Tram and LRT Depots Experiences after 20 years of Low-Floor Vehicles

29.04.2015

• About VCDB

• Tram development

• High-Floor

• Low Floor 1st gen

• Low Floor 2nd gen

• Maintenance

• Different maintenance philosophies

• Scheduled / heavy maintenance

• Some recommendations for design

Content

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Our shareholders

74,9 % 25,1 %

Facts & Figures

Gesellschafter Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG

Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe AöR

Quality Management DIN EN ISO 9001:2008

Environment audit DIN EN ISO 14001:2009

Standorte Dresden, Berlin

Business Units Rail Vehicle Technology

Transport Planning /

Transport Engineering

Traffic Telematics

Infrastructure Planning

Electric Mobility

Assistance in Operation

Stammkapital 100.000 EUR Managing Director Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Flügge

Mitarbeiter 33 (per 01.05.2010)

Umsatz 2009 3,63 Mio. EUR

Projects Approx. 80 in process

Gesellschafter Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG

Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe AöR

Standorte Dresden, Berlin

Gesellschafter Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG

Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe AöR

Mitarbeiter 33 (per 01.05.2010) Standorte Dresden, Berlin

Gesellschafter Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG

Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe AöR

Stammkapital 100.000 EUR

Mitarbeiter 33 (per 01.05.2010) Standorte Dresden, Berlin

Gesellschafter Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG

Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe AöR

Turnover 2013 4.72 m EUR

Share Capital 200,000 EUR

Employees 45 (as of 2015/04/15) Offices Dresden, Berlin, Magdeburg

Foundation 1994 as VCDH VerkehrsConsult Dresden-Hamburg GmbH

2005 renamed as VCDB VerkehrsConsult Dresden-Berlin GmbH

Shareholders Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG

Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe AöR

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Two highlights for today's topic - vehicles

• VCDB was until today resposible for the construction supervision of

more than 800 trams/LRVs/EMU/DMU.

Quelle:

www.wikipedia.org

(30.09.2014)

Tender design for depot in Bergen/Norway (2010 – 2012)

Design (all phases) of new tram/bus depot Leipzig-Doelitz (since 2011)

Feasibility study for extension of main workshop Dresden (2013 – 2014)

Design support for tram workshops in Toronto, Ottawa, Missisauga / Canada

(2010 – 2013)

Draft Design Depot Nova Huta of MPK Krakau / Poland (2008 - 2009)

Depot Concept North of Magdeburger Verkehrsbetriebe GmbH (2007 - 2009)

Depot Trachenberge of Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG (since 2006)

Depot Wissenhage of VVL De Lijn / Belgium (2004)

Workshop concept tram Sofia / Bulgaria (2007)

Workshop concept Yarra Trams Melbourne / Australia (2007)

Depot Reick of DVB AG (2005 – 2007)

Planning of a maintenance plant for railway passenger cars and trainsets in Leipzig-Wahren (1999 - 2000)

Central workshop Dresden-Gorbitz of DVB AG (2003 – 2006)

Bus depot Gruna of DVB AG (1997 – 1999)

Selection of Projects

Focus

Planning and Project Management for Depots and Workshop (Bus, Rail)

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• High floor vehicles – still in operation

Gothenburg Wuerzburg Chemnitz…

Tram development

Quelle:

http://www.nahverkehr-

franken.de/strassenbahn/img_wagen/wsb_244.jpg

Quelle:

http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/M28_%28sp%C3%A5rvagn%29#/

media/File:Tram_in_G%C3%B6teborg,_Sweden.jpg

Quelle:

http://tatra-chemnitz.npage.de/

• High floor vehicles – characteristics

- key parameters

massive underframe construction

carbody construction as „simple“ frame

electric components below / in underframe

high mechanical share

roof to a large extend empty

- decades of experience

Tram development

• Low floor vehicles – first generation

Dresden NGT6DD, Frankfurt R-Wagen…

Tram development

Quelle:

VCDB

Quelle:

http://www.abload.de%2Fimg%2Fr025abbiegenzurschwab3ecq.jpg

• Low floor vehicles, first generation

- Variations

70% LF, 100%LF, articulated, pivot bogies, modular scaling

- huge expectations from the client on

comfort, reliability, maintainability, life period…

- BUT

new constructions – no experience – many disillusions

Tram development

But we need to be honest: In most cases, the trams have been ordered and designed for 50 to 60tkm p.a. but in reality they ran as twice as much.

• Low floor vehicles – first generation

corrosion, tear and wear, reliability, maintenance complexity, obsolescence

Tram development

• Low floor vehicles – first generation

corrosion, tear and wear, reliability, maintenance complexity, obsolescence

Tram development

Die Bestellung umfasste 40 Wagen in zwei Serien (mit einer Option auf 60 weitere Fahrzeuge), von denen die erste 1993 geliefert wurde. Nachdem der erste R-Wagen in Frankfurt eintraf, fand eine Pressefahrt statt, die schon nach wenigen Metern wegen technischer Probleme vorzeitig beendet werden musste. Auch in der Folgezeit machten die Fahrzeuge durch zahllose technische Pannen Schlagzeilen, die aufwändig durch die Hersteller nachgebessert werden mussten. Die durch die erste Serie gesammelten Erfahrungen flossen direkt in den Bau der ebenfalls 20 Wagen umfassenden zweiten Serie ein, die 1997 geliefert wurde. Die Radgeräusche (Rumpeln und Quietschen, vor allem in Kurven) wurden durch den Einbau von Absorbern verringert und die Kurvenschwingungen durch den Einbau von Stabilisatoren stark gedämpft[7]. Durch die Stabilisatoren wurde auch das starke Ausschlagen des angelenkten Wagenteils in die entgegengesetzte Richtung unmittelbar nach der Kurvendurchfahrt weitgehend unterbunden. Die Option auf 60 weitere Fahrzeuge wurde nicht eingelöst, da die Fahrzeuge der ersten beiden Serien trotz zahlreicher Nachbesserungen nicht zufriedenstellend funktionierten. Unter anderem konnte das Problem mit dem Hitzestau, wodurch im Sommer die Hydraulikleitungen der Federungen platzen, nicht behoben werden. Ein weiterer Grund dafür waren die fehlenden Kupplungen, die die Stadtwerke bei der Bestellung vergessen hatten. Siemens baute daraufhin keine weiteren Fahrzeuge des Typs R mehr, sondern konzentrierte sich auf die Konstruktion des Nachfolgetyps Combino. Trotzdem beharrte Siemens auf der Einlösung der Option auf weitere 60 Wagen, nun jedoch in Form von Fahrzeugen des Typs Combino. Es wäre allerdings wegen der Vergaberichtlinien nicht zulässig gewesen, wenn die Stadt andere Wagen gekauft hätte als diejenigen, die seinerzeit die Ausschreibung gewonnen hatten. Dafür musste zunächst eine erneute Ausschreibung erfolgen.

Just one example Article copied from Wikipedia about the R-type tram in Frankfurt describing lots of technical imperfections and the struggle between operator and producer.

• Low floor vehicles – second generation

Dresden NGT8, Norrköping…

Tram development

Quelle:

http://strassenbahn-online.de/Betriebshof/LF050/FLEXITY_Norrkoeping/index.html

Quelle:

VCDB

• Low floor vehicles, second generation

- detailed and realistic expectations from the client on

RAMS, TCO, annual mileage, long-term consequences…

- the key deliverers have learned

advanced constructions – sensitivity on maintenance cost

new products offered (delivery AND service)

- BUT new players are coming up

and are facing some of the problems of the first generation again

Tram development

• Looking at the scheduled / light maintenance

• All three levels are important (what you might have expected), but this

nothing unexpected new.

- ROOF area, lots of components require access

- FLOOR level, in and out are the most frequent ways for the empoyees

- PIT level, brakes, hydraulics and electric need inspeection

• The same goes for the special purpose tracks for washing, lifting and wheel

profiling. They are needed and defined by their function.

Maintenance - back to the title: Experiences after 20 years…

Roof level

pit level floor level

Inside

30%

Roof 30%

Below

30%

Side 10%

Work on 3 levels in Berlin

The best solution might be tricky to find…

… but we strongly recommend NOT to use a LRT or mainline approach for a

tram workshop!

Maintenance - back to the title: Experiences after 20 years…

• Looking at the heavy maintenance / overhaul

Higher complexity than scheduled maintenance

Demanding legal and technical development

Experiences lead to different needs

than planing rules suggest (e.g. VDV823)

THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

Maintenance - back to the title: Experiences after 20 years…

Where have things changed?

These main fields require new approach:

A Perfoming a technical overhaul after (8) or 16 years

A1 For repair and technical overhaul of mid size / bigger fleets

SPECIALISED tracks are useful.

A2 Track distances vary and should be widened up to 8 or 9 m

B Bogies are a key element – and the space needed

for bogie overhaul is always designed too small

Maintenance: Experiences after 20 years…

A1 For repair and technical overhaul of mid size / bigger fleets

SPECIALISED tracks are useful.

WHY?

Different tasks need different technology

We recommend

FIRST following the work process and

SECOND define the equipment needed as well as the optimal layout position

Maintenance: Experiences after 20 years…

Table with typical work process

A2 Track distances vary and should be widened up to 8 or 9 m

VDV-recommendations need upgrade

Mounting, demounting, transport corridors, material, equipment,

stairs for access to roof/pit, HVAC and WORKERS simply need space.

Maintenance: Experiences after 20 years…

B Bogies are a key element – and the space needed

for bogie overhaul is always designed too small

Maintenance: Experiences after 20 years…

and finally – a short story about the history of new Bergen Flesland depot

First ideas from the clients consultant

VCDB optimised this layout together with Bybanen – some key figures - 20% ground use - 20% track length - 5 workbays (12 instead of 17) + 2 m axle with for workbays (8m instead of 6m) same workshop size

and finally – a short story about the history of new Bergen Flesland depot

The tender procedure was won by an Irish consultant company MMD. They suggested another optimisation, driven by investment.

- 7 Workbays (10 instead of 17) + 1 m axle with for workbays (7m instead of 6m) - 350m² for bogie repair (450m² instead of 800m²) - 0.85m for stabling area (3,15m instead of 4m)

VCDB was asked by Bybanen to find a way between minimum investment and sustainable, long-term feasible maintenance. … a long but fruitful discussion process….

Thank you for your attention.

LUNCHTIME!