Combino Trams:

This week reading takes me to a different style of tram. Whilst pictures of machinery are fascinating to me, their design is what makes the reading interesting. All material referred to here, can be used without any copyright infringement. Please feel free to add what you know to this post. Be sure to check this week's featured pickerupper song which provides me with the inspiration for my posts.

Today's featured tram designs are the Combino and Combino Supra trams. Siemens has been highly involved in the design of such style of trams, - of special mention is their latest involvement in Melbourne's tram network which as of 2005 was the third largest in the world, with 245 kilometres of double track, and 145 million passenger trips. More on the Combinos from Siemens:
http://transportation.siemens..../combino_history.htm

Design differences with original Combino
“Unlike the former Combino model, the Combino Supra is designed in nine meter fixed sections. Each section has a bogie, either powered or unpowered. The tram length can be anywhere from two sections (18 meters) to eight (72 meters). In the Budapest and Almada trams, modules are placed in two car blocks, each block joined by a double articulation join. The original Combino design featured a half-width door near the drivers cab. The Combino Supra has changed this to a full double-leaf door. The city transport company of Budapest has ordered 40 Combino Supra Budapest NF 12B units”.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combino_Supra

And now for some pictures;

Combino Supra in Budapest:



Combino trams in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XX_UYi7C38&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...lS8Q&feature=related


Compare and contrast pics:

[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Combinobp.jpg/800px-Combinobp.jpg [/IMG]

Tram controls:



Freiburg:



Photo is credited to Tobias B. Koeler:



Week End pickerupper song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...SGCE&feature=related

Have a great week! Prairie

WOW! And one would think the Second Photo is of a Maerklin layout!

Is there some rule that says that all modern trolleys, trams, light-rail, etc, has to be butt-ugly?

quote:

Originally posted by Arthur P. Bloom:
Is there some rule that says that all modern trolleys, trams, light-rail, etc, has to be butt-ugly?

Arthur

How about sharing your knowledge of trams and trolleys and what goes behind the choice of their designs and engineering. Maybe then, we will all here be able to understand that "rule" that you are speaking of. I am particularly interested in your definition of "butt-ugly".

You are a transportation designer, engineer? I would like to hear further about these so-called butt-ugly trams. Honestly, I read many science articles and what goes behind the making of science is pretty tremendous, the good and the bad inclusive. Why don't you share what you know. I am all ears, give us some constructive criticism about the rule that makes these trams so "butt ugly" and what you would do to improve them.


Prairie