra vehicles by 2017. This €439.1 million contract was completely financed by the state of Berlin.[4]
The nearby Strausberg Railway joined BVG’s procurement framework with an order for two short, double-ended trams in September 2011. These were delivered in early 2013 to substitute older stock, primarily Tatra KT8D5 models. This €5.5 million acquisition is part of a two-decade agreement ensuring financial support.[5][6]
Initial assembly took place in Bautzen, where chassis were constructed before final assembly at Hennigsdorf near Berlin. Components such as motors were sourced from Bombardier plants in Mannheim and Siegen. The Hennigsdorf facility targets an annual output of approximately 20 to 24 units, with the last tram from the second batch anticipated by 2017.[7]
| GT6-08 / GT8-08 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model: | GT6-08 x 5 | GT8-08 x 7 | ||
| Cabs: | Unidirectional | Bidirectional | Unidirectional | Bidirectional |
| Build year: | Since 2008 | |||
| Number: | 4 (2008) / 148 (2010–2015) | |||
| Manufacturer: | Bombardier | |||
| Gauge: | Template:RailGauge | |||
| Length: | 30.8 m (101 ft 5⁄8 in) | 40 m (131 ft 2+3⁄4 in) | ||
| Width: | 2.4 m (7 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | |||
| Height: | 3.45 m (11 ft 3+7⁄8 in) | |||
| Floor height: | 355 mm (1 ft 2 in) | |||
| Entry height: | 220–295 mm (8+5⁄8 in – 11+5⁄8 in) | |||
| Wheel diameter (new/worn): | 660 / 580 mm (25.98 / 22.83 in) | |||
| Seats: | 64 | 54 | 88 | 75 |
| Standing: | 116 | 123 | 151 | 165 |
| Drive power: | 8 × 50 kilowatts (67 hp) | 12 × 50 kilowatts (67 hp) | ||
| Rated voltage: | Template:600 V DC (Berlin) / Template:750 V DC (Strausberg) | |||
| Top speed: | [convert: invalid number] | |||
| Weight: | [convert: invalid number] | [convert: invalid number] | [convert: invalid number] | [convert: invalid number] |
Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe's procurement history
| Order | Date | Short uni-direction unit (GT6-08ER) | Short bi-direction unit (GT6-08ZR) | Long uni-direction unit (GT8-08ER) | Long bi-direction unit (GT8-08ZR) | 50-m bi-direction unit of 9 sections | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-series | September 2006 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Initial order | June 2009 | 24 | 35 | 40 | 99 | ||
| Second order | June 2012 | 12 | 27 | 39 | |||
| Third order | December 2015 | 47 | 47 | ||||
| Fourth order | February 2017 | 21 | 21 | ||||
| Supplementary order | October 2018 | 21 | 21 | ||||
| Second series delivery | December 2020–July 2024 | 3 (−3) |
|
20 | |||
| Adjustment to initial order | January 2011 | −4 | −16 | +20 | |||
| Second adjustment to initial order | June 2012 | −20 | +18 | +2 | |||
| Pre-series refurbishment | 2013 | −1 | +1 | ||||
| Modification of second order | December 2015 | −20 | +20 | ||||
| Adjustment of first order in second series | {
} |
{{ }}−3 |
{{ }}+3 |
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- |- style="border-top:medium solid" |First series total | style="border-top:medium solid" | | style="border-top:medium solid" | | style="border-top:medium solid" | | style="border-top:medium solid" | | style="border-top:medium solid" | | style="border-top:medium solid" |231 | |- |Second series (Urbaliner) total | | | | | |20 | |- style="border-top:medium solid" |Overall total | style="border-top:medium solid" | | style="border-top:medium solid" |0 | style="border-top:medium solid" |37 | style="border-top:medium solid" |40 | style="border-top:medium solid" |157 | style="border-top:medium solid" |20 | style="border-top:medium solid" |251 | |}
See also
- ↑ Chivukula, Kavya (2020-05-21). "Bombardier supplies 200th FLEXITY tram to BVG". Railway Technology. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedrgi20090901 - ↑ "BVG.de - Pressemitteilung vom 22. Juni 2012".
- ↑ "Eine "Revolution" auf den Gleisen". Märkische Oderzeitung. 2013-03-21.
- ↑ "Meldungen und Beitrag Flexity kommt nach Strausberg". Strausberg TV. 2013-03-06.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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