Škoda ForCity Smart 38T -Trams Get Longer
As the modern tram evolves, companies offer longer trams to cope with ever increasing ridership demands.
With a modular design, this easier to do than a complete new design for a tram.
It also should be noted that Mannheim’s tram system is metre gauge, thus the kinematic envelope for trams is very constricted and the only way to increase capacity is lengthening the tram. Offering 156 seats is impressive, especially compared to a much wider ROTEM EMU, used on the Canada Line, which offers a meagre 88 seats for a 41 metre long two car train-set.
The 38T tram also comes in smaller sizes, 30.5 metre and 40.65 metre lengths.
Škoda Group unveils the world’s longest tram
17 September 2024
The six-car 58.7 m long ForCity Smart 38T for Mannheim. Source: Škoda Group
Belov Sergey, Editor-in-Chief, ROLLINGSTOCK Agency
Savenkova Ekaterina, Editorial Contributor to International Projects of ROLLINGSTOCK Agency
Germany: The six-car 58.7 m long ForCity Smart 38T will transport passengers in the city of Mannheim, where it was officially unveiled.
The streetcar was built as part of a 2018 contract between the Rhine-Neckar region’s public transport operator RNV and the tram builder. The previous record for tram length was held by the nine-car 55.9 m CAF Urbos for Budapest.
The first photos of the 38T were published in June. For 368 passengers, each 38T offers 156 seats, including 12 flap-up ones. The operating speed of the tram is 80 km/h.
The six-car 58.7 m long ForCity Smart 38T at the presentation in Mannheim. Source: RNV
Škoda Group has contracted to deliver 12 38Ts and 68 shorter trams: the 36Ts with a length of 30.5 m and the 37Ts with a length of 40.7 m. All trams, based on the Arctic platform, have been adapted to 1,000 mm track gauge and will operate in Mannheim, Ludwigshafen, and Heidelberg.
Skoda builds great LRV’s, most of the time. They nearly won the contract for Toronto’s streetcars. They are very good at design and engineering. They however have part quality issues sometimes, especially when certain 3rd party vendors are used (a group of eastern European companies). Their designs have a wonderful sense of style that many designs today can lack.
It should be 6 sections, not 6 cars.
A big issue with longer transit vehicles is always the streetcar barn/storage building/garage. Usually a new or expanded facility is required. Case in point, the Mk. 5 Skytrains. There’s a reason Operations Centre #5 really needs to be built. Translink finally admitted in a letter to a group here in Ottawa they are short of maintenance slots and staff without Op. & Main. Centre #5
OMC 1 upgrade to handle the MK 5 and additional storage track hold up to 6 train sets. Can storage MK 3 on the pocket tracks overnight additional trains can be stored at OMC 1. Translink’s maximum accepted delivery before OMC 4 is online is 14-16 train sets.
The earliest they can start construction on OMC 5 2029 but anticipated to be completed until 2032. OMC 5 is a capacity upgrade of expo line increase headways below a 100 seconds.
Zwei replies: The OMC #5 has nothing to do with increasing headways.
BCRTC is not limited operational headways. Limited by equipment available for operation.
MR haveacow say something similar.
Zwei replies: Sorry no, it is limited by signalling. Present maximum headway’s: 1) Expo Line – 15,000 pphpd; 2) Millennium Line – 4,000; 3) Canada line – the information is considered proprietary but is around 8,000 pphpd.