Budapest adhesion trials as future of rack tramway considered

In the south-west suburbs of the Hungarian capital is a 3.7km standard-gauge Riggenbach rack-equipped tramway linking Városmajor (interchange with trams at Széll Kálmán tér) and the hill-top terminus at Széchenyihegy (interchange with the Children’s Railway). The line, which climbs 327M, first opened in 1874, is part of the Budapest public transport network operated by BKV in service 05.00-23.00 as line 60. Rolling stock was last renewed in 1973 with SGP-built cars operating under 1500 V dc overhead. 150 years of operation was celebrated in 2024. 

 

With replacement rolling stock now on the agenda, consideration is being given to adhesion operation up the hill (which is no steeper than many tramway gradients). The line was closed from 3 to 9 November for annual maintenance and track work. On the last day of the closure the overhead voltage was changed to 600 V dc and a coupled set of Tatra T5C5 trams was moved the short distance from the nearby tramway network to carry out adhesion tests on the rack tramway, with particular attention to braking performance on the descent. 4043+4224 performed without fault and the results of the tests are being analysed to see if it would be possible to extend line 60 to a connection with the tramway and operate it with adhesion trams.