PC Transport Systems, a developer and manufacturer of urban electric transport, is working on the creation of Russia's first all-aluminum tram.
The tram is assembled at the Tver Mechanical Plant of Electric Transport, which is part of PC Transport Systems, where a comprehensive modernization of production was completed in November 2019. The new body of the aluminum tram, which is being created on the basis of the three-section low-floor tram Vityaz M, will be fully welded and painted in May-June 2020, and its final assembly will be carried out at the Nevsky Electric Transport Plant, which is also part of PC Transport Systems, in St. Petersburg.
The use of aluminum makes the body of a modern tram more technological. Firstly, the warranty period of operation increases, since the body retains its shape for decades, unlike steel. This allows you to reduce maintenance costs, in particular, to replace units during operation. Second, the durability and corrosion resistance of aluminum allows it to be recycled after the end of the tram's service life.
At the same time, power units (depending on the configuration) will be installed in the new aluminum cars, capable of storing energy during braking and returning it during acceleration, which, as a result, will optimize energy consumption.
At the same time, the tram will provide a high level of comfort, which is already presented to the Vityaz M models: a spacious ergonomic cabin with enlarged windows, wide doors, a lot of handrails, a modern microclimate system, smooth and fast acceleration, sound insulation and other advantages await passengers.
The aluminum "Vityaz M" will be equipped with a passive safety system (emergency crash system) that has no analogues in Russia, which makes the tram the safest form of public transport. This system is designed to reduce the risk of injury to passengers and other road users, as well as to protect the main parts of the car structure in the event of an emergency collision. The absorption of kinetic energy occurs due to the presence of energy-absorbing body elements and hydrodynamic crash elements installed in front and behind the tram car.
“The aluminum tram is a new stage in the development of Russian transport engineering, investments in the future, in new technologies that will not lose their cost even years later,” comments Feliks Vinokur, President of PC Transport Systems. “At the same time, comfort and satisfaction of passengers' needs remains an absolute priority for us.”