Tram Train/Train Tram

[DownSouth]

Dual voltage tram trains of a suitable type already exist in Germany on the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn, although they are designed for 15KV 16.7Hz AC and 750V DC operation.
I have found som information unfortunatly only in German at http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/GT8-100D/2S-M

Which should make it a piece of cake to put together a UK-ready version - 50Hz transformers are far nicer beasts to work with than 16⅔Hz transformers.

The exact voltage of the DC system doesn't really make a difference to anything, a well-designed tram can be converted from one system to another in a few hours.

 

[edwin_m]

Vossloh is supplying the same basic design as the Sheffield tram-train to Karlsruhe, but theirs will be a unidirectional 750V-only version which will run on the Albtalbahn (a local "private" railway) but not on the main line rail network.

http://www.vossloh-innotrans.com/cm...hverkehrsfahrzeuge/stadtbahn/stadtbahn_1.html

The Karlsruhe Flexity Swift dual-voltage tram-trains are here:

http://www.bombardier.com/en/transp...ion=all&f-country=fr&f-segment=all&f-name=all

 

[Greybeard33]

The point is the technology exists here even if the operation doesn't beyond T&W.

Same vehicles currently running in Manchester are operating tram-train services mixing with heavy rail in Karlsruhe and Porto.

The Flexity Swifts operating mixed traffic with express trains in Karlsruhe haven't been modified for extra crashworthiness they still are designed for 600kn impacts though limited to 95kmh in mixed traffic. What they did was add tram track brakes to the other heavy rail vehicles operating the line.

Vossloh is supplying the same basic design as the Sheffield tram-train to Karlsruhe, but theirs will be a unidirectional 750V-only version which will run on the Albtalbahn (a local "private" railway) but not on the main line rail network.

http://www.vossloh-innotrans.com/cm...hverkehrsfahrzeuge/stadtbahn/stadtbahn_1.html

The Karlsruhe Flexity Swift dual-voltage tram-trains are here:

http://www.bombardier.com/en/transp...ion=all&f-country=fr&f-segment=all&f-name=all

The EN15227:2008+A1 C-III tram-train crashworthiness standard, adopted in 2010, now seems to be widely accepted, as exemplified by the Karlsruhe 2012 Vossloh order as well as that for Sheffield. The Karlsruhe Flexity Swifts were ordered in 2009 and so have "grandfather rights".

The existing T&W Metrocars apparently have higher frontal impact resistance than the Flexity Swift, and Nexus' Metro Strategy 2030 document assumes that this higher standard will be required for replacement T&W vehicles and for other future UK tram-train operations:

While it does not by any means cover the full range of requirements for crashworthiness, it is worth
considering the ‘impact resistance’ standards. Currently, the Network Rail standard for crash-
worthiness includes a frontal impact force of 2000kN, requiring a heavy vehicle structure to
withstand. Most worldwide Metro vehicles on typical segregated networks can only resist 400kN;
however, Nexus Metro vehicles can resist 800kN, which has been accepted by Network Rail on the
Sunderland joint operation, due to both robust signalling and control, and the overall relatively low
speed on that line. It should be noted that the vehicles procured by the Sheffield tram-train trial
project also have an 800kN frontal impact resistance, and it is hoped that an outcome of the
Sheffield project will be formal acceptance by Network Rail of this more modest standard for all
future UK tram-train type joint operations on normal, i.e. not high-speed rail lines. For the purposes
of this strategy, it is assumed that an 800kN impact resistance will be incorporated into new Metro
vehicles, together with other associated features.

http://www.nexus.org.uk/sites/default/files/Metro%20Strategy%20Background%20document.pdf

 

[Chris125]

Sheffield trams being built for dual voltage is a bit of a waste, will only be a static test section of 25kv in the depot. Again dual voltage technology already operating in plenty of places in the UK, not new.

It won't be a waste if the line through Rotherham is electrified at 25kv within the lifetime of these new vehicles, which it would be mad not to assume.

Chris