Siemens–Duewag U2
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The Siemens-Duewag U2 is a type of light-rail vehicle (LRV). The cars were built by consortium of Siemens, Wegmann & Co. and Duewag. The U2 design was built on the Siemens U1 prototype tram built in 1965 (now stored at a Frankfurt tram museum).
Originally designed for and used by the Frankfurt U-Bahn (subway/metro system), the model of car was adopted for light-rail use by transit systems in Edmonton, Calgary, and San Diego, during a period in which few purpose-built trams were being manufactured. All U2 cars were built between 1968 and 1990.
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[edit] Technical details
The U2's dimensions are 24.284 m by 2.650 m by 3.66 m. The articulated halves of each car can be seen as a married pair; in the US, usually up to three such 'pairs' run together. Each articulated car has a total passenger capacity of 264 passengers. It may be equipped with two DC motors for a total power output of 300 kW and a maximum speed of 80 km/h, or with four AC motors for an output of 544 kW and speed of 88 km/h.
As the length of a tram or light-rail train running on shared track is restricted to a maximum of 75 meters in Germany, up to three U2 cars may be used in a single consist on such track.
Frankfurt U2 cars use a Scheren (diamond) pantograph, while Calgary, Edmonton and San Diego vehicles use a single-arm (z-shaped) pantograph.
- Manufacturer: Siemens Duewag Düsseldorf, West Germany
- Type: Double-ended articulated car, 6 axle, multiple-unit operation
- Height: | 12.4 feet (3,780 mm)
- Width: 8.7 feet (2,652 mm)
- Length: 76 feet (23.165 m), 76.71 feet (23.381 m) or 88.5 feet (26.975 m)
- Weight (empty): 77,161 pounds (35,000 kg), 89,000 pounds (40,370 kg) or 97,900 pounds (44,407 kg)
- Car Body: Lightweight welded steel
- Wheels: Steel-tired with acoustic dampening
- Dynamic Braking
- Speed: 50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h) to 55 miles per hour (88.5 km/h)
- Overhead Traction Power: 600 V DC
[edit] Gallery
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U-Bahn Frankfurt U2 car 361
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Edmonton U2 car 1002
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Calgary Transit U2 car 2043
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San Diego Trolley U2 car 1036 operating on the Blue Line, at the Old Town Transit Center
[edit] Variants
Siemens–Duewag Type U3 is an upgraded version of the U2 with a slightly longer length and cosmetic changes. Introduced in 1977, they entered service in 1980 and were never exported outside of Germany's Frankfurt U-Bahn.
Siemens–Duewag Type U2A on Sacramento Regional Transit's light rail system is an upgraded version of the U2 that shares similar characteristics of the newer SD-100s and SD-160s, yet it still uses the mechanical equipment of the U2.
[edit] U2 cars acquired, by city
- Calgary — 82 cars[1]
- Edmonton — 37 cars[2]
- Frankfurt — 104 cars[3]
- San Diego — 71 cars[4]
- Mendoza — 11 cars (provided by San Diego)
[edit] Similar vehicles
- UTDC ALRV and HF LRV
- Siemens SD-100 and SD-160
- Kinki Sharyo LF LRV
- Tokyu Car Corporation LRV
- Siemens S70
- Siemens SD-400
[edit] See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Siemens-Duewag U2 |
[edit] References
- ^ Calgary Transit U2 DC LRV Roster. Carsandtrains.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Edmonton LRT (Light Rail). Web.presby.edu (2009-03-05). Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ RAILSIM Worldwide Transit Vehicles. Railsim.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Trolley Fact Sheet. SDMTS. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
