Woltersdorf tramway modernisation

In the eastern suburbs of Berlin, running 5.6km from Rahnsdorf S-Bahn station to the village of Wolterdorf, is VBB line 87, a standard-gauge tramway operating since 1913. Since 1991 the ownership has been shared between the Woltersdorf municipality and the Oder-Spree county government. 

 

From January 2020 operation has been in the hands of Schöneiche–Ridersdorf Strassenbahn GmbH, another S-Bahn feeder tramway just a few km away. The small tramway company is one of the last to be worked by DDR-era ex-Schwerin two-axle high-floor Gotha trams, dating from 1957-60. 

 

In order to meet accessibility requirements this stock must be replaced by low-floor trams, and tenders for new trams were issued in June 2021. 

 

In February 2022 it was announced that the successful bidder was the Polish company Modertrans of Poznan, with an order placed for three Moderus Gamma LF10 AC BD 14.9m low-floor bogie cars. A fourth car was added to the order later. The trams are based on those built in 2020 to Tramwaje Slaskie in Katowice, though those were only partially low-floor. 

 

After testing at Poznan’s Franowo depot, the first of the new trams, numbered 41, was delivered to the German tramway on 27 March, with trial running starting in April. It is hoped this can be completed in time for passengers to take a ride on the occasion of the line’s 111th anniversary, 19 May 2024. 

 

The double-ended air-conditioned trams are 2.4m wide and can carry 56 passengers, 22 seated. They are powered by 4 x 50kW asynchronous motors and weigh 20.5t, with a maximum design speed of 70km/h. They feature a multi-purpose area for pushchairs and wheelchairs, with a folding ramp at the door.